Perry:
Stokes' seeds has excellent writeups on most vegetables. I have linked soil conditions required for green house germination for watermelons.

:)

Here is a link that might be useful: watermelon detailed growing conditions

Black poly would give you much better heat.

Perry: Search for my post on "starting melons early". Gives all the details on the best way I've found to lengthen your growing season for melons by at least 4 weeks.

The Fruitnut

fruitnut, I have checked out your posts and they interest me. Do you plant melons in rows or hills? Do you have any pictures of your poly method in action? Would be helpful to visualize what you're doing. Thanks!

perry,
I have warmed the soil with clear poly to speed germination of early sweet corn and beans. This must be removed at the first sign of sprouting. The cover also keeps out nearly certain rains that might rot the seeds here in Indiana.

As far as melons go, I start them inside. I do use some IRT 100 poly on the melons, but not full coverage as I don't drip irrigate.

Perry:I plant in hills if starting them early under poly. Last yr one hill gave melons for three months and reached a max diameter of 40ft. They don't need to be that big. Plant hills 10ft by 10ft, and here anyway, they fill in completely. Three or four hills produce all I can eat and some to give away.

Don't have pictures. But is basically a mini greenhouse over each hill. Give them room to put on 18 inch runners and remove the poly after that.

And to those who say black poly will give higher temp. I'd ask which would give higher greenhouse temp, clear or black? Answer is clear.

The Fruitnut