Cantaloupe
Cucumis melo
Also known asMuskmelon · Rockmelon · Sweet melon · Spanspek · Melón
Environment
The bounded range this crop tolerates. Strict on light; outside the DLI band, yields drop sharply.
Climate and zones
- USDA zones
- 4–12 (winter low around -34°C)
- Frost
- frost sensitive (dies at first frost)
- Season
- warm (summer, frost-sensitive)
Growing systems
Root mass: heavy. Thin-channel systems can't hold this crop.
Growing media
| Medium | pH effect | Retention | Bacterial surface |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coco coir (Coconut coir) | slightly acidic | high | moderate |
| Perlite (Expanded volcanic glass) | neutral / inert | very low | low |
| Rockwool (Mineral wool) | alkaline until pre-soaked | very high | low |
| Soil-based mix (Potting soil) | varies | high | high |
Nutrient demand by stage
NPK ratios are relative weights. EC targets shift through the plant's life.
| Stage | N | P | K | EC (mS/cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| seedling | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1.4 |
| vegetative | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| flowering | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2.2 |
| fruiting | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2.4 |
Companion-growing notes
- Heavy uptake of potassium, nitrogen. Co-grown crops with the same demand will end up deficient even at "correct" EC.
- Very high transpiration. Reservoir drops fast; expect daily top-ups and EC creep.
Aquaponics suitability
Compatible
Fish waste provides enough nitrogen for healthy growth. Supplemental potassium, calcium, and iron may still be needed depending on fish stocking density.
Care notes
A challenging but rewarding crop for warm greenhouses. Use Dutch bucket or large containers (around 20 L) with a strong trellis for vertical growing. Hold EC around 2.0-2.6 mS/cm, raising it during fruit fill, and pH 6.0-6.5. Run 24–32°C by day and 18–22°C at night, since warm days with cooler nights build sugar. Light demand is very high, 22-32 mol/m2/day, among the most light-hungry crops. Indoors, hand-pollinate by moving pollen from male to female flowers with a brush, ideally in the morning. Train vines up the trellis and cradle each fruit in a mesh sling once it reaches softball size, limiting each vine to two or three fruits for size and sweetness. For netted types, ripeness shows when a crack forms around the stem base and the melon slips off with light pressure, with a sweet fragrance at the blossom end. Ease off irrigation in the final week or two, since overwatering dilutes the sugar. Expect two to four melons per plant. Powdery mildew is the main disease, helped by airflow and resistant varieties.