Question
i read your answer about the lack of fruit; i'm having the same prob.  it's weed free, i see bees around, so i'm down to either they shouldn't get water every day or they should not be next to roses?  could the roses be more attractive to pollinators than melon blossoms?  the kids and i put them there cuz it was a large open spot, but maybe this was our mistake?  does this matter and should i just give up on them this year?

Answer
Hi Kathleen,
Thanx for your question.  There can be a number of variables that influence whether or not a melon will set fruit.  First of all, melons like lots of heat.  They flourish in hot summer places like Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Eastern Colorado where summer temperatures can get up into the 100s.  But they also have a water requirement.  Originally, watermelons came from Africa where they grew in hot deserts.  You mentioned that you saw bees so we know the pollinators are there.  If you planted a few plants close to large, red or orange flowers, this is going to direct the pollinators away from the small, yellow, less-significant melon flowers.  You can hand-pollinate yourself.  Melon flowers have both male and female flowers on the same vine.  The female flowers have a smale node or ovary at the base of the flower and this will eventually become the fruit if pollinated.  The male flower does not have this structure and there are many more male flowers than female flowers.  In the morning take a small oil painter's brush to the male flower and brush the interior for pollen.  Then find an open female flower and brush the interior with the male flower's pollen.  In a few days, after the flowers have closed you should notice the ovary getting larger on the female plant.  Within a week, the ovary will have gotten significantly larger and will start to look like a tiny version of the watermelon.  Limit one or two melons per vine to get the maximum size, flavor and quality of fruit.  Keep it well watered.  About 3 or 4 days before you are ready to harvest, don't water the plant anymore and pray that there will be no rain.  A list minute gush of water can reduce the sweetness of the fruit.  I hope this helps.
Tom