Are you saying there was no mulch what-so-ever before?

Nope. We were a little late in deciding to plant melons and by then everyone around us was already sold out of mulch. I didn't think about the straw until last week... my poor old brain just don't work like it used to. But the plants are happy now!

Good! A great example of how the use of mulch can make a huge difference in moisture retention, soil temperature stabilization, weed sprouting and weed setting, soil compaction prevention, etc.

Do melons do better if the vines are able to root every so often? I have a layer of mulch so this is not possible, but wouldn't it make it easier to obtain nutrients if all the vines rooted and not just as the plant base? Just wondering...

edie,

I know what you mean. When I 1st planted my Hales Best, it didn't do much either other then struggle after every rain from the dirt splashing onto the leave. After that, I put just enough straw under the plants keep the leaves from getting dirt on them from a rain.

Like your's, my melon patch took off after that and has been going crazy, even over the bare dirt.

Take a look at my melon patch now.

{{gwi:8300}}

The cantaloupes are taking over everything! It's crawled over my broccoli and going into my peppers now. It's even over run my watermelon.

BTW, the Big Brown thing up front with the Melon head isn't a Cantaloupe. He's my thick headed dog that loves to have his picture taken.

Wow, yours are really looking great. Love your sweetie dog... looks like he enjoys guarding the melons!!

Do melons do better if the vines are able to root every so often?

Absolutely. For the same reason tomatoes are planted sideways, melons do well when layered. More opportunity for them to acquire nutrients, water, etc for growth.

So Violet, would you suggest I remove some of my mulch so the vines can come in contact with the ground so they can root in multiple places?

Wow, this is very interesting. Will definitely try this next year