In late 2021 and early 2022 I grew out a cover crop. I grew out some mustard greens in order to clean out my soil at the raised bed garden.
By the end of my time growing out the mustard greens, the plants were flowering and beautiful. I was grateful that they were able to help feed local pollinators, but I made sure to cut them prior to setting too much seed.
Along with many other cucumber-melon varieties, I decided to grow the Meloncella di San Donato in my experimental college garden. I wanted to grow out the San Donato first to attempt grow out the variety for seed prior to being pollinated by other varieties.
At first it struggled. Part of this had to do with the fact that there was insufficient water for the plants. Once I got the water situation figured out, I decided to add compost and fertilizer to the next section of the garden.
Unfortunately, the fertilizer was either too much, or there was too much of one thing or another. The transplants failed to be established and rodents began eating the seedlings and the tops of the San Donato plants and fruit. The remainder of the time I grew the San Donato, the plants and fruit dealt with significant pressure from rodents. I replanted the seedlings at least twice more and the rodents continued to eat all of the seedlings.
By the end of the season, I lacked enthusiasm to continue maintaining such a large plot. I decided that, if I continue to grow at the college, it would be in a much smaller plot.