On Jul 12, 5:37 pm, "Mike" wrote:
I started a garden this year and have had a fair amount of success though
there is still room for improvement. The melon varieties I planted were
cantaloupe, honeydew, and pumpkins.

I recall reading that melons grow better on small hills.
Why would this work better than simply planting on a level surface?

The reasons I recall are, drainage and the cascading look of the
vines flowing off the hills. The large growers of those products just
plant them in the ground (flat).
The hill look maybe attained by heaping the dirt around the bases
after the growth becomes large and before the flowers bloom, in order
to keep the vine boorers at bay.
Myself, I dig a shallow hole 3ft square about 10 in deep, mulch
around the hole. This is so that when I water I just fill the hole
with water instead of watering the areas where the plant roots are
not.