Before planting it is a good idea to find your USDA Zone info to estimate your garden schedule. The most important data that the zone info tells us is average last frost and the lowest expected temperature for your area.

In Fort Worth you can estimate when it's the best time to plant cantaloupes by reviewing the USDA zone info.

Planting Calendar for Cantaloupes

Frost tolerance for cantaloupes:	Not tolerant of frost.
When to plant:	After the last frost when the weather gets warmer.

You can not plant cantaloupes until after the last frost has passed because they require warm weather.

The earliest that you can plant cantaloupes in Fort Worth is April. However, you really should wait until May if you don't want to take any chances.

The last month that you can plant cantaloupes and expect a good harvest is probably August. Any later than that and your cantaloupes may not have a chance to grow to maturity. Starting your cantaloupes indoors is a great way to get them started a little bit earlier.

Last Frost Date

The average date of last frost is March 15 in Fort Worth. In the coldest months of winter you can expect an average low temperature of 10°F.

Since the USDA zone info for Fort Worth is not always accurate the actual date of last frost changes from year to year. Half of the time in Fort Worth there is a last frost after March 15 so always be ready to cover your cantaloupes if you have a surprise late frost.

USDA Zone Info for Fort Worth

Here is the info for USDA Zone 8a.

Average Date of Last Frost (spring)	March 15
Average Date of First Frost (fall)	November 15
Lowest Expected Low	10°F
Highest Expected Low	15°F

This means that on a really cold year, the coldest it will get is 10°F. On most years you should be prepared to experience lows near 15°F.

Plants to Grow in Fort Worth

You may be interested in your other planting guides for Fort Worth.