Why Does My Cantaloupe Only Have Male Flowers?

High temperatures or high fertility can cause the cantaloupe to produce only male blooms which results in poor fruit set. Nematodes can also cause small plants, profusion of blooms and no fruit. Root knot is a species of nematode which causes galls or swellings on plant roots.

Why are there no female flowers on my cantaloupe?

However, high temperatures can also cause cantaloupes to not produce female flowers. The ideal growing range for cantaloupe is between 65-95 °F (18-35 °C). If it gets hotter than this, the cantaloupe vine might only produce male flowers.

Why are there no female flowers on my melon plants?

Yes, it’s normal for melons to put out all male flowers for a while before the female ones show up. Squash and cucumbers often do the same thing. Melons produce a lot of male flowers before they get around to producing female flowers. It has nothing to do with your care – the plant just needs to be more mature.

Are cantaloupe self pollinating?

Without pollination, you’ll see your cantaloupe plant flowering, but no fruit results from its prolific blossoms. While the project is time consuming, you can hand-pollinate your cantaloupe with little more than a male flower and a small paintbrush.

Why are my cantaloupe plants not producing fruit?

The most likely cause of such fruit problems on squash, muskmelons (cantaloupe), cucumbers, watermelons and other cucurbit vegetables is a lack of pollination. These plants have separate male flowers (bloom attached by a small, thin stalk) and female flowers (small fruit at base of bloom).

How do you get a female melon to flower?

Hand pollination for melons with the male flower starts with carefully removing a male flower from the plant. Strip away the petals so that the stamen is left. Carefully insert the stamen into an open female flower and gently tap the stamen on the stigma (the sticky knob). Try to evenly coat the stigma with pollen.

How long after flowering do cantaloupe grow?

Typically a cantaloupe will yield mature fruit 35 to 45 days after blossoming, according to the University of Minnesota, so time your planting to provide those 45 days while the weather is still warm.

How do you get a cantaloupe to flower?

Strip away the petals of the male flower so that only the stamen is left. Find a female flower—they will sit atop an immature, tiny melon. Insert the stamen from the male flower into an open female flower and gently tap the stamen on the stigma (a small, sticky knob in the female flower).

How can you tell if a cantaloupe flower is male or female?

How to Tell the Difference Between the Sexes of the Flowers

1. The male flower on the cantaloupe plant has an open stalk in the center of the flower called a stamen.
2. The female flower on the cantaloupe plant will be on the top of a very small melon.

What does cantaloupe need to grow?

Plant cantaloupe in an area with warm soil (70°F+) and plenty of sun. Cantaloupes are sprawlers, so plant them 36 to 42 inches apart in fertile, well-drained soil. Growing cantaloupes require a lot of nutrients, so it’s best to improve your soil by mixing in several inches of compost or other rich organic matter.

How many cantaloupes will one plant produce?

Each plant can produce anywhere from four to eight delicious melons.

Should I remove flowers from cantaloupe?

As mentioned, pruning cantaloupe plants isn’t absolutely necessary and, in fact, the more leaves that remain on the vine the sweeter the fruit. That said, cutting back cantaloupe plants results in fewer fruit which enables the plant to put all of its energy into a scant few, resulting in larger melons.

How can you tell if a melon is pollinated?

How Can You Tell if a Watermelon Has Been Pollinated?

1. Watermelon vines produce both male and female flowers.
2. Pollen from the male flowers must reach the flowers of the female plants for pollination to occur.
3. The presence of swelling at the pistil’s base is a telltale sign that pollination has occurred.

How often should cantaloupe be watered?

Cantaloupes need about 1 to 2 inches of water per week. If you don’t receive that much rain weekly, water deeply, but infrequently, to reach that amount. As fruits mature, gradually reduce and stop watering, since too much moisture can cause the rinds to split.

Can you over water cantaloupe?

Your cantaloupe plants will need lots of water up until the time they start to bear fruit. However, if you over-water, the root systems will become waterlogged and the plants will die. Cantaloupe plants do well if they get about an inch of rainfall per week.

What do you put under cantaloupe?

Mulch not only keeps the soil warm, which these plants enjoy, but it helps retain moisture, minimizes weed growth, and keeps fruit off the soil (of course, you can set them on small pieces of board too). While many people prefer to use plastic mulch when they grow cantaloupes, you can use straw as well.

How do I get more female flowers?

Increase the frequency of watering your plant if you want more female flowers to grow. Pour at least 2 inches of water twice a week during the spring and summer months. Mulching is a great way to retain moisture in the soil and encourage more female squash flowering.

What do male and female melon flowers look like?

Male flowers can be identified by the small short anthers with pollen in the middle of the flower and the thin stem, devoid of bulging, leading up to the flower. In contrast, female flowers exhibit a roundish folded stigma in the center of the flower and a thicker immature shape which contains the unpollinated fruit.

How do you manually pollinate?

To hand pollinate, remove the petals from a male blossom to reveal the stamen at its center. If you look closely, you’ll see pollen clinging to it. Touch it with your finger or a small paintbrush and carry the pollen on your finger or the brush to the female blossoms. Touch them at their center.

What is the best fertilizer for cantaloupe?

For seeded or transplanted cantaloupes, apply 100 to 150 pounds per acre of a pop-up fertilizer such as 10-34-0 to enhance early growth, especially in cool/cold soils early in the spring. Pop-up fertilizer should be banded 2 to 3 inches to the side of the row and 2 to 3 inches below the seeds or roots.

How do you make cantaloupe sweeter when growing?

Sweetness Starts in the Soil
To encourage strong growth, blend 4 to 6 inches of composted manure into your melon beds prior to planting. Then add a balanced organic fertilizer (such as a mixed blood meal/bone meal product) every 3 to 4 weeks.