Rainline Garden
When to plant melons in Oregon and Washington
In Portland: Plant melons in the garden May 10–31, either as seeds or as young plants started indoors Apr 12–19. In Bend: Jun 9–30. Find your city below.
- Difficulty
- Tricky here
- Sun
- Full sun; the hottest spot you have
- Spacing
- 24 to 36 inches apart
- Planting depth
- 1 inch deep
- Frost
- Killed by frost
- First harvest
- About 85 days after planting
The toughest heat lover for west-side gardens: choose short-season varieties and use black plastic and row cover. Eastern valleys grow them easily.
Melons planting dates by city
| City | Start seeds indoors | Plant in the garden |
|---|---|---|
| Astoria, OR | Apr 22–29 | May 20 – Jun 10 |
| Baker City, OR | Apr 27 – May 4 | May 25 – Jun 15 |
| Bend and Redmond, OR | May 12–19 | Jun 9–30 |
| Burns, OR | May 14–21 | Jun 11 – Jul 2 |
| Coos Bay and North Bend, OR | Apr 22–29 | May 20 – Jun 10 |
| Eugene, OR | Apr 12–19 | May 10–31 |
| Gresham, OR | Apr 12–19 | May 10–31 |
| Klamath Falls, OR | May 12–19 | Jun 9–30 |
| Medford, OR | Apr 12–19 | May 10–31 |
| Pendleton, OR | Apr 3–10 | May 1–22 |
| Portland, OR | Apr 12–19 | May 10–31 |
| Roseburg, OR | Apr 12–19 | May 10–31 |
| Salem, OR | Apr 12–19 | May 10–31 |
| The Dalles, OR | Apr 3–10 | May 1–22 |
| Wilsonville and Canby, OR | Apr 12–19 | May 10–31 |
| Aberdeen and Hoquiam, WA | Apr 22–29 | May 20 – Jun 10 |
| Bellingham, WA | Apr 12–19 | May 10–31 |
| Ellensburg, WA | Apr 22–29 | May 20 – Jun 10 |
| Everett, WA | Apr 12–19 | May 10–31 |
| Forks, WA | Apr 22–29 | May 20 – Jun 10 |
| Moses Lake, WA | Apr 3–10 | May 1–22 |
| Olympia, WA | Apr 12–19 | May 10–31 |
| Omak and Okanogan, WA | Apr 22–29 | May 20 – Jun 10 |
| Seattle and Tacoma, WA | Apr 12–19 | May 10–31 |
| Spokane, WA | Apr 22–29 | May 20 – Jun 10 |
| Tri-Cities (Pasco, Kennewick, Richland), WA | Apr 3–10 | May 1–22 |
| Vancouver, WA | Apr 12–19 | May 10–31 |
| Walla Walla, WA | Apr 3–10 | May 1–22 |
| Wenatchee, WA | Apr 3–10 | May 1–22 |
| Yakima, WA | Apr 10–17 | May 8–29 |
How to grow melons
- Start seeds indoors on your city's dates in trays or small pots under a grow light or in your sunniest window. Or skip this step and buy young plants (starts) at a garden center.
- Harden off the young plants: about a week before planting, set them outside for a few hours a day, a little longer each day.
- Plant them in the garden on your city's dates, 24 to 36 inches apart. If you plant seeds instead, sow them 1 inch deep.
- Water deeply once or twice a week rather than a little every day, and mulch once the soil is warm.
- Harvest: Cantaloupes are ripe when the stem slips off with a gentle push. Watermelons are ready when the curly tendril nearest the fruit turns brown and dry.
Varieties that do well in the Northwest
- Sugar Baby (watermelon)
- Minnesota Midget (cantaloupe)
- Halona (cantaloupe)
Watch out for
Cool soil and cool nights are the main obstacle west of the Cascades. Black plastic mulch and row cover until flowering make the difference.
Cucumbers
Zucchini and summer squash
Winter squash and pumpkins