That sounds great...I actually do that in my beds.

next year when I have a bigger garden I will try that, I'll be fighting the chickens for the grass clippings though!

I put my fresh grass clippings in my paths, rake a couple days to get them dried out, then use them as mulch on my beds. It's the first year I've tried it and it's been working wonderfully!

so this seems like a good idea...but what about weed seeds from the lawn mixed in with the grass clippings...does that seem to be a problem for anyone? I have thought about this but our neighborhood is overgrown with stuff like wild violet and I wouldn't want to put that in my beds. My neighbors lawn is completely wild violet and other vining weeds, no grass at all.
Thanks,

My Garden Blog

I've got mine mulched in deep pine straw. I think your grass clippings sound even better since they'd feed the melons as well as mulch them.

...but what about weed seeds from the lawn mixed in with the grass clippings.

The grass clippings, if laid on thick enough, tend to decompose into a thick, mushy, hot blanket that nothing will grow in. Any seeds in there will almost certainly be destroyed.

My neighbors lawn is completely wild violet and other vining weeds

Violet, vining? Where I am, the violets are more like clover, but with a small underground tuber. I love them, personally. They're really pretty.

I meant two separate kinds of weeds, wild violets AND something that is vining. They might be pretty if they stayed where I wanted them, but they are extremely invasive.
Thanks though!

The thick organic mulch sounds great for very hot and dry weather. I wouldn't use it here for melons as the soil needs all the sun heat it can get in May, June, and part of July.
I just came in from a corn field where residue had piled [washed] up thick on the east end of an area that ponds a couple days in very rainy weather. The water floats the residue and the wind blows it to the east end. Anyway, the corn is stunted and lighter green where the mulch is deep.

The melon vines don't seem to attach themselves to the clippings or "feed" on them at all. They just grow over them and lay on top. I suppose once the melons are done I can pull up the dead plants, rake up the mulch or just til it into the ground and it will improve the soil in that area. I have to say, these plants are some of the most beautiful, vigorous plants I've ever had. And the fruit will stay clean laying on the thick bed of clippings.
I'm going to keep experimenting with grass clippings in some other raised beds. I already use them for mulch around my fruit trees. I bought this grass catcher for my riding mower last spring and it's the best investment I've ever made. My yard looks better and the clippings are great for compost and mulch.

I do the same thing, all over our garden, but lay newspaper or cardboard under the clippings. It all decomposes, adding organic matter to the soil. The paper/cardboard keeps any weeds from poking through the clippings. Although, it sounds like yours are very heavy, so that isn't a problem for you. We let our grass clippings feed the lawn, but I try to catch neighbors as they empty their grass catchers. Hedge clippings are also good.