When to plant muskmelon

Tender · frost kills it

Muskmelonis keyed to your local frost dates. The offsets below hold anywhere — but the calendar dates they land on don’t. Enter your ZIP for dates tuned to your city’s nearest NOAA station.

Muskmelon planting timeline

Start indoors

2–4 wks before

Transplant out

1–2 wks after

Direct sow

1–3 wks after

Harvest

70–90 days later

-5 wksLAST SPRING FROST+15 wks

Tender: wait until the danger of frost has passed before planting out.

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Muskmelon planting FAQ

When should I start muskmelon seeds indoors?

Start muskmelon indoors 2–4 weeks before the last spring frost, so seedlings are ready to plant out once the weather warms.

Can I direct sow muskmelon?

Yes — you can sow muskmelon directly outdoors 1–3 weeks after the last spring frost.

How long does muskmelon take to grow?

Muskmelon takes about 70–90 days from transplanting to harvest, depending on the variety and conditions.

Is muskmelon frost-hardy?

Tender: wait until the danger of frost has passed before planting out.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in your area

An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to your frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.

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Planting windows are offsets from your local 1991–2020 NOAA frost normals. How we compute this.