On Sun, 22 Jun 2003 11:03:48 -0500, "Rona Yuthasastrakosol"
wrote:

Along with the now dead basil, all but one dead cilantro, and 1 dead, 1
fading, and two living tomato plants, I also bought 2 canteloupe (musk
melon) plants. The little plastic thing that comes with plants said to
plant them 4-5 feet apart. So, I planted them about 4 or 5 feet apart.
However, I noticed on the little plastic thing that it actually says "Plant
in hills of two, 4-5 feet apart." Since I only have two plants, should I
have planted them right next to each other? Also, I didn't make a hill. I
just stuck them in the ground, level with all the rest of the ground. Was
this a mistake? They haven't died, yet, unlike most of my other plants, so
I'm hoping I haven't screwed them up beyond repair. I could still replant
them the right way, I think. Couldn't I?

Cantalope, like watermelon, enjoys being left alone...it's sometimes
risky to transplant them, especially if the dirt ball collapses and
the roots are disturbed. Give them a 6 ft tall garden fence or
chicken wire to climb up, sandy soil in full sun, mulch and manure tea
and you will have a great season. Also keep the deer away...even
though the vine has spikes, they like to eat all the leaves they can
get their mouths around. Also, the raccoons, skunks and opossums like
to eat the fruit, even before they're ripe. Be cautious when
time-to-pick nears.

Dan (who realized today that there'll be no monarda flowers this
year...deer browsed all the tops off).