In North Dakota, a study looked at improving tomato and watermelon production by using special irrigation systems and different types of mulch. The researchers tested the effects of drip irrigation and various mulches on the crops over two years. They found that using drip irrigation and specific mulches led to higher yields for tomatoes and watermelons. In 2020, the best tomato yield came from black plastic mulch with drip irrigation, while the highest watermelon yield was from clear plastic mulch with drip irrigation. Watermelons were heavier with irrigation, but had higher EC and pH with mulch. Tomatoes were bigger and had better quality with mulch, but higher EC with irrigation. Overall, the study showed that using drip irrigation and mulches can improve crop yields and quality.