On the oak leaves/pine needles...do they acidify your soil? I wonder if that helps...do melons like more acidic soil?
I know melons grow well in Southern Indiana where the soil is pretty sandy. We have clay (in fact our region is known historically for its brickmaking). That's why I thought maybe making raised beds where I could "create" a proper soil mix might help.
About how many melons of decent size can one expect per vine?