Maintaining soil pH in the 6.0 to 6.5 range is important for cantaloupe production.
What’s the best fertilizer for cantaloupe?
Organic fertilizers such as compost and well-rotted manure make excellent fertilizer for cantaloupes. The elements aren’t as concentrated in organic fertilizers so you have to use about 1 pound for every 4 or 5 square feet. Compost and aged manure improve the composition of the soil as well as the fertility.
How do you grow pH in cantaloupe?
Cantaloupes prefer a slightly acidic to neutral soil, between 6.0 and 6.8 pH. Once the threat of frost is gone for the season, sow seeds in “hills” about one inch deep, and 18 inches apart. A hill is a slightly raised mound of soil that can keep the heat on your crop, while also providing good drainage.
What pH is best for watermelon and cantaloupes?
between 6.0 and 6.5
Melons grow best on well-drained, sandy loam soils, with a pH between 6.0 and 6.5.
Does cantaloupe need lime?
Cantaloupes do not like acidic soil and prefer to grow in soil with a pH range of 6.0-6.5, so test the soil and amend it incorporating lime or dolomite if the soil is too acidic, to raise the the pH and so make calcium and magnesium available to the plants.
Is Miracle Grow good for cantaloupe?
Feeding and Caring for Melons
Then, feed your melon plants regularly through the growing season with a continuous-release plant food like Miracle-Gro® Performance Organic® Edibles Plant Nutrition Granules, which feeds the soil as well as your plants.
Should you trim cantaloupe vines?
As mentioned, pruning cantaloupe plants isn’t absolutely necessary and, in fact, the more leaves that remain on the vine the sweeter the fruit. That said, cutting back cantaloupe plants results in fewer fruit which enables the plant to put all of its energy into a scant few, resulting in larger melons.
When should I fertilize my cantaloupe?
You should not be fertilizing cantaloupe until after the plant is at least 4 inches tall. At this point, you can apply a dose of balanced fertilizer. If you want to use granule type fertilizer, choose one with a 10-10-10 or 5-5-5.
Do cantaloupes need a lot of water?
Water cantaloupe deeply and infrequently, 1-2 inches per week. Use drip irrigation if possible. Mulch around the plants will help conserve soil moisture and reduce weed growth. Irrigate so that moisture goes deeply into the soil.
What is the best fertilizer for melons?
When fertilizing watermelon plants, use nitrogen based fertilizer at the onset. Once the plant begins flowering, however, switch to feeding the watermelon a phosphorus and potassium based fertilizer. Watermelons require ample potassium and phosphorus for optimal melon production.
What pH do tomatoes like?
6.2 to 6.8
Tomatoes require a soil pH in the range of 6.2 to 6.8. The most accurate way to determine the pH of soil is by collecting it and having it tested. Your local UGA Extension office can help you send a soil sample to the UGA Soil, Plant and Water Analysis Laboratory for testing.
How do you grow sweet cantaloupe?
Cantaloupe Planting Basics
Plant cantaloupe seeds in full sun in well-drained soil. They’ll need about 85 days to mature, but don’t rush things. Sow seeds only when temperatures reliably stay above 50°F to 60°F. Plant in groups of two or three seeds spaced 2 feet apart.
How do I make my soil more alkaline?
To make garden soil more alkaline, add lime or dolomite lime to raise pH. Wood ash, bone meal, and ground eggshells or clamshells also work, since they contain calcium carbonate to make soil more alkaline by raising pH. Hydrated lime is another option that works fast, but it can burn plant roots.
How many cantaloupes will one plant produce?
Each plant can produce anywhere from four to eight delicious melons.
What do you sprinkle on cantaloupe?
Watermelons, cantaloupes, and honeydews lean sweet—and that’s why they play so well with salt, vinegar, and cheese. Sweet, ripe, summer melons are better with salt. Salt makes their flavor pop. It contrasts their sweetness and accentuates their refreshing qualities.
Do cantaloupes like wood ash?
Growing cantaloupes in soil with a pH lower than 6.0 may cause yellowed foliage and irregular fruit production. Clemson Cooperative Extension recommends raising soil pH with lime or wood ashes.
Do cantaloupes like coffee grounds?
Coffee grounds increase the taste of Cantaloupes. Nutrients in the coffee grounds are phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and copper.
What’s the best fertilizer for watermelons and cantaloupes?
Choosing the best fertilizer for watermelon is the key to a quality harvest.
- BEST OVERALL: Dr.
- BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Espoma Garden Tone 3-4-4 Plant Food.
- PREMIUM PICK: Organic Plant Magic Super Premium Plant Food.
- BEST ORGANIC: Jobe’s Organics Granular Fertilizer.
- BEST LIQUID: Neptune’s Harvest Hydrolyzed Fish Fertilizer.
Do cantaloupes like bone meal?
Require full sun, complete drainage and air circulation to prevent fungal diseases. Mix in some broken-down compost to provide nutrients and improve soil structure. Avoid water build up on the surface, since melons rest on the ground during growth. A sprinkling of fish bone meal helps.
Should I pinch off cantaloupe flowers?
Avoid pinching off shoots because an abundance of healthy leaves will produce sweeter fruit. For best flavor, leave the largest fruit growing on the vine and pinch off any young fruits that begin to form.
Can you plant cantaloupe in the same spot every year?
1 Don’t Plant Cantaloupes in the Same Place Two Years in a Row. Not only should you avoid consistently planting cantaloupes in the same location of your garden each year, but you should also avoid planting pumpkins, squash, and any other member of the cucumber family in the same location each year.