Musk melon cultivation

Farm Questions
1

Anyone into musk melon cultivation…m very interested but looking for information…I want to know any seeds variety for polyhouse house…

2

Muskmelons, often called cantaloupes in the United States, are not commonly grown here. True cantaloupes have deeply grooved fruit with a hard, warty, or scaly rind and orange or green flesh. Muskmelons (Cucumis melo L. Reticulatus Group), on the other hand, possess a fruit rind that is netted. The muskmelon is a member of the Cucurbitaceae (cucumber) family, which also includes
cucumbers, watermelons, and honey dew, Persian, casaba, and crenshaw melons.

FLOWERS AND POLLINATION
Muskmelons produce two types of flowers—perfect flowers, having both male and female parts, and staminate flowers, having only male parts. Perfect flowers upon pollination and fertilization will develop into the familiar fruits. Muskmelons set fruit in cycles where several fruit are set per plant in each cycle. Fruit harvested from the first cycle of fruit set have the highest quality. Muskmelons require bees for pollination. For greater yields and larger melons, place one or two strong hives of honeybees per acre adjacent to fields of muskmelons. Hives can be removed after fruits are set. Application of pesticides should be delayed until evening when bee activity is low, as many pesticides are toxic to honeybees.

PLANTATION AND RECOMMENDATION

SOIL AND FERTILITY
Muskmelons grow best on well-drained, upland, silty, or (preferably) sandy loam soils with a pH level between 6.0 and 6.5. Melons planted into acidic soils (pH less than 6.0) will have yellowed foliage and produce fewer perfect flowers. Beds Should be 6 to 8 inches high to facilitate drainage. If you use a cover crop, be sure to plow it under at least 1 month prior to planting.

Timely and appropriate applications of fertilizer can make a significant difference in the quality and quantity of fruit and may promote earlier harvests. Collect soil samples from each area you intend to crop and have a soil analysis performed on each sample. Soil testing eliminates much of the guesswork involved in a fertilizer program. Be sure to apply lime several months prior to planting. Contact your county Extension agent for information on how to collect a soil sample and for boxes used to submit samples.

If a soil test is not performed, apply 40 to 50 pounds of nitrogen and phosphorus (P2O5), and 100 to 120 pounds of potassium (K2O) per acre at planting. At layby, sidedress with an additional 40 to 50 pounds of nitrogen per acre.

VARIETIES
Muskmelons generally are classified as eastern-types or western shipping-types. Available commercial varieties are listed below:

  1. Honey dew
  2. Casaba
  3. Crenshaw
  4. Canary
  5. Santa Claus
  6. Charentais
  7. Mediterranean
  8. Persian
  9. Ogen
  10. Rochet
  11. Chinese ‘Hami’ melon
  12. Japanese melons
3

Hi

We have done musk melon in 2 acres, variety Kundan by knownyou seeds.
For green house, there are varietes by Rikzwaan seeds but very costly. The returns for musk melon do not justify green house cultivation, so think again before proceeding.

Nikhil

4

Thank you for the info…it was a good beginning…

5

I have never grown melons before…only grown cucumber gherkins…wat is disadvantage of green house melon…how much yield can I expect in kundan type against poly house variety…

6

Hi,
Could you please share more information on kundan variety growing in open .

1.How many fruits per plant or how many kgs per plant yield you have achieved.

2.No of plants per acre .

3.Plant to plant and row to row distance .

Thanks