I am just about to plant some cantaloupe and tomato plants. The tomato
plants will be in large containers, one to a container, and the cantaloupe
will be in the ground. I read that cantaloupes are especially susceptible
to aphids, and I think I once read that tomatoes are, too. I know that I
can plant basil near my tomatoes and that will help keep away pests. Can I
do the same with the cantaloupe? How about using coriander/cilantro in
addition to the basil? If I plant basil and/or cilantro near my tomatoes
and cantaloupe, how close can they be? For example, can I put one basil and
one cilantro plant with each tomato container? The containers are round and
are about 1-1 1/2 feet in diameter and 1 1/2 - 2 feet high. How about with
the cantaloupe? Can I plant one basil or cilantro plant in the same row as
the cantaloupe? I would probably plant the cantaloupe plants 2 feet apart,
and a basil plant in between. Good or bad idea?

One more unrelated question, I wanted to plant shallots but I saw on the
bags of shallots that they should have been planted in March or April. It's
now June--can I still plant them? I can't remember what zone I'm in, but
I'm in Manitoba, Canada so I assume I'm the same zone as North Dakota.

Thanks for any and all advice.

rona

Never had any luck with basil and cilantro repelling any insects, Basil in
partcicular does grow well with tomatoes tho. Aphids have never been a problem
for me on either tomatoes or cantaloupes, but then I have always been in the
south where aphids are a cool weather problem. Only two major insect problems
over some 60 years with tomatoes, Thrips, which carry the spotted wilt virus
and red spidermites which can do a number on ypur plants without carrying
anything. Cantaloupes, the striped cucumber beetle is the adversary. Wilts,
blights and other fungal/viral diseases are a much greater threat than insects
in my case,