🍎 Melon (Cantaloupe / Honeydew / Watermelon)
Cucumis melo / Citrullus lanatus
fruits
annual vine
☀️ Sun
full sun
💧 Water
consistent until fruit set, then reduce for sweeter fruit
🗺️ Zones
4, 11 (warm season)
🧪 Soil pH
6.0, 7.0
🪴 Soil Type
well-drained sandy loam, rich in organic matter
📏 Spacing
18-24 in. apart (bush), 36-48 in. (vine); 48-72 in. between rows
⏱️ Maturity
75-100 days (from seed/transplant); watermelon 80-100 days, cantaloupe 75-90, honeydew 80-100
🍴 Edible Parts
🍽️ Fruit
Key:🤝 Grows well together❌ Keep apart☀️ Sun needs💧 Water🗺️ Hardiness zone
🤝 Companions (8)
Quick cover crop between melon rows; attracts pollinators and beneficial insects
Fix nitrogen for heavy-feeding melons; grow early before vines spread
🤝 Corn / Sunflower
Provide windbreak and dappled shade in hot climates; melons serve as living mulch underneath
Attracts beneficial wasps that prey on cucumber beetles and squash bugs
Repels cucumber beetles and nematodes; strong scent masks melon from pests
Squash bug and cucumber beetle trap crop; groundcover IMPORTANT management caveat: without active management, nasturtiums can become a SOURCE of aphids that migrate to nearby crops. Either remove aphid-infested nasturtium plants promptly, or treat the trap crop itself to eliminate the aphid colony before it spreads. Strategic placement within 4-5 feet of protected crops is key.
Aromatic pest repellent; attracts pollinators for melon flower set
Repels cucumber beetles and flea beetles; fast-growing , harvest before melons spread
⚠️ Keep Apart (4)
⚠️ Other cucurbits (squash, cucumber)
Shared pest complex , cucumber beetles, squash bugs, powdery mildew; increased disease pressure from overcrowding
Shared blight susceptibility; competition for similar nutrients
Aromatic oils may stunt melon growth
Juglone sensitivity
🛒 Buy Seeds & Plants
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Botanical Interests
True Leaf Market
Burpee
Territorial Seed Company
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