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Cantalope Question
I'd think that the weeds will compete with your cantaloupe for water.
Sue Los Banos, CA - cantaloupe country. On 17 Jun 2006 06:41:50 -0700, "AndyS" wrote: Andy writes: Well, my garden is doing well and I have prolific cantalope growing. I have noticed that the cantalope vines come out of the hill, and spread all around for 10 feet or so, never penetrating the ground. So it is obvious that all the nutrients and water are coming thru the hill they are planted in.,.., So, here is an idea I might try next year.... I plan to make a raised "hill" of, maybe, 1 foot on a side and 6 inches high, bounded by landscape timbers or a metal ring... I figure I can just water the hill , and keep it weed free, and let the rest of the garden go to hell with grass and weeds. Since the cantalope grows ONLY from the hill, and the vines just rest on the surrounding terrain, it doesn't matter what happens to anything but the hill..... So, does anyone have a clue as to whether this idea will work ? Or am I overlooking some basic fact of gardening that would require me to keep the surroundings weed free for the spread of the vines ? Thanks for any discussion on this matter...... .. Oh..... and would the same apply to cucumbers and watermellons. ? Andy in Eureka , Texas |
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Cantalope Question
On Sat, 17 Jun 2006 20:03:40 GMT, Sue wrote:
I'd think that the weeds will compete with your cantaloupe for water. Sue Los Banos, CA - cantaloupe country. On 17 Jun 2006 06:41:50 -0700, "AndyS" wrote: Andy writes: Well, my garden is doing well and I have prolific cantalope growing. I have noticed that the cantalope vines come out of the hill, and spread all around for 10 feet or so, never penetrating the ground. So it is obvious that all the nutrients and water are coming thru the hill they are planted in.,.., So, here is an idea I might try next year.... I plan to make a raised "hill" of, maybe, 1 foot on a side and 6 inches high, bounded by landscape timbers or a metal ring... I figure I can just water the hill , and keep it weed free, and let the rest of the garden go to hell with grass and weeds. Since the cantalope grows ONLY from the hill, and the vines just rest on the surrounding terrain, it doesn't matter what happens to anything but the hill..... So, does anyone have a clue as to whether this idea will work ? Or am I overlooking some basic fact of gardening that would require me to keep the surroundings weed free for the spread of the vines ? Thanks for any discussion on this matter...... .. Oh..... and would the same apply to cucumbers and watermellons. ? Andy in Eureka , Texas The way I do it is to mound up some of my best dirt with some manure in it and run a piece of drip hose down the middle. You won't be able to get in and water too well once the vines start growing. It's a big plant and as all the water's coming from that little mound it needs allot of water. I mulch around the mound. I've used plastic and also newspaper covered with grass clippings. If you leave it bare the weeds will comperte with the vines for light and go to seed too. This works well as a garden rotation method as the melon patch mostly rests for a season. Then I move it the next year to another spot. If you're putting a garden on grass it's good for that too as the only spot to clear is where the mound is. The grass dies under the mulch and is ready for the next year. Watermelons are the same. Right now I have a mound about the size of a grave. I'm trying a mulch of green plastic which is supposed to be good for melons. |
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