Growing Cucumbers

• 1). Clear grass, weeds and rocks from a well-draining soil exposed to at least six hours of sunlight daily. Amend the soil with 4 inches of organic compost or manure and 4 cups of 10-10-10 fertilizer per 100 square feet. When danger of frost has passed and soil warms, plant four to five cucumber seeds in a hill and space multiple hills 4 feet apart. Alternatively, plant the seeds 1/2-inch-deep in a row, and thin out seedlings to space each plant 10 inches apart. Seedlings usually germinate in one week.
  
  
• 2). Mulch the area around the plants to suppress weeds, retain moisture and keep the roots cool. Spread 2 inches of mulch around the plants.
  
  
• 3). Install a 6-foot-tall tepee trellis over each hill to support the vines during their ascent. To construct the trellis, join the tops of four to five 1-inch-diameter bamboo canes with a length of cord so it resembles a tepee. Open the lower ends of the canes and carefully insert in the soil surrounding each hill. Extend a length of wire every 1 1/2 to 2 feet horizontally along the trellis to provide an anchor for growing tendrils. Secure the vines to the trellis using elastic ties.
  
  
• 4). Water the soil regularly, providing it 1 to 2 inches of water every week. Side dress the plants with a high-nitrogen fertilizer when they develop runners, but before they develop flowers. Use 1/4 cup of 21-0-0 fertilizer per 10 feet of row space.
  
  
• 5). Treat insects such as aphids and spider mites with insecticidal soap. Apply a registered fungicide to control cucumber beetle before it damages the entire crop.
  
  

Growing Watermelon

• 1). Plant watermelon seeds in well-draining, sandy loam soil with full sun exposure in spring, after the frost. Space seeds in 5 feet apart in a row, with rows 8 feet away from one another.
  
  
• 2). Mulch the soil around the watermelon to retain moisture and deter weeds. Use organic mulches such as wood chips or straw only when the soil temperature is 75 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.
  
  
• 3). Irrigate the watermelon plants infrequently but deeply, providing it 1 to 2 inches of water per week, using a drip irrigation system. Spread 10 to 15 lbs. of 5-10-10 fertilizer per 500 square feet before planting. Side dress the watermelon plants before vines develop with 2 lbs. of calcium nitrate per 100 feet of row space. Side dress the plants after the flowers bloom and the fruit develops on vines.
  
  
• 4). Deter pests such as cucumber beetles, aphids and spider mites with insecticidal soap.
  
  
• 5). Harvest watermelons when their skin becomes dull and the spot on the bottom of the melon turns from white to cream or yellow.