First try at cantaloupe

Cantaloupe 10 days after planting seeds. Why do my things take longer than the Todds'? But notice the cute marker. It denotes that this is cantaloupe planting date #1 (of 3) and that I planted on 3/21/14. I like to label things.

Cantaloupe on 5/9/14, 19 days after seeds were planted. I mulched with oak leaves.

This year I am trying cantaloupe after hearing a rave review from a gardener who knows what she's doing. "They go crazy. You won't believe how many you'll get," she said. So I thought, why not.

I planted Hale's Best Jumbo seeds on 3/21/14. The Brazoria County Master Gardeners suggest this variety: Ambrosia. The only one I could get seeds for around here was Hale's Best Jumbo. The seeds cost me $1.35 and I put a lot of thought and new technique into it, but I might as well experiment, right?