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Growing Rockmelon, also Canteloupe

(Cucumis melo)

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    S S P P            

(Best months for planting Rockmelon in USA - Zone 5a regions)

S = Plant undercover in seed trays. P = Plant direct in garden where they are to grow.


  • Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 68°F and 90°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 16 - 24 inches apart
  • Harvest in 10-16 weeks.
  • Compatible with: Sweetcorn, Sunflowers
  • Avoid growing with: Potatoes
  • Leaves and flowers
  • Young melons

Your comments and tips

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14 Apr 12, sarah (Australia - temperate climate)
how old are the plants? mine took along time(over two months) to produce female flowers, also i found the bees do a better job of pollinating if the plants are spread out rather than too inter-grown
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13 Feb 12, Nelson Shem (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Where can i purchase the seeds?
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26 Nov 12, Rich (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Just buy a rockmelon, scoop the seeds out, dry hem and plant them. I've got about 100 seedlings growing out of my compost now. I'm gonna let them grow
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24 Sep 12, cathie (Australia - temperate climate)
i got mine at diggers in victoria. they are on line and they will post you what you want
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26 Jan 12, Jenny Dutton (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
We are growing rockmelons for the first time and ave quite a few on the vinewhich are not yet ripe (haven't browned off at the stem yet) but they are getting to a good size. One appeared to ripen first on the end then rotted. Any ideas on the problem?
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29 Jan 12, Kate (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Hi! I have been growing rockmelons this year and I had 2 grow in Dec-Jan, and now at the end of Jan , I now have another 5-6 growing. Not sure why they didnt grow earlier on, but they are now growing, but I have had to manual pollinate as I havent had any bees this year flying around my flowers, so manually pollinating, but the problem for my plant is that I have mostly male flowers & hardly any female flowers and I have 5 plants. Very strange why I have sooo many male flowers. I was hoping to have a bumper crop this year of Rockies. Hope at the end of this year, it becomes a better crop for us! Do your rockies grow Round? I have round rockies, not oval as in like the store brought ones.
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18 Feb 12, sandra (Australia - arid climate)
I think if you have too many male flowers because you have planted too many plants too close together, and my rockies are round also!
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28 Jan 12, (Australia - arid climate)
I had that happen with watermelon also. Plus I am growing Rockmelon for the first time. But so hard heaps of vine but only 1 fruit. So I am watching it and caring for it with so much love.
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18 Feb 12, sandra (Australia - arid climate)
You may be caring for your plants too much, possibly too much fertilizer, they don't mind a bit of neglect!
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25 Jan 12, Jan (Australia - temperate climate)
Our rockmelon vine is prolific with plenty of Vine & the fruit almost growing on top of each other. Does the fruit need sun exposure or just the vine? The vine is covering all the fruit will they ripen that way? Thanks Jan
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Post a question, comment or tip about Rockmelon

I was told that if I plant rockmelons and watermelons in the same paddock that the watermelons will be distaughted and small due to cross pollination from the bees, is this so? If so, what is the desired distance to plant from each other?

- Shelly


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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.

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