FruitMelon
Sakata's Sweet Melon
Cantaloupe
Sakata's Sweet Melon is a heat-loving Asian melon that delivers remarkable sweetness in a compact, easy-to-grow package. This open-pollinated heirloom thrives across hardiness zones 2 through 13, producing oval to round fruits ready to harvest in 80 to 89 days. The vining plants stay relatively modest at 12 to 15 inches tall, making them surprisingly manageable in garden beds, raised beds, or even greenhouse containers. What gardeners consistently praise is the melon's rich, complex sweetness and beautiful flavor that stands apart from typical supermarket varieties.
Photo © True Leaf Market(https://www.trueleafmarket.com/products/melon-seeds-sakatas-sweet)
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
2-13
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Organic Matter
Preferred Temp75-90°F
Growth Stats
15 in
Height
PeriodAnnual
TypeVine
Spacing
36-48 inches apart
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
2-13
Size
15in H x ?in W
Growth
Annual
Care
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
This non-GMO Asian melon brings genuine heat tolerance to regions where summer temperatures soar, a trait bred into the variety over generations. The fruits develop exceptional sweetness, earning consistent praise from gardeners who've grown it. Resistance to Powdery Mildew and Fusarium Wilt, along with broader protection against Anthracnose, Bacterial Wilt, and Downy Mildew, means fewer disease headaches than many melon varieties. The combination of disease hardiness, flavor intensity, and relatively quick maturation (80-89 days) makes this a variety that rewards the gardener's effort.
Common Uses
These melons are grown primarily for fresh eating, where their sweetness is best appreciated simply sliced and chilled. The oval to round fruits are sized and flavored for eating fresh rather than processing, making them ideal for summer tables, fruit platters, and for enjoying at peak ripeness when the sugar content peaks.
Growing Timeline
First Bloom
Early Summer
First Harvest
Mid-summer
Last Harvest
Late Summer
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 3 to 4 weeks before your last spring frost date in soil-filled pots kept at 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep soil consistently warm; cooler temperatures slow germination. Transplant seedlings once they develop true leaves and soil has warmed to at least 70 degrees.
Transplant Outdoors
Harden off seedlings over 7 to 10 days by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions, then transplant to the garden once all danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed to 70 degrees or higher. Space transplants 48 inches apart in rows 72 inches apart. Plant at the same depth they grew in their pots.
Direct Sow
Direct sow seeds outdoors after soil temperature reaches 70 degrees Fahrenheit and all frost danger has passed. Plant seeds 1 inch deep in hills or rows, spacing seeds 6 to 8 inches apart initially, then thin seedlings to the final 48-inch spacing once they're established and have developed true leaves.
Harvesting
Melons are ready to harvest 80 to 89 days after sowing, typically in mid to late summer depending on your planting date. Look for fruits that have developed a full, rounded shape and show a gentle give when pressed gently at the blossom end. The skin color will be fully developed (check your specific fruit color as it matures). Pick melons by cutting the stem with a knife rather than pulling; this reduces plant stress. Harvest in the morning when melons are coolest for best flavor and storage.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Soil pH Range
6 – 7
Scientific Classification
Cucumis L.
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Cucumis
History & Origin
“Sakata's Sweet Melon carries the name of Sakata Seed Company, a Japanese seed house with deep roots in Asian vegetable breeding. This heirloom variety represents generations of selection for the flavor and heat tolerance that matter most to Asian melon growers, where melons are a cherished crop and careful varietal development has been part of agricultural tradition for centuries. The variety reached Western gardeners through the work of seed companies committed to preserving open-pollinated lines, arriving as gardeners began seeking alternatives to hybrid-only selections and rediscovering the complexity of heirloom flavors.”