How to Grow Cantaloupe in the Shade
The sweet, succulent, orange flesh of the cantaloupe is a welcome midsummer treat. This goes double if you've grown it yourself and it hasn't had to travel cross country in a truck. Cantaloupe, like other melons, usually do best when they are planted in an area with full sun exposure. There is a simple fix, however, that will keep your cantaloupe growing vigorously, even without full sun exposure. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Sow your cantaloupe seeds directly into a mound of soil in the garden. Make sure the seeds get watered regularly and wait for the seedling to break the surface.
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Cut a 1/4-inch dowel rod into several 8-inch-tall rods.
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Put two dowel rods into the ground and stretch a piece of aluminum foil between them, wrapping it around both ends to secure it. The aluminum foil must be placed so it will act to redirect sunlight toward the seedling.
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Place two or three more sets of aluminum foil "mirrors" to direct the light toward the seedlings.
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Adjust the height and placement of the foil-covered rods as the plant grows. The sunlight should be redirected so it lands on the major leaves of the plant and not the stem or runners.
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Tips & Warnings
Using aluminum foil instead of an actual mirror will prevent the sunlight from being concentrated and burning the plant. The diffused light from the aluminum foil is both cheaply achieved and evenly distributed.
References
- Photo Credit Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images
