please tell me what this is..in my flower bed because it came up and is taking over
in a huge long vine..healthy with fruit coming on it..
If it is cantaloupe what do I do to take care of it till the cantaloupes are ready
in 16 weeks or when?

Do I need to have mulch under the tiny fruit as they grow to keep them from getting wet
dirt on the fruit when I water the perennial flowers around this vine and fruit on it?
thanks sheri in alabama

That does look like a cantaloupe to me! As the fruits get bigger, try to keep them off the ground so they don't rot. The lids of coffee containers placed under the fruit works really well.

That is great, thank you for telling me Dave!
I am going to read when the cantaloupes will be ready to pick
it seems in 16 weeks from the first fruit... showing up..
Will be sure to put boards under each fruit or buy mulch
or use some sort of plate or lid as you suggested to keep fruit off the ground
as it grows.
Sheri

You'll definitely have fruit by then, probably much sooner. Once they start to set fruit it seems like it doesn't take long for them to start getting big. Many varieties will slip right off the vine when they are ripe. For the others, smell them. They always smell ripe when they are ready. Enjoy those! Cantaloupes are my favorite melons.