The muskmelon family is subject to diseases, both of the roots and foliage. You shouldn't have too much difficulty with fungus diseases on leaves in Arizona (except during monsoon season), but you could have some problems with soil diseases. You might try a disease-resistant hybrid. We also have problems with aphids and whiteflies sometimes, but if the plants are healthy, usually there is not too great a problem (except in heavy white fly years). Soil salinity can also stunt or kill plants as the season progresses. Soil should be fertile, but avoid salty amendments like manure. If the plant you are growing in a container is the best-looking one you've had, maybe soil salinity is a problem. There is one part of my garden where I can't grow melons because of soil salinity. But if you successfully grow Armenian cucumbers (which are melons) there should be hope for you to get some "melon" melons too. Your muskmelon plants may not need as much water at your watermelon plants. Hope your container is large enough to support a mature plant through periods of restricted water (when ripeining). I have only grown smooth-skinned melons on a trellis. Can't vouch for netted melons, though I don't know why there would be a problem growing them off the ground, as long as there is a sling to hold them so they don't fall off when ripe.

What a wonderful thing you did for/with your mom. God Bless Sue

Babka, the issue with the trellis was that "in the event of a violent storm, it could be blown into the building and cause damage". If there is barely any surface area for wind resistance, how could the trellis be blown anywhere? I also offered to sink 2 large spiral dog tie-outs into the ground and chain the trellis to them to secure it. Not good enough. Wait til I take some pics of the foam version of the trellis--and find someplace that still develops film. My main garden is an elongated oval with the clematis behind the Obligatory Bushes, salvia on the narrow end, then the purple iris, various pink shades of geraniums, pink and fuschia dianthus, mini snapdragons, pink and red astilbe, perennial salvia (electric purple spikes!), more geraniums and finally, we reach the corner where the strawberry pot resides, kept company by the raised bed rose-and-callibrachoa spot. The Neighbor's Plot, as you can see, is made up of alternating heuchies and hostas, adorned with some annuals left over from planting the under the tree hosta garden. The under the tree hosta garden is what I can best see and swoon with satisfaction over from my windows. I just hope that you folks with private homes and obvious acres of land to plant are not laughing at my very small, very urban gardening efforts. Talking about buying 25 hostas at a shot--where would I even fit 25 hostas? Would love to, mind you.

Thought I'd share a photo of another garden just down the road from you. My plants got off to a late start with a cool wet spring, but are now growing strong. This is a photo of my Home Depot desert rose I purchased last year. I loved it so much I bought 100 seeds on ebay and now I'm hooked. From Garden 2009