Viewing post #2975117 by stone

rusty2 said: I thought perforated black plastic with soaker hoses run underneath was the best way to grow melons. you less water and is good weed control.

I would prefer to have my water come from the sky but it's not to reliable enough and I don't have that many rain barrels for when it does rain which right now we're in a drought so I have to rely on other sources for water,(city water).

the soil I put the plant in is a mix of things, compost, back dirt,perlite or vermiculite,and sand. I dig about a 12" deep hole 16'' round and put the soil mix in leaving a 6"-8" mound. All the rest of the soil is back dirt that's been tilled to a depth of 6"-8".

Garden size is about 10' x 50'. The plastic has 1/8" holes drilled in it 6" sq. I was using the soaker hoses for about 2hrs every 4-5 days but increased that when I saw things wilting. I thought it was do to the drought and hot temps and no rain,guess I was wrong. Still learning,trying anyway. Second year planting and first year on plastic w/soaker hoses

Plastic mulch cloth sounds good in theory... In practice? Maybe not so much.

I'd be more worried about stuff living in mud, than any particular worries about over-heating.
Black plastic is different from clear... but neither is desirable.

The worst thing that I'm seeing... is those holes dug and potting soil or whatever put in them.

What they tell us when planting trees... is that when the weather is wet they (those holes) act like bath tubs... when conditions are dry, they dry out first.

I think I would want to remove the plastic, and use a shovel and work up entire patch of soil to the depth shovel can reach.

As to watering?

Watermelons don't really thrive on a bunch of extra water, at my house.

Interesting that you increased the watering when stuff started to wilt.

Sounds like stuff was already being overwatered.