Cantaloupe vs. Cucumber

I have a confession to make... I cheated! I bought some plants for my garden rather than starting them all from seed. Let me explain, before you start to feel like I have been leading you on. I started seeds, lots of seeds but none of my tomatoes seemed to take and they maxed out at about 3 inches, and haven't grown a millimeter for three or four weeks now.

I also made a mistake when planting my cantaloupe (musk melon) and cucumber seeds. If you are familiar with these seeds then you know they are quite similar in size, shape and colour. I planted them indoors weeks ago. I had cucumber on one side and cantaloupe on the other. Since starting my seeds my cats have made it their life mission to maim, kill and otherwise dismember my seedlings. The fight for the best sun beam continues. In all the kafuffle, the cats have over turned and rearranged my pots and now the cucumber and cantaloupe seedlings have been misplaced. They are growing quite well, but I have no idea which is which.

Yes, there is a cat inside my seedling tray!

Yesterday, while purchasing some tomato plants, I grabbed two cantaloupe plants knowing I planted many more cucumber plants than cantaloupe since I pickle them come August. I figured a direct comparison between plants would help me figure out what is cucumber and what is cantaloupe. No such luck! The plants, like their seeds, are too similar and I am at a lost.

The cantaloupes were destined for my modified Three Sisters raised bed, and the cucumbers were to go in the main garden. In the end, I know I will have cucumbers here and there, and cantaloupe growing intermittently as well.

Lesson learned: Always label your planted seeds!