Minecraft wiki entry for Pumpkin_and_melon_farming, associated text: This section contains suitable layouts for farms that must be manually harvested. The percentages given are space efficiencies. Parenthesized values are theoretical maximums, which assume that there are free blocks surrounding the farm for the border plants to place melons. The maximum possible efficiency for any melon or pumpkin farm is 50% (one fruit per stem). Spaces, where fruit can occupy two or more stems, reduce the efficiency and yield. Question-mark blocks indicate that anything could be put in that spot—perhaps lighting, or other crops such as wheat, carrots, or potatoes. You may want to cover the water with a slab, a lily pad, or a carpet.