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.

1/4 inch dowel rod
Saw
Aluminum foil

Instructions

- 1
  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.
- 2
  Cut a 1/4-inch dowel rod into several 8-inch-tall rods.
- 3
  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.
- 4
  Place two or three more sets of aluminum foil "mirrors" to direct the light toward the seedlings.
- 5
  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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