It’s been years since I’ve tried to grow cantaloup, but this year, my motto was: “Try everything!” I bought some plants at Early May and wound up with a few melons that looked like this (and a few that looked oddly shaped and never made it past the golf ball size). I can’t even begin to describe the thrill of seeing YOUR OWN MELONS growing right there before your eyes! I had to really discipline myself to wait until I thought the first one might be ripe (Who knew it would be so hard to know when the thing was ripe?). Turns out I could have waited a few more days on that first one, but it was still sheer bliss when I cut it open and saw the orange firm flesh and tons of little seeds……a “real” melon, grown from my own fingertips (and Earl May!).
This particular variety was not very sweet (don’t remember the name and I didn’t write it down…ooops), even when it was quite ripe. Do any of you have a favorite variety of melon you’ve grown? What’s the sweetest musk melon you’ve ever tasted?
A Passion for Green 
I am absolutely no help here, as I’ve never had luck growing them. I know they are ripe, though, when you can smell them through the stem! Yum.