Cantaloupe planting calendar for USDA Zone 6b

Boone NC, northern VA, central KY, southern IN. Average last spring frost April 24, first fall frost October 8 — a 167-day frost-free season.

Zone fit: good

Cantaloupe is frost-tender, so timing the outdoor transplant to the last frost matters more here than in warmer zones. Row cover buys 2 weeks of head start.

Key dates

Start seeds indoors

March 27 – April 10

Direct-seed or transplant outdoors

May 1 – May 22

Expected first harvest

July 27 – August 24

Windows are calculated from your zone's average frost dates. Adjust ±1 week for microclimates, elevation, and your own frost records.

Spacing and soil

Plant spacing: 24″
Row spacing: 72″
Seed depth: 1″
Soil temperature: 70–90°F
Frost tolerance: tender
Days to harvest: 80 days

Grower notes for Zone 6b

Harvest at full slip — fruit separates from vine with light thumb pressure. Fruit will not sweeten off the vine.

Plant near: corn, radish

Keep away from: potatoes

Other cucurbits for Zone 6b

Same crop, other zones

Track your own plantings

BAU Farm Intelligence turns these windows into per-field tasks — indoor seed-start reminders, transplant dates, harvest projections — using your farm's actual frost history.

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