When to plant Watermelon and cantaloupe in Alabama
In spring, from Feb 15 – Apr 15 in Mobile to Apr 20 – June 1 in Talladega.
For a fall crop, from July 1 – 15 in Boaz to July 15 – 30 in Vestavia Hills.
Cantaloupe (muskmelon) dates are the same as watermelon except where the table notes them.
USDA's earliest safe spring and latest safe fall planting dates, matched to each place's average frost dates.
| Place | Spring | Fall |
|---|---|---|
| Alabaster | Mar 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Albertville | Apr 1 – May 1 | Not listed |
| Alexander City | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| Anniston | Apr 1 – May 1 | July 15 – 30 |
| Athens | Apr 1 – May 1 | July 15 – 30 |
| Auburn | Mar 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Bessemer | Apr 1 – May 1 | July 15 – 30 |
| Birmingham | Apr 1 – May 1 | July 15 – 30 |
| Boaz | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Calera | Mar 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Center Point | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Chelsea | Apr 1 – May 1 | July 15 – 30 |
| Clay | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Cullman | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Daphne | Mar 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Decatur | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| Dothan | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Enterprise | Mar 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Eufaula | Mar 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Fairhope | Mar 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Florence | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Foley | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Fort Payne | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| Gadsden | Apr 1 – May 1 | July 15 – 30 |
| Gardendale | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Gulf Shores | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Hartselle | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| Helena | Apr 1 – May 1 | July 15 – 30 |
| Homewood | Apr 1 – May 1 | July 15 – 30 |
| Hoover | Apr 1 – May 1 | July 15 – 30 |
| Hueytown | Apr 1 – May 1 | July 15 – 30 |
| Huntsville | Apr 1 – May 1 | July 15 – 30 |
| Irondale | Apr 1 – May 1 | July 15 – 30 |
| Jacksonville | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Jasper | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Leeds | Apr 1 – May 1 | July 15 – 30 |
| Madison | Apr 1 – May 1 | July 15 – 30 |
| Millbrook | Mar 15 – Apr 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| Mobile | Feb 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Montgomery | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Moody | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Mountain Brook | Apr 1 – May 1 | July 15 – 30 |
| Muscle Shoals | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Northport | Apr 1 – May 1 | July 15 – 30 |
| Opelika | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| Oxford | Apr 1 – May 1 | July 15 – 30 |
| Ozark | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Pelham | Apr 1 – May 1 | July 15 – 30 |
| Pell City | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Phenix City | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Pike Road | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Prattville | Mar 15 – Apr 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| Prichard | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Rainbow City | Apr 1 – May 1 | July 15 – 30 |
| Russellville | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Saraland | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Scottsboro | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Selma | Mar 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Spanish Fort | Mar 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Sylacauga | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Talladega | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Troy | Mar 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Trussville | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Tuscaloosa | Apr 1 – May 1 | July 15 – 30 |
| Valley | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| Vestavia Hills | Apr 1 – May 1 | July 15 – 30 |
Planting dates: USDA Home and Garden Bulletin No. 9 (1967), tables 4 and 5. Frost dates: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. The full USDA table for watermelon.
Updated