It’s all old silage tarp from our farm. It’s a pain but it’s something I already have on hand. I weight it down with LOTS of steel fence posts. I also get large for variety melons. I’ve had Janosik and Blacktail mountain and Sweetglo get to 30 pounds. Georgia rattlesnake as well but that’s normal for those. The only fertilizer they get is cow manure each fall. Hoping for a 40 pound moon and stars this year.
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Woven mesh ground cover permits water infiltration while blocking weeds. It usually lasts about 5 years in my garden. I use the 300 X 15 rolls.
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i noticed you’re in the same growing zone as me. how early do you start your plants indoors? some of those are pretty long season types.
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Blacktail Mountain at 30 lbs!!! I don’t think it could grow that big.
Is it on steroids 
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the longevity is appealing. I wonder if the porosity might be a disadvantage in slme ways though. Vapor diffusion is a field effect, so the fact that a tarp covers 95% + of the soil means that it also prevents 95% of evaporation. Meanwhile, small holes in the tarp allow some recharge of soil moisture (and prevent pooling) while moderating the effects of large rain events. I could be way off base, but my observation from numerous occultations and growing melons using non-porous opaque plasticulture is that the soil moisture is moderated nicely.
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Porous or non porous will both work if they allow somewhat uniform water penetration. A lot does depend on climate. It’s been 90-100 here most days this summer with almost no rain. I need to water about every 4-5 days. Non porous won’t be an option.
The primary advantage of ground covers is blocking weed growth. I live in a very wet very humid climate where moisture retention is not an issue. Getting water through the plastic and into the soil is very important. My experience is similar to fruitnut, porosity is more important. Alternatively, in a dry climate I would put irrigation under the plastic and ignore porosity.
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Here’s a little experiment on node rooting in watermelons I started a week ago. I took NZ Sphagnum Moss and wrapped around a node about 2 feet from end of vine. Covered in plastic to keep it moist with aluminum foil to keep it from heating up. 7 days later and some nice roots growing.
Of course in your garden, you need constant moisture in the ground or mulch long enough to get roots growing deep enough to establish before dry weather returns.
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of course soil type is a big factor too. i have a heavy silt loam with high water retention and poor water percolation. when covered, the soil stays somewhat moist almost indefinitely without evapotranspiration.
in addition to blocking weeds, I imagine the black of the plastic provides additional heat to the plants. From what I understand, it doesn’t particularly conduct down into the soil very well, but the leaves, stems, and crowns are growing in an artificially heated environment.
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I only grow curcurbits on plastic though I have grown tomatoes and peppers in the past. Once watermelon plants sprawl over the top of the plastic, there is very little heating from the sun. But in early spring, black plastic significantly warms up the soil which is a benefit for watermelons and cantaloupes.
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in our northern enviroments , heat is the key, i think to vigorous melons. my father grew alot of things in plastic and they did very well.
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It’s funny how relative everything is.
Being from a hot and wet place I’d never think I wanted to make efforts to heat up anything or extend a growing season for anything.
No permafrost, no basements, etc.
I’ve only bought box store weed mats and the like. They break down in one summer down here. I’d say they are helpful but weeds simply root above them anf grow through them no problem.
I’ve thought of solid plastic but it would definitely make pools in low spots every time it rained. Maybe that’s not so bad.
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If you have only used the box store trash, you haven’t really had ground cover.
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Great but I don’t need a 300’ roll. I looked around a bit and don’t see smaller lengths sold.
I’m sure there are other good products out there.
I bought Dewitt Pro 5 weed barrier on eBay from Spreetail at a very good price and if I remember correctly very rapid free shipping. It’s the best black weed barrier I’ve used.
DeWitt P6 Pro 5 5oz 6’ x 250’ Commercial Landscape Weed Barrier Ground Fabric 42579162505 | eBay
I’m not sure how many sizes. I bought 4ft and 6ft wide.
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sounds to me like youre not growing enough melons 
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i wonder how well a layer of woodchip mulch would do? could mound it to keep melons high and dry and it also maintains moisture and feeds the soil.
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I set up wood chip mulch, then plastic with big holes cut out where I planted each melon. straw on top, then landscape cloth I had left over, then a couple 2x8s on top to walk on.
Minnesota midget melons have 4 or 5 on each plant and the lighter colored melons too. the smaller dark melons only have one per plant so far. not sure how long to rope
ripen.
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