When to plant melon (cantaloupe/watermelon) in Cairns
Melon (cantaloupe/watermelon) is frost-tender, so every date keys off Cairns's last spring frost.
Step 1 · Sow
Direct sow outdoors
Dec 1 – Dec 29
Sow straight into warm, workable soil.
Step 2 · Harvest
Harvest window
Feb 14 – Mar 10
Picking runs until conditions turn against the crop.
Window
Days to maturity
75 – 100 d
From sowing to first pick.
Common questions
When can I sow melon (cantaloupe/watermelon) outdoors in Cairns?
Direct-sow around early December (Dec 1–Dec 29) in Cairns, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 53%.
When will melon (cantaloupe/watermelon) be ready to harvest in Cairns?
Expect to harvest from around mid February (Feb 14–Mar 10) in Cairns, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 48%.
The rule of thumb
Sow melon (cantaloupe/watermelon) 6–8 weeks before your last spring frost; plant out 2–3 weeks after it. Every date on this page is derived from that rule and Cairns's frost dates.
Confidence 66/100 · NASA POWER (modeled) · 1991–2020 · frost dates are probabilities, not guarantees.