GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR MELONS

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GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR MELONS

• William H Shoemaker
• University of Illinois

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St Charles Horticulture Research Center
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Cucumis melo

• var. reticulatus
• Netted melons, such as muskmelon
• var. inodorous
• Winter melons, such as honeydews
• var. cantalupensis
• Cantaloupe, an old world melon
• var. dudaim
• Oriental pocket melons
• var. flexuosus
• Snake or Serpent melons

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Muskmelon vs Cantaloupe
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Muskmelon vs Cantaloupe
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Key Melon Attributes

• Vine crop, with long spreading branches

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Key Melon Attributes

• Vine crop, with long spreading branches
• Heat loving, needing soil temps 60oF

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Key Melon Attributes

• Vine crop, with long spreading branches
• Heat loving, needing soil temps 60oF
• Andromonoecious, cross-pollinating

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Key Melon Attributes

• Vine crop, with long spreading branches
• Heat loving, needing soil temps 60oF
• Andromonoecious, cross-pollinating
• Harvested portion is a fruit

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Key Melon Attributes

• Vine crop, with long spreading branches
• Heat loving, needing soil temps 60oF
• Andromonoecious, cross-pollinating
• Harvested portion is a fruit
• Key insect, disease challenges

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Key Melon Attributes

• Vine crop, with long spreading branches
• Heat loving, needing soil temps 60oF
• Andromonoecious, cross-pollinating
• Harvested portion is a fruit
• Key insect, disease challenges
• Considerable productivity and market value

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Melon Stand Establishment
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Direct Seed orTransplants?
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Knock on the HeadorPoke in the Eye?
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Direct-Seeding MelonsIssues to Consider

• Soil Type
• Drainage
• Temperature evolution
• Season Length
• Seed Risks
• Wildlife
• Insects
• Damping off

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Transplant ProductionIssues to Consider

• Facilities for producing transplants
• Cost of production
• Short shelf life of transplants
• Fast start to season
• If purchasing, cultivar selection

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Transplant Quality
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Field Establishment
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Field Establishment- Liquid Starter Fertilizer -
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Field Establishment

• Plasticulture systems

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Plastic Mulches for Melons

• Black plastic mulch vs bare ground

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Plastic Mulches for Melons

• Black plastic mulch vs bare ground
• Clear vs black plastic mulch

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Plastic Mulches for Melons

• Black plastic mulch vs bare ground
• Clear vs black plastic mulch
• Colored mulches

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Plastic Mulches for Melons

• Black plastic mulch vs bare ground
• Clear vs black plastic mulch
• Colored mulches
• Cost effectiveness

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1993-94 Plastic Mulch Study
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Bare Ground Control
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Black Plastic Mulch
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Clear Plastic Mulch
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IRT Plastic Mulch
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Plastic Mulch- Influence on Timing of Fruit Set -
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Row Tunnels/Hi Tunnels
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Floating Row Tunnels on Direct-Seeded Seedless
Watermelon

• Impact of floating row covers on germination
• Influence on temperatures around seeds
• Comparison of
• Bare ground
• Black plastic mulch
• Spunbonded polyester floating row tunnels with
  black plastic mulch

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Pollination in Muskmelon

• Cross-pollination is essential

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Pollination in Muskmelon

• Cross-pollination essential
• Bees do the pollinating

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Pollination in Muskmelon

• Cross-pollination essential
• Bees do the pollinating
• Bees influence number of fruit set

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Pollination in Muskmelon

• Cross-pollination essential
• Bees do the pollinating
• Bees influence number of fruit set
• Bees influence average size of fruit

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Pollination in Muskmelon

• Honeybees
• 1-2 colonies per acre
• Establish prior to bloom
• Spray insecticides in the evening
• Do not use wettable powder insecticides
• Let the beekeeper handle the bees

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Concentrated Fruit Set
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Managing Fertility

• Neutral to slightly acid pH

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Managing Fertility

• Neutral to slightly acid pH
• Watch for leaching of N in sandy soils

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Managing Fertility

• Neutral to slightly acid pH
• Watch for leaching of N in sandy soils
• Balanced fertility
• Use 2-1-3/NPK

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IPM for Melons
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Insects

• Cucumber Beetles

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Insects

• Cucumber Beetles
• Early Spring adult feeders

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Insects

• Cucumber Beetles
• Early Spring adult feeders
• Vector for Bacterial Wilt disease

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Insects

• Cucumber Beetles
• Early Spring adult feeders
• Vector for Bacterial Wilt disease
• Voracious feeders during fruit maturation

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Cuke Beetle Control Strategies

• Organic?
• exclusion
• Insecticides
• Carbaryl, ec formulations
• Pyrethroids

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Diseases

• Damping Off

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Diseases

• Damping Off
• Powdery Mildew

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Diseases

• Damping Off
• Powdery Mildew
• Downy Mildew

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Diseases

• Damping Off
• Powdery Mildew
• Downy Mildew
• Anthracnose

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Diseases

• Damping Off
• Powdery Mildew
• Downy Mildew
• Anthracnose
• Alternaria Leaf Spot

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Diseases

• Damping Off
• Powdery Mildew
• Downy Mildew
• Anthracnose
• Alternaria Leaf Spot
• Gummy Stem Blight

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Diseases

• Damping Off
• Powdery Mildew
• Downy Mildew
• Anthracnose
• Alternaria Leaf Spot
• Gummy Stem Blight
• Fusarium Fruit Rot

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Diseases

• Damping Off
• Powdery Mildew
• Downy Mildew
• Anthracnose
• Alternaria Leaf Spot
• Gummy Stem Blight
• Fusarium Fruit Rot

• Viruses
• Etc.

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Disease Control Strategies

• Rotation, 3-5 years all cucurbits

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Disease Control Strategies

• Rotation, 3-5 years all cucurbits
• Good soil drainage, residue management

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Disease Control Strategies

• Rotation, 3-5 years all cucurbits
• Good soil drainage, residue management
• Good fertility practices

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Disease Control Strategies

• Rotation, 3-5 years all cucurbits
• Good soil drainage, residue management
• Good fertility practices
• Manage conditions to favor the crop

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Disease Control Strategies

• Rotation, 3-5 years all cucurbits
• Good soil drainage, residue management
• Good fertility practices
• Manage conditions to favor the crop
• Judicious use of fungicides

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Weed Management

• Weeds compete for resources

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Weed Management

• Weeds compete for resources
• Soil nutrients

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Weed Management

• Weeds compete for resources
• Soil nutrients
• Water

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Weed Management

• Weeds compete for resources
• Soil nutrients
• Water
• Light

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Tools For Managing Weeds
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Tools For Managing Weeds

• Choose fields with low weed pressure

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Tools For Managing Weeds

• Choose fields with low weed pressure
• Plastic mulch

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Tools For Managing Weeds

• Choose fields with low weed pressure
• Plastic mulch
• Appropriate cultivation

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Tools For Managing Weeds

• Choose fields with low weed pressure
• Plastic mulch
• Appropriate cultivation
• Judicious use of herbicides

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Irrigation

• Why manage water?

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Irrigation

• Why manage water?
• Plants are 90 water

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Irrigation

• Why manage water?
• Plants are 90 water
• Water facilitates all physiological processes in
  the plant

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Irrigation

• Why manage water?
• Plants are 90 water
• Water facilitates all physiological processes in
  the plant
• Water uptake drives fruit sizing

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Irrigation

• Why manage water?
• Plants are 90 water
• Water facilitates all physiological processes in
  the plant
• Water uptake drives fruit sizing
• Irrigation is cost-effective

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Irrigation

• Plasticulture synergy

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Irrigation

• Plasticulture synergy
• Drip irrigation is a key component of
  plasticulture systems, along with plastic mulches
  and tunnels

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Irrigation

• Plasticulture synergy
• Drip irrigation is a key component of
  plasticulture systems, along with plastic mulches
  and tunnels
• Fertigation (applying fertilizer through the
  irrigation system) can increase the value of drip
  irrigation and plasticulture systems

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Irrigation

• Plasticulture synergy
• Drip irrigation is a key component of
  plasticulture systems, along with plastic mulches
  and tunnels
• Fertigation (applying fertilizer through the
  irrigation system) can increase the value of drip
  irrigation and plasticulture systems
• Melons may be the most responsive crops to
  plasticulture systems.

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Harvesting melons
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Harvesting melons

• Key points
• Melons ripen rapidly

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Harvesting melons

• Key points
• Melons ripen rapidly
• Maturation responds to hot weather

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Harvesting melons

• Key points
• Melons ripen rapidly
• Maturation responds to hot weather
• Staggering cultivar maturities will spread out
  the harvest

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Harvesting melons

• Key points
• Melons ripen rapidly
• Maturation responds to hot weather
• Staggering cultivar maturities will spread out
  the harvest
• Each planting will provide a harvest over a
  limited period of time

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Harvesting melons
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Melon Postharvest

• The fruit is still alive!

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Melon Postharvest

• The fruit is still alive!
• It is respiring, driving fruit maturity, leading
  to overripe fruit

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Melon Postharvest

• The fruit is still alive!
• It is respiring, driving fruit maturity, leading
  to overripe fruit
• Respiration is temperature-driven, so reduce the
  temperature of the fruit.

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Melon Postharvest

• The fruit is still alive!
• It is respiring, driving fruit maturity, leading
  to overripe fruit
• Respiration is temperature-driven, so reduce the
  temperature of the fruit.
• Forced air cooling best for melons

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Melon Postharvest

• The fruit is still alive!
• It is respiring, driving fruit maturity, leading
  to overripe fruit
• Respiration is temperature-driven, so reduce the
  temperature of the fruit.
• Forced air cooling best for melons
• Best temperature is 45-50oF

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Muskmelon Cultivars
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Muskmelon Cultivars
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Muskmelon Cultivars

• Top-performers at St Charles thru 2004
• Athena
• Aphrodite
• Odyssey
• Minerva
• Starfire
• Eclipse
• Earliqueen

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Other Melons (Cucumis melo)
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Other Melons (Cucumis melo)
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Other Melons (Cucumis melo)
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Other Melons (Cucumis melo)

• Honeydews - Earlidew

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Other Melons (Cucumis melo)

• Honeydews Earlidew
• Winter Melons Sweet Thing

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Other Melons (Cucumis melo)

• Honeydews Earlidew
• Winter Melons Sweet Thing
• Charantais - Savor

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Other Melons (Cucumis melo)

• Honeydews Earlidew
• Winter Melons Sweet Thing
• Charantais - Savor
• Middle Eastern Melons - Passport

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THANKS!