I had good luck growing cantaloupe in the ground, no clue what kind they were, they just started sprouting in the compost from a store bought one.

Pinching the growing tip will only make it send out new shoots from the next node down. If you want to keep up with continuous pinching, it might work, otherwise it's really just a matter of six in one, half a dozen the other. You will also be sacrificing production by pinching. To save on space with melons, especially small personal sized cantaloupe, grow them up a trellis or, if its sprawling, you can sort of coil the vine around itself as it grows to keep it "in bounds."

Thanks..My problem with Inground last year was our short growing season. Cold snap got the fruit that wasn't mature. I was worried the fruit would be too heavy and break the vine if I trellised, but I'll try it. Maybe trellis one and coil the other, and see what happens. I better hurry though, while I can still get in the door of the greenhouse.

If you're worried about heavy fruit you can sling it. Tie up an old sock or pannie hose to the trellis and under the melon to support it. I don't think it would be problem with small fruited varieties (like Min. Midget or similar).

Yeah, long season stuff is definitely hit or miss. Some years we get a growing season until mid October, others, only September. My cut off is around 75 day DTM for anything, not sure what the conditions are like out on the West Slope though.

I grow both melons and 4-5 lb winter squash on cattle panels, just weave the vines in and out. Somehow, the stems figure it out and support the fruit with no problems. What you do have to keep an eye on is if the fruit starts to grow inside one of those panel squares - once it gets big enough, the only way to get it out is to break the fruit.

Thank you!