pumpkins and watermelons

[Jared0029]

I'll admit it off the bat, I am a newbie when it comes to melons and pumpkins. I want to do both this year and am seeking some advice.

For some reason, I want to grow large things, in this case the pumpkin. I created some new areas in my lawn to accommodate these two items. For the pumpkins, I designated an area that is approximately 12 x 16 feet (yes probably too small for a giant pumpkin) and an area that is 5 x 12 feet for my watermelons (not trying to grow the huge on on those this year).

These areas are connected and behind them is a 12 x 10 foot area that currently has bushes that grow about 7 foot tall.

I have a few questions and am hoping you can help me.

Will the vines from both plants climb the existing bushes?

I covered the area with landscape fabric topped with mulch/compost as there was grass there previously and I wanted to get rid of it. If I cut through the fabric and create a mound for each plant, will the plants grow fine? or do the vines need to have access to dirt? I have tried googling and haven't found the answer I am looking for. I needed to kill the grass but don't know if I should be removing all of the items to leave pure dirt for the vines.


Any help is much appreciated. Thank you.

[Joyfirst]

If you want to grow giant pumpkins, you will have to prune them, and leave just one pumpkin per plant.

[Bobberman]

Cut the weeded area with a mower and cover with black plastic or land scape black material. the mounds are fine but dig the hole where the mound is to be and fill it with weed less soil mix! Once the plant grows the vine will not need anything since the main plant will nurish it. most 15 pound pumpkins will grow about 4 to 6 per vine. Watermellons grow about the same. I would add a little sand to the watermelon mixed soil!

[imafan26]

Vines can easily go 40 to 50 ft. You will have to keep turning them to keep them in the space.

Yes, if the bushes are 20 ft away and you don't turn the vines, they will climb.

I put a pot under each of the melons when they get about the size of a baseball to keep them off the ground.
I ended up with only 3 pumpkins in the end. The rest of the fruit either turned black soon afterwards from not enough pollination and if the fruit are too close to each other, one of them usually dries up.

I would rather grow gourds since I can get at least a dozen fruit from a vine that is about the same size and they are less prone to mildew.