Midwest Vegetable Guide - 2022 - 120

Cucurbit Crops - Horticulture
Cucurbit Crops -
Horticulture
Major update by Ben Phillips, Liz Maynard - Oct 2020
Reviewed by Liz Maynard - Aug 2021
Crop Description
Cucumber
Several types of cucumbers are grown in the Midwest, all of
which are the species Cucumis sativus. Fresh market slicing
cucumbers have thick, dark skin and a few large spines. They
are commonly grown in the field with no support. European
greenhouse cucumbers are long with thin skin, no spines, no
seeds, and are grown on trellises in greenhouses. Beit alpha
cucumber types are shorter but also have thin skin with no
spines and may be grown in the field or in protected
structures. Pickling cucumbers are short with thin skins and
large spines. They are adapted for field production. Pickling
cucumbers can also be marketed for fresh use.
Gynoecious cucumber varieties produce mainly female
flowers and, unless they are also parthenocarpic, require a
pollenizer variety to supply pollen for good fruit set.
Pollenizers are usually included when you buy gyneocious
seed. Parthenocarpic varieties will set fruit without
pollination and no seeds will develop. Parthenocarpic
varieties produce seeds if they get pollinated.
Melon
The most commonly cultivated melon is the netted skin
cantaloupe, also known as a muskmelon (Cucumis melo
subsp. melo). Cantaloupes grown in the Midwest are
primarily eastern types. Typical varieties include Athena and
Aphrodite. Melons are warm-season crops that achieve prime
quality when grown under warm, sunny conditions. Cool,
cloudy weather results in melons with inferior quality.
Melons perform best on sandy and sandy loam soils.
Production on plastic mulch and light soils produces an early
crop that commands a premium price.
Melon types with distinctive fruit attributes are referred to as
specialty melons. These melons with unique fruit
characteristics attract consumers at local food markets.
Common specialty melons fall into two major groups of
Cucumis melo subsp. melo: the netted melons (Cantalupensis
Group), including ananas, Charentais, galia, and Persian
types; and the smooth-skinned melons (Inodorus Group),
including canary, Crenshaw, and honeydew types. Asian
melon types are in the Makuwa Group of Cucumis melo
subsp. agrestis. Some specialty melon skins tend to crack
with excessive water (such as ananas, Charentais, and galias).
Greenhouse or high tunnel environments are more suitable
for growing these melons in the Midwest. Note that there is
disagreement among horticulturalists and scientists about the
120
best way to categorize the many kinds of melons into groups,
so other publications may use different group names.
Pumpkin and Winter Squash
Jack-o-lantern pumpkins grown for ornamental display and
carving come from two species, Cucurbita pepo, and C.
maxima. This market calls for a fruit up to 30 pounds. For
giant pumpkins, the C. maxima varieties such as Atlantic
Giant or Prize Winner are used. Varieties with hull-less or
" naked " seed are favored as a source of seeds for eating.
Many specialty pumpkins are also edible winter squash, such
as fairytale and Cinderella pumpkins. Most of the " pie "
pumpkins sold to consumers are used for decorating, but
some varieties are still used for home baking. Pumpkins that
are processed into pie filling and other products are normally
grown under contract to processors, and the varieties are
more like winter squash than jack-o-lantern pumpkins.
Common winter squash types include C. pepo types (acorn,
delicata, and spaghetti), C. maxima types (buttercup, hubbard,
kuri, and kabocha), and C. moschata types (butternut). Some
varieties have a bush growth habit, instead of producing long
vines.
Summer Squash
Common summer squash types are C. pepo fruit, including
zucchini, yellow straightneck and yellow crookneck. Many
specialty types also perform well, including golden zucchini,
Middle-Eastern types, patty pan, and cocozelle. Most
varieties have a bush growth habit.
Watermelon
Watermelons (Citrullus lanatus) are either seedless (triploid)
or seeded (diploid). Seedless watermelons produce fruit that
has few if any true seeds. For seedless watermelons to set
fruit, growers must plant diploid watermelons (either nonedible
pollenizer plants or seeded watermelons) near the
triploid plants. Typically there is one pollenizer plant for
every two to four seedless plants in the row, or one row of
seeded watermelons for every two to four rows of seedless
watermelons.
Watermelons produce a wide range of fruit sizes. Seeded
watermelons generally have larger fruit (more than 20
pounds) than seedless types. Royal Sweet is a widely grown
seeded watermelon variety that produces oblong melons that
weigh 20 to 24 pounds.
Seedless watermelons typically are more than 12 pounds.
They are sold in cardboard bins in quantities of 60, 45, 36 or
30. Excursion is a variety that produces relatively large fruit
that are primarily 36-count. Wayfarer is a variety that
produces relatively smaller fruit that are mainly 60-count.
Mini or personal-size watermelons are less than 10 pounds
and include varieties such as Extazy and Ocelott.
Watermelons differ in rind patterns and fruit shapes. Most
watermelons have striped patterns on a dark or light green
background. However, some varieties (Sweet Gem and
Midwest Veg Guide 2022
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