My cantaloupe patch

[Corzhens]

This is just my experiment. I sowed the seeds of a sweet cantaloupe in our backyard. It grew fast and not it looks like a patch of cantaloupe with some fruits already. However, I have noticed that the first 2 fruits were only as big as a jackstone ball when it turned yellow. Now there are some fruits bigger than marbles which seemed to have stopped growing. I think I am not doing it right. No problem with irrigation though, I water it twice a day.

What do you think is wrong?

 

[IcyBC]

Congratulations on your cantaloup! My mom accidentally grows cantaloup by composted the left over, and hers are not as big as the store bought ones either. I believe they need lot of sun, because the first year, it didn't grow too big. The second year, I sort of exposing the fruits more to the sun, and hung them on a short stalk and they looked much bigger. I think I've posted a picture somewhere in this forum before.

 

[Chuck]

Sounds like a pollination problem. Give them time to really get blooming and don't water so much. They don't like to be wet

 

[Trellum]

Congrats!!! I second IcyBC, I think the problem is the lack of sun light. I might be wrong, but it seems yours don't get enough sun. I've been where they grow this kind of fruits and they get sunlight during most of the day. I think that is the problem, if I am not mistaken it's the same with watermelons, but I could be wrong

 

[arthnel]

I think it's a great idea to start trying your hand at cantaloupes. I don't fancy the fruit very much but I like everything green still. I think you give it some time to get bigger ones. Perhaps add some basic fertilizer without going overboard with expensive ones that would give only similar, if any, results at all. Try ashes at the roots too. I know watermelons love ashes at the roots, so maybe cantaloupe might like it also.