Cantaloupe: Varieties for Small Spaces

It usually takes a lot of space to grow cantaloupe. However, a new variety has a much smaller vine -- about three feet long -- which is great for a small garden.

Produced by the Department of Communications at Kansas State University. For more information, visit our website at: http://www.kansasgreenyards.org

Transcript:
Cantaloupe Varieties for Small Spaces

Traditionally is takes a lot of space to grow melons – cantaloupe and watermelon vines can take over an entire garden area if they are given the chance. If you don’t have a large space for your garden, you may not even try to grow cantaloupe or watermelon because you don’t have space.

However, this variety of cantaloupe is one that we selected because it’s a smaller vine. You can see that this vine is controlled. It’s not taking over the garden, and it’s not expanding outside our raised bed very much. This cantaloupe is a bush type of cantaloupe. It has about three to three and one-half foot vines, which is great for a small garden.

It has regular sized cantaloupe, and this one is a medium sized cantaloupe. The downside to this melon is that it only has two melons on the whole plant. So, a smaller plant doesn’t mean smaller fruit – just fewer fruit.

But, if you love cantaloupe, and didn’t think that you had enough space, then growing a variety of cantaloupe that has a small vine with only a couple of cantaloupe would be enjoyable.

This feature story prepared with Rebecca McMahon, Kansas State University Research and Extension Horticulture Agent, Sedgwick County. For more information, visit your local county extension office or visit our website at KansasGreenYards.org.