Cantaloupe planting calendar for USDA Zone 7a

Asheville, Winston-Salem, Roanoke, Nashville, Little Rock. Average last spring frost April 15, first fall frost October 15 — a 183-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 18 – April 1

Direct-seed or transplant outdoors

April 22 – May 13

Expected first harvest

July 18 – August 15

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 7a

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 7a

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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