Hello! New to gardening and seeking advice (Watermelons)

[Snowdog]

Hey there.

I'm trying my hand at gardening this year with two varieties of watermelon (Crimson Sweet & Crimson Sensation Hybrid) and Marketmore cucumbers. I've never grown anything other than grass... and my lawn doesn't look all that nice.

Here's my battle strategy that I've concocted after research from various internet sites. I'm hoping by running this by those who are knowledgeable about gardening can help me fine-tune my first attempt.

I've decided to till a 20'x30' patch in my fenced-in back yard and erect a smaller interior fence to prevent my curious German shepherd or boxer from damaging the plants. I'm planning to lay some soakerhose (Fiskar?) along the hills I plan to plant the watermellon. Over this soaker hose, I plan to cover the soil (fairly nice looking, former bean field) with clear plastic mulch. I've chosen a spot in the backyard that has at least 6 hours of direct sunlight.

I purchased some liquid miracle grow designed for vegetable gardens and if cucumber beetles attack, I have Sevin to chase them off.

I'm starting this week, so I'll find soon enough what mistakes I've made... but if I can learn from someone else's experience, I'll take it! Thanks in advance!

[garden girl]

Hi! I would say make sure your inner fence to keep your dog out is not wood, your plants need all the sun they can get. If you are using plastic, use black and use straw on top so that the fruit is not resting on the plastic, it can rot from the moisture. Add tons of compost, they will thrive in it! Get your money back from the miracle gro and the pesticides, when you are trying to kill one problem insect off, you are killing all the beneficials that naturally keep everything in check. This is another reason compost is great! Please post some pictures of your garden area!

[opabinia51]

Miracle grow is generally a synthetic fertilizer that is water soluble and therefore the plants have no way to control how much fertilizer they recieve. Also, at the first rain, all this fertilzier is washing into storm drains and into lakes or the ocean which contributes to Eutrophication, a very large problem in the world.

Anyway, Miracle Grow does sell organic fertilizer but, just adding manure and shredded leaves as well as coffee ground and so on works great for fertilzers.

And nothing beats compost (which is the result of adding manure and leaves).