Cucurbits:Guidelines

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GUIDELINES: CUCURBIT PRODUCTION


MELON GUIDELINES=

STATISTICS

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OUTLINE OF MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES

Cultural Practices

_____ Plow soil before planting, leaving several clods for good aeration and minimal fruit contact. _____ Supply one hive of bees for each acre planted for good pollination. _____ Test soil for nutrient status and pH every year. Maintain records of test results and fertilizer applications. _____ Apply fertilizers according to test results. _____ Preplant fertilizers may be incorporated into the soil with the remaining applications distributed as a side-dress. _____ Carefully monitor water distribution: too much water causes rotting and splitting of the fruit and too little water causes blossom end rot and small fruit. _____ Rotate crop every four years.



Pesticide Management

_____ Use approved and registered pesticides according to label. _____ Maintain application records including date, location, applicator, target pest, pesticide name, EPA registration number, formulation, rate and number of acres treated are maintained. _____ All sprayers are calibrated at the start of the season. _____ Minimize pesticide drift. _____ Develop and implement a resistance management plan. _____ Select pesticides which will preserve natural enemies of pests. _____ Use separate sprayers for herbicides and insecticides. _____ Check sprayer(s) calibration at least once during the season. _____ Recalibrate each sprayer as needed. _____ Maintain records of planting dates for treated fields. _____ Keep records of stage of crop of treated field. _____ Use water-sensitive spray cards to test coverage of leaf surfaces.



Insect Pest Management

_____ Scout "SUSPECT INSECTS" .. General Information .. Beet Armyworm .. Cabbage Looper .. Crickets .. Cucumber Beetles .. Cutworms .. Darkling Beetles .. Driedfruit Beetles .. European Earwig .. False Chinch Bug .. Flea Beetles .. Grasshoppers .. Green Peach Aphid .. Green Stink Bug .. Leafhoppers .. Leafminers .. Melon Aphid .. Seedcorn Maggot .. Spider Mites .. Squash Bug .. Thrips .. Vinegar Flies .. Whiteflies .. Wireworms .. Yellowstriped Armyworm _____ Scout for insects a minimum of twice per season. _____ Observe insect infestations and estimate amount of damage inflicted due to pest populations. _____ Manage foliar feeding insects through the use of scouting and foliar applications. _____ Apply pesticides for control if necessary. Contact local Extension Agent for more control measures.



Disease Pest Management

_____ Scout for diseases a minimum of twice per season. _____ Observe disease infestations and estimate amount of damage. _____ Keep scouting record. _____ Apply preventive measures before infection occurs. _____ Maintain good sanitation to avoid spreading disease.



Weed Pest Management

_____ Scout "SUSPECT WEEDS" .. barley (Hordeum sp.) .. barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli) .. bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) .. bindweed, field (Convolvulus arvensis) .. bluegrass, annual (Poa annua) .. brome, ripgut (Bromus diandrus) .. canarygrass, littleseed (Phalaris minor) .. clovers (Trifolium spp.) .. crabgrasses (Digitaria spp.) .. cudweeds (Gnaphalium spp.) .. docks (Rumex spp.) .. fiddlenecks (Amsinckia spp.) .. filarees (Erodium spp.) .. fleabane, hairy (Conyza bonariensis) .. foxtails (Setaria spp.) .. goosefoot, nettlefoot (Chenopodium murale) .. groundcherries (Physalis spp.) .. groundsel, common (Senecio vulgaris) .. henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) .. horseweed (Conyza canadensis) .. johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense) .. knotweed, common; prostrate knotweed (Polygonum arenastrum) .. lambsquarters, common (Chenopodium album) .. lettuce, prickly (Lactuca serriola) .. lovegrasses (Eragrostis spp.) .. mallow, little; cheeseweed (Malva parviflora) .. morningglories (Ipomoea spp.) .. mustards (Brassica spp.) .. nettles (Urtica spp.) .. nightshade, black (Solanum nigrum) .. nightshade, hairy (Solanum sarrachoides) .. nutsedge, purple (Cyperus rotundus) .. nutsedge, yellow (Cyperus esculentus) .. oat, wild (Avena fatua) .. panicum, fall (Panicum dichotomiflorum) .. pigweeds (Amaranthus spp.) .. puncturevine (Tribulus terrestris) .. purslane, common (Portulaca oleracea) .. radish, wild (Raphanus raphanistrum) .. rescuegrass (Bromus catharticus) .. rocket, London (Sisymbrium irio) .. ryegrasses (Lolium spp.) .. shepherd's-purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) .. sowthistles (Sonchus spp.) .. sunflower, common (Helianthus annuus)

_____ Prepare weed maps in mid-to-late season, indicating significant weed species and their location. _____ Use last year's scouting records to begin this year's scouting. _____ Base all herbicide rate, selection and spot or strip sprays on weed survey results. _____ Weeds may be controlled by cultivation, with no herbicide applied. _____ Use reduced rates of herbicide through banding of herbicides and cultivation. _____ Do not use herbicides of the same class on the same field in succeeding years. (Use crop rotation and corresponding herbicide selections.) _____ Prevent weeds within the field, alleys and roadways from going to seed. _____ Use an experimental plot to test different weed management techniques and record the results.



Weather and Crop Monitoring

_____ Monitor weather and crop parameters _____ Keep daily records.

Date: - Min/max temperatures: - Rainfall: - Hours of leaf wetness: - Stage of tree development (by cultivar, weekly):



PLANTING

Melons are usually direct seeded to avoid loss from transplant shock. A commonly used method of planting is the mid-bed trench system, which involves the use of a bed shape to produce a trench or groove in the center of an 80 inch bed. A single line of seed is planted 1/2 inch deep in the trench and then capped with a sheet of polyethylene. After emergence, the plants are thinned 12-36 inches apart depending on the variety and the polyethylene is vented or removed depending on the temperatures. The beds are then reshaped into a flat field with seed lines approximately 80 inches apart.



VARIETIES

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Melons include fruit that has a sweet flesh with a tough rind. All cultivars of watermelons, cantaloupe, honeydew, crenshaw and other muskmelon types are considered melons. They require warm weather for optimal growth and are usually planted from October-January, in high producing areas, to have a sweet, summer harvest.

Cantaloupe melon seeds (H. F. Schwartz; Colorado State University)

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Charleston Gray watermelon seeds (H. F. Schwartz; Colorado State University)

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Crimson Sweet watermelon seeds (H. F. Schwartz; Colorado State University)

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Honeydew melon seeds (H. F. Schwartz; Colorado State University)

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POLLINATION

Bees are the main source of pollination and at least one colony of bees is recommended for each acre of melons for proper pollination. A well-pollinated flower should receive about 15 bee visits when the fruit producing flowers are in bloom, which only occurs for one day. Bee colonies should be placed in the fields prior to the appearance of bisexual, or fruit producing, flowers and remain in place for 2-3 weeks.



CLIMATE

Melons are a warm season fruit that are very sensitive to freezing temperatures at any growth stage. The optimal growing temperatures are between 85-95ºF with growth nearly halting at temperatures below 60ºF. Since bee pollination is essential for good fruit set, it is necessary that weather conditions such as cold, rain, high winds or prolonged cloud coverage do not inhibit bee activity which may reduce yields.



SOIL

Melons will grow in a wide variety of soil types but in successful fruit it is necessary that the soils are well-drained. Sandy soil will require more irrigation because of its inability to hold water but this soil type also warms faster and may be preferred in early plantings. Loams are often used for later plantings because of their ability to hold moisture. The soil should be prepared leaving several clods which will allow maturing melons to have minimal soil contact and good aeration.



IRRIGATION

Melons are usually furrow irrigated because sprinklers tend to cool the soil. There is not a set schedule to follow for irrigation because it relies on water demand. Early in the growing season, water may be withheld for a long period of time, but should be irrigated once the soil has dried out. If the plants are stressed for water when they start to set fruit, the melons will be small and blossom end rot will increase. Too much water may also cause the melons to split when they become 10-15 pounds or larger. The frequency of irrigation may vary from once a week early in the season to daily during times of peak water demand. However, the tops of the beds should be kept dry to minimize fruit contact with the soil, which can cause rotting. The last irrigation of the season should be 7-10 day before harvest.



FERTILIZATION

Fertilization rates vary among melon varieties, but most areas require application of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. All areas should have a soil test to determine the fertility requirements. Watermelon may need as much as 200 pounds of nitrogen to be applied per acre, 150 pounds of phosphorus per acre and potassium according to soil test recommendations. Cantaloupe's fertilizer requirements are similar with a typical fertilizer rate of up to 150 pounds of nitrogen per acre, 80 pounds of phosphorus per acre, and potassium may not need to be applied, as cantaloupe requires minimal amounts. Other melons may need 100-150 pounds each of nitrogen and phosphorus. In all melons, a preplant fertilizer is usually applied with the remaining applications distributed as a side-dressing after thinning or in irrigation water.



HARVEST

Melons are hand-picked and either field packed or picked and hauled to the edge of the field to small packing sheds. Small melons are packaged with a cushion between melons to prevent bruising during shipment. Cantaloupes are harvested at "full-slip" stage when the fruit will cleanly separate from the vine with light pressure. These fields are usually harvested 8-10 times over a 10-14 day period. Watermelons must have a rind color change and rind toughness for harvest. They are cut from the vines rather than pulled, which may cause the melon to crack open. Because of their size, they are shipped in covered containers to prevent sunburn and hold 60-80 watermelons. Muskmelons do not store well, but to increase storage life, they must be cooled immediately after harvest to a temperature of 45-50ºF. Cantaloupe can store 2 weeks or longer at temperatures between 24-40ºF, and watermelons should be held in temperatures 50-60ºF but may lose crispness and color in prolonged storage. High humidity of 90% or greater is recommended to prevent water loss, which is a key component in the fruit flesh.



MANAGING PESTS

Good sanitation will decrease weeds and minimize viruses from spreading. Insects and diseases are usually most effectively controlled using pesticides and herbicides. Some hand weeding may be necessary and early in the season can be combined with hand thinning.




SQUASH/CUCUMBER GUIDELINES

STATISTICS <CF 000 100 000><S20>STATISTICS

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OUTLINE OF MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES

Cultural Practices

_____ Plow soil before planting, leaving several clods for good aeration and minimal fruit contact. _____ Supply one hive of bees for each acre planted for good pollination. _____ Test soil for nutrient status and pH every year. Maintain records of test results and fertilizer applications. _____ Apply fertilizers according to test results. _____ Preplant fertilizers may be incorporated into the soil with the remaining applications distributed as a side-dress. _____ Carefully monitor water distribution: too much water causes rotting and splitting of the fruit and too little water causes blossom end rot and small fruit. _____ Rotate crop every four years.



Pesticide Management

_____ Use approved and registered pesticides according to label. _____ Maintain application records including date, location, applicator, target pest, pesticide name, EPA registration number, formulation, rate and number of acres treated are maintained. _____ All sprayers are calibrated at the start of the season. _____ Minimize pesticide drift. _____ Develop and implement a resistance management plan. _____ Select pesticides which will preserve natural enemies of pests. _____ Use separate sprayers for herbicides and insecticides. _____ Check sprayer(s) calibration at least once during the season. _____ Recalibrate each sprayer as needed. _____ Maintain records of planting dates for treated fields. _____ Keep records of stage of crop of treated field. _____ Use water-sensitive spray cards to test coverage of leaf surfaces.



Insect Pest Management

_____ Scout "SUSPECT INSECTS" .. General Information .. Beet Armyworm .. Cabbage Looper .. Crickets .. Cucumber Beetles .. Cutworms .. Darkling Beetles .. Driedfruit Beetles .. European Earwig .. False Chinch Bug .. Flea Beetles .. Grasshoppers .. Green Peach Aphid .. Green Stink Bug .. Leafhoppers .. Leafminers .. Melon Aphid .. Seedcorn Maggot .. Spider Mites .. Squash Bug .. Thrips .. Vinegar Flies .. Whiteflies .. Wireworms .. Yellowstriped Armyworm _____ Scout for insects a minimum of twice per season. _____ Observe insect infestations and estimate amount of damage inflicted due to pest populations. _____ Keep scouting records. _____ Apply registered insecticides at planting if maggots are suspected. _____ Monitor invasion of wireworms, squash bugs, aphids, and leafminers.



Disease Pest Management

_____ Scout for diseases a minimum of twice per season. _____ Observe disease infestations, estimate amount of damage and defoliation and apply fungicides to control the spread of the disease. _____ Keep scouting record. _____ Apply preventive measures before infection occurs. _____ Maintain good sanitation to avoid spreading disease. _____ Use disease resistant cultivars, where available.


Weed Pest Management

_____ Scout "SUSPECT WEEDS" .. barley (Hordeum sp.) .. barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli) .. bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) .. bindweed, field (Convolvulus arvensis) .. bluegrass, annual (Poa annua) .. brome, ripgut (Bromus diandrus) .. canarygrass, littleseed (Phalaris minor) .. clovers (Trifolium spp.) .. crabgrasses (Digitaria spp.) .. cudweeds (Gnaphalium spp.) .. docks (Rumex spp.) .. fiddlenecks (Amsinckia spp.) .. filarees (Erodium spp.) .. fleabane, hairy (Conyza bonariensis) .. foxtails (Setaria spp.) .. goosefoot, nettlefoot (Chenopodium murale) .. groundcherries (Physalis spp.) .. groundsel, common (Senecio vulgaris) .. henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) .. horseweed (Conyza canadensis) .. johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense) .. knotweed, common; prostrate knotweed (Polygonum arenastrum) .. lambsquarters, common (Chenopodium album) .. lettuce, prickly (Lactuca serriola) .. lovegrasses (Eragrostis spp.) .. mallow, little; cheeseweed (Malva parviflora) .. morningglories (Ipomoea spp.) .. mustards (Brassica spp.) .. nettles (Urtica spp.) .. nightshade, black (Solanum nigrum) .. nightshade, hairy (Solanum sarrachoides) .. nutsedge, purple (Cyperus rotundus) .. nutsedge, yellow (Cyperus esculentus) .. oat, wild (Avena fatua) .. panicum, fall (Panicum dichotomiflorum) .. pigweeds (Amaranthus spp.) .. puncturevine (Tribulus terrestris) .. purslane, common (Portulaca oleracea) .. radish, wild (Raphanus raphanistrum) .. rescuegrass (Bromus catharticus) .. rocket, London (Sisymbrium irio) .. ryegrasses (Lolium spp.) .. shepherd's-purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) .. sowthistles (Sonchus spp.) .. sunflower, common (Helianthus annuus)

_____ Prepare weed maps in mid-to-late season, indicating significant weed species and their location. _____ Use last year's scouting records to begin this year's scouting. _____ Base all herbicide rate, selection and spot or strip sprays on weed survey results. _____ Weeds may be controlled by cultivation, with no herbicide applied. _____ Use reduced rates of herbicide through banding of herbicides and cultivation. _____ Do not use herbicides of the same class on the same field in succeeding years. (Use crop rotation and corresponding herbicide selections.) _____ Prevent weeds within the field, alleys and roadways from going to seed. _____ Use an experimental plot to test different weed management techniques and record the results.



Weather and Crop Monitoring

_____ Monitor weather and crop parameters _____ Keep daily records.

Date: - Min/max temperatures: - Rainfall: - Hours of leaf wetness: - Stage of tree development (by cultivar, weekly):



PLANTING

Squash are annual plants that usually have trailing vines with tendrils and have large flowers with bright yellow petals. Squash have a large root system, most of which is in the top 12-18 inches of soil. The ground should be well tilled and prepared before planting so not to disrupt early seedlings. Direct seeding is preferred over transplants because there is a greater chance of losing plants due to transplant shock. Seeds generally germinate at a high rate since seed can be kept for as much as four years if kept in a cool, dry place. Optimum temperatures for germination are between 70-95ºF. One seed should be planted every 9-12 inches on beds that are five feet wide and thinned later to 12-15 inches apart for summer squash and every 3-5 feet between plants and 6-10 feet between rows for winter squash. Smaller varieties can be grown closer together. The seeds should be planted 1-1 1/2 inches deep and since squash take up a lot of area, each plant should be given approximately 10 feet of growing space. In areas where the soil may not warm as fast, black plastic mulch can be placed on the ground around the seedling to absorb the heat.



VARIETIES

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Summer squash are those squash varieties that are eaten in the immature stages. The rinds are soft and they are harvested when they are young because they do not store well. These include zucchini, which can reach maturity in approximately 60 days, and yellow straightneck, yellow crookneck, and scallop squashes, which need approximately 55 days to reach maturity. The colors and sizes of all the varieties vary. Winter squash include squash that is harvested in the mature fruit stage, have very hard rinds and usually weigh between 10-20 pounds. The most common varieties are acorn, hubbard, butternut and banana types, all of which mature in 80-140 days after germination. Winter squash also have ornamental types that are smaller and weigh from 1-10 pounds.

Squash seeds (H. F. Schwartz; Colorado State University)

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Zucchini squash seeds (H. F. Schwartz; Colorado State University)

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Butternut Squash fruit (H. F. Schwartz; Colorado State University)

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Gourds seeds (H. F. Schwartz; Colorado State University)

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Pumpkin seeds (H. F. Schwartz; Colorado State University)

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Armenian cucumber seeds (H. F. Schwartz; Colorado State University)

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Cucumber seeds (H. F. Schwartz; Colorado State University)

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CLIMATE

Summer squash is a warm season crop but can also thrive in cooler climates because it is considered to be a short seasoned crop. The seedlings can be subject to frost damage and should be planted to germinate in temperatures between 70-95ºF. The optimal growing temperatures are from 67-75ºF.



POLLINATION

Squash is monoecious, which means that both the male and female flowers develop on the same plant. Honeybees are the main source of pollinators and one strong active hive should be placed in each acre for good pollination. When summer squash are well pollinated, they may grow 3/4 - 1 inch each day.



SOIL

Squash will grow well in most soil types, but the soil must be well-drained. Optimal soil pH will fall within a range of 5.8-7.0. Lighter fertile soils that warm easily should be used for summer squash and heavier soils for winter squash.



IRRIGATION

Squash have an extensive root system, mostly found in the top 18 inches of soil. The soil must not experience water stress or become waterlogged. The soil can be furrow irrigated or drip-irrigated, whichever is more cost effective in the overall operation. The soil should be moist at planting, but then irrigation should be delayed until the soil is dry and the plants are established. Early irrigation tends to cool the soil and slow plant growth. Irrigation management should include infrequent deep waterings to encourage deep root development. The plants should receive approximately 1 inch of water at each watering, with a minimum of 18 inches of water over the season. Water stress can cause misshapen fruit and too much moisture can aggravate root and stem rot diseases.



FERTILIZING

A soil test should be taken to determine the amount of each nutrient to apply. Nitrogen is the nutrient that is most often deficient and may require 80-150 pounds per acre during a growing season. Phosphorus may need to have 60-120 pounds per acre applied and potassium 0-150 pounds. Preplant fertilizer should be broadcast and then tilled into the bed to aid in seedling germination. No more than 60 pounds of nitrogen should be applied at any one time as this may burn the plants.



PESTICIDES

Fungal diseases of squash are controlled by combinations of cultural controls, such as long term rotations, the use of clean seed, and chemical controls. There are no chemical tools available to control viruses, however, some control can be possible through management of the insect vector or through resistant cultivars, if available.



HARVEST

Summer squash is harvested 40-60 days after planting in the immature stage when the rind is still tender. Depending on the variety, the fruit may be harvestable 4-8 days after pollination. Harvests generally occur every other day to avoid fruit becoming too ripe. Zucchini and straightneck fruits are harvested when they are 5-8 inches long and 1 1/4-2 inches in diameter. Fruit is hand picked into containers and then sorted, graded, and packed. Fruit should be cooled to 41-50ºF immediately at 95% relative humidity for proper storage, but should not be held for more than 10 days in storage because chilling injury may occur. Chilling injury is seen as pitting on the surface, discoloration, and accelerated decay. Winter squash should be harvested 80-140 days after planting when the surface is even colored and has hard rinds. The fruit should be cut from the vine leaving 3-5 inches of stem to avoid disease entering the fruit. The squash should be harvested before any danger of frost to prevent any decaying from occurring. Winter squash are well adapted to long storage, but should be cured for approximately 10 days at a temperature of 80-85ºF and relative humidity of 80% to promote healing of mechanical injuries and better storage. Winter squash require warm temperatures of 50ºF and dry conditions of 50-70% relative humidity for long term storage. Most varieties will store for 2-4 months.