I have tried to grow melons before. The plants grew to about a foot long and produced one melon each. I have grown a sweet potato before. It covered about a square foot and made a potato. I didn't really look after either of them very well.
So this year I put 4 melon plants in a 2x2 metre square and 6 sweet potato plants in about the same area alongside them. I looked after them properly this time; they all grew like crazy and are fighting each other for space at the boundary between them. And weeds are everywhere.
Lessons learnt: 1) Don't plant melons and sweet potatoes next to each other as they fight. 2) Make sure that they each have plenty of space if you grow them properly. 3) Make sure that you can get to the weeds without treading on the plant (plant them in longer narrow beds so you can reach over the plant without crushing it) 4) The melon" Petit Gris de Rennes" is prolific and has exquisite flavour.
The African Marigold pictured is a freebie. A random seed from last year sprouted so I let it grow. The sweet potato is good mannered enough to be growing around it rather than over it.
