Planting Muskmelon
Muskmelon is a warm season fruit in the Cucurbitaceae family. Getting the timing right is the difference between a strong stand and a disappointing one, so the windows below are given relative to your own last spring frost and first fall frost rather than a generic calendar date. Look up your local frost dates and count back or forward from there.
Muskmelon is started indoors 2–3 weeks before your last spring frost date, giving seedlings a head start before they move outside.
Sow Muskmelon directly into the garden 1–2 weeks after your last frost, once the soil has warmed.
Muskmelon can be grown by starting indoors and direct sowing. Starting indoors gives the longest, most controlled season, while direct sowing is simplest where the season is long enough.
Spacing and Planting Depth
Give Muskmelon room to mature. The figures below come from verified extension and seed-supplier data for typical varieties.
| Spacing in row | 24 inches |
|---|---|
| Row spacing | 60 inches |
| Plants per sq ft | 0.1 |
| Planting depth | 1 inches |
| Sun requirement | Full sun |
Plan a square-foot bed with Muskmelon →
Calculate plants in a bed for Muskmelon →
Days to Maturity
Muskmelon reaches maturity in 75–90 days from transplant.
Muskmelon is ready to harvest after about 83 days. Harvest before the first fall frost, which will end the plant's productive season.
Conditions and Care
As a warm-season fruit, Muskmelon needs warm soil and settled weather to thrive, and is set back or killed by frost. It is frost tender, so wait until all danger of frost has passed before planting out and harvest before the first fall frost.
Muskmelon needs full sun — give it at least six hours of direct light a day for the best growth and flavor. Sow seed about 1 inch deep, then keep the soil evenly moist until seedlings establish.
Muskmelon belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family; rotating where you grow members of this family each year helps limit the build-up of soil-borne pests and disease. Muskmelon is generally grown as a single planting each season rather than succession sown.
See Muskmelon in the full planting calendar for your ZIP →
Plan crop rotation for Cucurbitaceae →
Companion Plants
Pairing Muskmelon with the right neighbors can improve growth and deter pests; a few combinations are best avoided.
Grows well with: Nasturtium, Corn
Keep away from: Potato
Check Muskmelon with other crops in your garden →
Related Crops
Other crops you might grow alongside or instead of Muskmelon.
In the same family
Muskmelon is in the Cucurbitaceae family. Other Cucurbitaceae crops in the Gardenable database:
Documented companions
These crops are listed as good growing partners for Muskmelon:
Similar growing requirements
Crops with similar season and time to maturity — useful if you want a diverse garden on a similar schedule: