Growing Rockmelon, also Canteloupe

Cucumis melo : Cucurbitaceae / the gourd family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
                  S S  
T                     T

(Best months for growing Rockmelon in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • 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 20°C and 32°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 40 - 60 cm apart
  • Harvest in 10-16 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Sweetcorn, Sunflowers
  • Avoid growing close to: Potatoes

Your comments and tips

23 Feb 19, Edith (New Zealand - temperate climate)
thankyou for your answer. The forecast was for days of rain so I snipped them off and they are in the shed which gets pretty warm. The info on them splitting in rain is valuable thankyou and I am glad I have taken the gamble and picked them as it is solid rain for days. I will put an update on if and how they ripen when it happens. thanks again.
06 Dec 18, Lorraine (Australia - temperate climate)
I have rock mellons coming up where i have buried kitchen scraps.. Should i pull them out or let them grow. I am in Ipswich Qld December 6 2018
06 Dec 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
You could let them grow - thin them out or separate them to 2-3' apart. I did this in Oct - the plants are just setting and growing fruit now. You may have to protect them later when they have fruit on from the sun. Better to plant them late August (away from frosts) or early Sept. The picking season is well under way in SE Qld now - probably finished by Xmas.
12 Nov 18, Dianne Morgan (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I live In Brisbane Australia I have a rock melon plant can I plant it now & How far do the vines go as I only have a small courtyard
13 Nov 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Yes try growing it - I have some which are just starting to spread now. In really good soil and plenty of water they could spread a diameter of 4m. You could move/train the vine to a smaller area.
12 Oct 18, Mary (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Where I live at Mount Bruce the temp can be cold with semi high wind is there any special care needed when tending to my rock melons
15 Oct 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Just plant when they say so and try to protect them from the wind a bit. I didn't think they would grow in cold places.
27 Feb 18, Tony Mackay (Australia - temperate climate)
I am in Nambucca area frost free north east slope. Can i still plant rockmelons. I have the plants.
01 Mar 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
You can grow rockies in the autumn. Probably don't taste as good as the spring ones. I had rockies in and harvested the last in Jan - the fruit left in the garden bed, their seeds were germinating with in a fortnight.
03 Feb 18, james (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
tip when they are ready eat them
Showing 41 - 50 of 236 comments

I have a patch of garden that was covered by polythene due to illness and I planted 3 rock melons into small holes that I made. They have flourished and there are melons galore. I think the heat from the polythene must have helped. I find that the plastic does not drain the water when it rains, and I am worried that the melons will spoil against it. I have tried to lift them and put netting and wood underneath as many as I can. Can I harvest them and will they ripen when they are off the vines. I will pick them all as there is rain coming if they will ripen themselves. They are nearly ripe as I cut one and altho it was not ripe and yellow I could eat it. They are a good size. bit in fact.

- Edith

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