I have never had alot of luck with my watermelons and cantaloupe, but each year continue trying. Last year, they just wouldn't ripen at all and we had a horrible drought all summer. Even when it came to the first frost, I went ahead and took out the last 10 melons and only one was somewhat ripe.

This year I took a different approach, started some by plant and a bunch by seed. I then took a barrel and connected a number of 1/4 inch hoses to it and started drip irrigating them, and at first just made sure there was water in the barrel, slowing down as the vines spread. I went to water last night and found a whole bunch of baseball size watermelons and a couple grapefruit size cantaloupe, they just appeared from nowhere it seemed. We got a heavy rain today and when I went back out there, the plants had shot out over a foot.

I also decided to use weedblock and landscaper cloth under the vines so I didn't have to fight the bermudagrass. I want to make sure and have a good crop this year, are there any suggestions? I can't really rely on the rain as we have been in a drought for 10 years.