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Melons

Melons. Old world origin Melons originated in hot ______________ of southwest Asia Watermelons originated in ____________ Characteristics Warm season Separate male and female flowers Need bees for _______________; wind not effective Vining growth habit

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Melons

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  1. Melons • Old world origin • Melons originated in hot ______________ of southwest Asia • Watermelons originated in ____________ • Characteristics • Warm season • Separate male and female flowers • Need bees for _______________; wind not effective • Vining growth habit • Can be divided into muskmelons, winter melons, and _______________

  2. Key points • Muskmelon and cantaloupe • Fruit characteristics • Growing melons • Selecting quality melons • Problems • Winter melons • Characteristics • Differences from muskmelon/ cantaloupe • Watermelon • Characteristics • Growing and harvesting watermelons

  3. Muskmelon(Cucumis melo var. reticulatus) • Dates back to at least 1600’s • Name comes from the musk _________ of the mature fruit • Outer appearance • Generally has netted rind with deep ____________ Immature muskmelon

  4. Muskmelon • Interior flesh • _________ to orange-colored flesh

  5. Cantaloupe • Fruits are round to oval shaped • Outer appearance • Non-sutured, heavily netted • Yellow colored when mature • Inner flesh has strong flavor

  6. Melon Culture • Planting • Melons are usually started as __________________ • Do not transplant well if the roots are disturbed • Start the transplants in individual containers • Black plastic mulch • Timing of planting • After danger of ____________ has passed and the soil has warmed to 60 F

  7. Selecting a good melon • Melons are mature when: • __________ changes from green to tan-yellow between ___________ • Stem should easily separate (slip) where the ________ attaches to the fruit • ______________ layer forms between stem and fruit • Blossom end of fruit fairly easy to depress

  8. Melon Problems Poor flavor due to: • Cloudy weather during ripening • Like hot, dry weather during ripening • Too much or too little water • Don’t like “wet feet” • Temperatures too high • Like mean temps of _______ • Over or under ripe • Often hard to tell; changes are subtle • Melons might soften but do not get sweeter after harvest

  9. Melon Problems • Cucumber beetles • Most serious insect pest • Have stripped cucumber beetle and spotted cucumber beetle • Adult stage of corn rootworm beetle • Controls – Sevin, black plastic mulch, row covers • Bacterial wilt • Worst on younger plants • Must control beetles

  10. Winter Melon (Cucumis melo var. inodorus) • Smooth rind surface • When ripe: • Do not _______ from the vine • Are cut from the vine • Blossom-end of fruit _____ to touch • Lack a distinctive odor • Require long growing season • ______ months

  11. Winter Melons • Honeydew • Inner flesh • Sweet, mild, and firm flesh • Flesh has a light green color • Outer appearance • Smooth, white rind

  12. Winter Melons • Casaba • Outer appearance • Deep _______ at maturity • Inner flesh • Creamy white flesh • Pear-like texture

  13. Muskmelons vs. Winter Melons

  14. Watermelons (Citrullus lanatus) • History • Originated in __________ • Brought to Europe in 16th century • Appearance • _________ leaves

  15. Watermelons • Fruit appearance • Flesh color • Most watermelons are red color • Some cultivars have a _________ flesh

  16. Watermelons • Fruit appearance • Shape • Standard shape is oblong • ____________ types • Small round watermelons with a dark skin • Easier to grow • Mature rapidly • Smaller plants

  17. Watermelons • Seedless watermelon • For seedless watermelon to set fruit you must also plant a normal ________ (“seedy”) cultivar in with the _______________ seedless watermelons • Produces self-sterile triploid __________ which develop normal looking fruits but no fully developed seeds

  18. Watermelon Culture • Adaptation • Watermelon are more adapted to the south than to central or northern Illinois • Under ___________ seasons, watermelons do not produce enough sugar and are not sweet • Ways to overcome • Select __________ cultivars • Grow icebox types • Use transplants • Use plastic mulch

  19. Watermelon Culture • Watering • Watermelon have moderately ________ root systems • Watering is seldom necessary unless weather turns dry for a prolonged period • Spacing • Watermelon vines require considerable space • Space hills 6 ft. apart, with 7 to 10 ft. between rows

  20. Watermelon Culture • Can overcome space constraints • Train vines onto a __________ • Fruits must be supported by nets or bags

  21. Harvesting Watermelons • How to tell when watermelon fruit is ripe • Curly tendrils on stem near the point of attachment dry down • Surface color turns _______ • Skin becomes resistant to penetration by a thumbnail and is _________ to the touch • Bottom of melon (where it touches the ground) turns from light green to a yellowish color

  22. Watermelon Problems • Cucumber beetles and bacteria wilt generally not a problem • Birds will makes holes in tops of watermelons • Netting can be used to prevent

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