High Tunnel Melon and Watermelon Production University of Missouri Extension M173 Contents Author Botany 1 Lewis W. Jett, Division of Plant Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia Cultivar selection 3 Editorial staff Transplant production 4 MU Extension and Agricultural Information Planting in the high tunnel 5 Dale Langford, editor Dennis Murphy, illustrator Row covers 6 On the World Wide Web Soil management and fertilization 6 Find this and other MU Extension publications on the Irrigation 7 Web at http://muextension.missouri.edu Pollination 7 Photographs Pruning 8 Except where noted, photographs are by Lewis W. Jett. Trellising 8 Harvest and yield 9 Marketing 10 Pest management 10 Useful references 14 Melon and watermelon seed sources 15 Sources of high tunnels (hoophouses) 16 For further information, address questions to College of Dr. Lewis W. Jett Agriculture Extension State Vegetable Crops Specialist Food and Natural Division of Plant Sciences Resources University of Missouri Columbia, MO 65211 Copyright 2006 by the University of Missouri Board of Curators E-mail:
[email protected] College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources High Tunnel Melon and Watermelon Production igh tunnels are low-cost, passive, melo has several botanical subgroups (Table 1). solar greenhouses that use no fossil In the United States, reticulatus and inodorus are Hfuels for heating or venting (Figure commercially grown, while the remaining groups 1). High tunnels can provide many benefits to are grown for niche or local markets. horticulture crop producers: The cantaloupe fruit that most Americans • High tunnels are used to lengthen the are familiar with is not actually a true cantaloupe.