When to plant Watermelon and cantaloupe in New Jersey
In spring, from Apr 10 – May 15 in Atlantic City to May 15 – June 15 in Somerville.
For a fall crop, from June 15 – July 20 in Beachwood to July 15 – 30 in Woodbury.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Asbury Park | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Atlantic City | Apr 10 – May 15 | Not listed |
| Bayonne | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| Beachwood | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Bellmawr | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| Bergenfield | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Bound Brook | May 15 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Bridgeton | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Burlington | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Camden | Apr 10 – May 15 | Not listed |
| Carteret | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| Chatham | May 1 – June 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Cliffside Park | Apr 10 – May 15 | Not listed |
| Clifton | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Collingswood | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Dover | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Dumont | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| East Orange | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| East Rutherford | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Eatontown | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Edgewater | Apr 10 – May 15 | Not listed |
| Elizabeth | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| Elmwood Park | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Englewood | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Fair Lawn | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Fairview | Apr 10 – May 15 | Not listed |
| Florham Park | May 1 – June 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Fort Lee | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Franklin Lakes | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Freehold | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Garfield | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Glassboro | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Glen Rock | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Gloucester City | Apr 10 – May 15 | Not listed |
| Guttenberg | Apr 10 – May 15 | Not listed |
| Hackensack | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Hackettstown | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Haddonfield | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Hammonton | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Harrison | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| Hasbrouck Heights | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Hawthorne | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Highland Park | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Hillsdale | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Hoboken | Apr 10 – May 15 | Not listed |
| Hopatcong | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Jersey City | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| Kearny | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| Kinnelon | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Lincoln Park | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Linden | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| Lindenwold | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Little Ferry | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Lodi | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Long Branch | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Madison | May 1 – June 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Manville | May 15 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Maywood | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Metuchen | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Middlesex | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Millville | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Morristown | May 1 – June 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| New Brunswick | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| New Milford | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| New Providence | May 1 – June 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Newark | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| North Arlington | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| North Plainfield | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Oakland | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Ocean City | Apr 10 – May 15 | Not listed |
| Palisades Park | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Paramus | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Passaic | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Paterson | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Perth Amboy | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Phillipsburg | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Pine Hill | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Plainfield | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Pleasantville | Apr 10 – May 15 | Not listed |
| Point Pleasant | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Pompton Lakes | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Princeton | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Rahway | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Ramsey | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Red Bank | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Ridgefield | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Ridgefield Park | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Ridgewood | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Ringwood | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| River Edge | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Roselle | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Roselle Park | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Rutherford | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Sayreville | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Secaucus | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Somers Point | Apr 10 – May 15 | Not listed |
| Somerville | May 15 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| South Amboy | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| South Plainfield | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| South River | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Summit | May 1 – June 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Tenafly | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Tinton Falls | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Totowa | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Trenton | May 1 – June 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Union City | Apr 10 – May 15 | Not listed |
| Vineland | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Waldwick | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Wallington | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Wanaque | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| West New York | Apr 10 – May 15 | Not listed |
| Westfield | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Westwood | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Wood-Ridge | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Woodbury | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| Woodland Park | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
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