Delicious 51 Cantaloupe
Delicious 51 Cantaloupe: 85-95 days to harvest, 7-14 days to germinate, 36-60 inches between plants, pH 6.0-7.0, hardy in zones 2-11. Fruit runs to about 3-4 pounds. Give it full sun (6+ hours) and 1-2 inches per week, consistent moisture until fruit begins to ripen water.
Sowing
Direct sow after soil reaches 65°F or start indoors 3-4 weeks before transplanting. Plant seeds 1 inch deep.
Cultivation
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hours)
- Water
- 1-2 inches per week, consistent moisture until fruit begins to ripen
- Soil
- Rich, well-drained loam with plenty of compost or aged manure
- Soil pH
- 6.0-7.0
- Spacing
- 36-60 inches
- Height
- 6-9 feet
- Season
- Warm season
Appearance & flavour
- Colour
- Deep orange flesh with tan, heavily netted rind
- Size
- 3-4 pounds
- Shape
- Round to slightly oval with pronounced ribbing and netting
- Flavour
- Intensely sweet and aromatic with rich, complex cantaloupe flavor
In the kitchen
Fresh eating, fruit salads, cantaloupe agua fresca, ice cream, and preserving
Pests, disease & resistance
- Pests
- Cucumber beetles, aphids, squash vine borer, flea beetles
- Diseases
- Fusarium wilt, powdery mildew, bacterial wilt, downy mildew
- Resistance
- Some natural resistance but susceptible to common melon diseases
Planting calendar by USDA zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Transplant | Direct sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | May – June | July | July – August | October – September |
| 3 | May | June – July | June – August | October |
| 4 | April – May | June | June – July | September – October |
| 5 | April | May – June | May – July | September – October |
| 6 | April | May – June | May – July | September – October |
| 7 | March – April | May | May – June | August – October |
| 8 | March | April – May | April – June | August – September |
| 9 | February | March – April | March – May | July – August |
| 10 | January – February | March | March – April | June – August |
| 11 | January | February | February – March | May – July |
| 12 | January | February | February – March | May – July |
| 13 | January | February | February – March | May – July |
Companion planting
8 beneficial pairings indexed for this variety, 3 to avoid.
Avoid
Nutrition (per 100 g)
- Calories (per 100 g)
- 34
- Protein (g)
- 0.84
- Fat (g)
- 0.19
- Carbohydrate (g)
- 8.16
- Fibre (g)
- 0.9
- Sugars (g)
- 7.86
- Vitamin A (µg)
- 169
- Vitamin C (mg)
- 36.7
- Vitamin E (mg)
- 0.05
- Vitamin K (µg)
- 2.5
- Vitamin B6 (mg)
- 0.072
- Folate (µg)
- 21
- Calcium (mg)
- 9
- Iron (mg)
- 0.21
- Magnesium (mg)
- 12
- Phosphorus (mg)
- 15
- Potassium (mg)
- 267
- Zinc (mg)
- 0.18
- Selenium (µg)
- 0.4
Where to buy seed and equipment
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Cultivar facts compiled from public horticultural references including USDA GRIN and NC State Extension. Descriptions are original to this catalogue.
Grown Delicious 51 Cantaloupe?
Post a crop report — day counts, reservoir readings, what worked. Variety-specific logs are the most useful thing on the forum.
Similar varieties
Other melons with a comparable time to harvest, so a season that suits Delicious 51 Cantaloupe suits these too.
- Galia Melon 85 days
- Hale's Best Cantaloupe 85 days
- Crimson Sweet Watermelon 85 days
- Jade Dew Honeydew 85 days
- Early Dew Honeydew 85 days
- Watermelon Picnic 85 days