Pumpkin Variety	Size (lb)	Pumpkin variety	Size (lb)
Jack-B-Little (95)	0.3	Tom Fox (110)	12-20
Wee-B-Little (95)	0.4	Merlin^pm (110)	12-20
Baby Bear (105)	1-2	Magic Lantern^pm(110)	12-20
Snack Jack (100)	1-2	Sorcerer (105)	14-18
Baby Pam (100)	2-3	Gold Strike (110)	18-22
Trickster (85)	2-3	Aladdin^pm (115)	18-25
Spooktacular (85)	2-3	Gold Gem (105)	20-25
Smoothee (90)	3-6	Howden (110)	20-25
Pick-a-Pie (85)	4-6	Gold Medal (90)	20-30
Mystic Plus^pm(105)	7-8	Appalachian (100)	20-30
Hybrid Pam (90)	5-7	Gold Rush (120	20-35
Racer (85)	10-12	Prizewinner (120)	50-80
Gold Standard (90)	11-15	Atlantic Giant (125)	>80

Numbers in parentheses are estimated days to harvest

pm = powdery mildew tolerant

Watermelon Fruit Pest Tolerance¹

variety size (lb) Anthracnose Fusarium

Seeded

Yellow Doll 5-7 ‑ ‑

Sugar Baby 8-12 ‑ -

Huck Finn 15-25 - -

Emperor 15-25 - -

Royal Majesty 15-25 - -

Royal Flush 15-25 - -

Carnival 15-25 - -

Mardi Gras 15-25 - -

Sangria 22-26 H H

Crimson Sweet 15-25 - -

Seedless

Crimson Trio 14-16 ‑ H

Millionaire 13-20 ‑ ‑

¹ L = low, M = moderate, and H = high level of tolerance to pest. When disease tolerance for a particular variety is unknown, line is left blank.

17.2 Planting Methods

Cucumber and melon. Cucumbers for early harvest are started as transplants while later plantings may be direct seeded. Melons do not grow well and may suffer chilling damage when air or soil temperatures are below 50°F. Typically in upstate New York, transplants are set in the field between June 1 and 10 for harvest in mid-August to early September. In warmer regions of the state and when row covers are used, the transplanting date may be two to four weeks earlier.

Wind, combined with low air temperatures (32° to 50°F), can severely damage vine crops, retarding maturity and reducing yields. Soil temperatures below 50°F also slow growth and impair water uptake by roots. For these reasons, plastic mulch and row covers are often used, especially for early-season production of melons. Black, clear, or infrared-transmitting (IRT) mulches can be used. Remember that row covers enhance daytime temperatures and growth but provide at best only a few degrees of frost protection at night. Compared to other crops, melons have had the most consistent, positive response to plastic or spunbonded fabric row covers for increased early-season production. The covers are applied at transplanting and removed at flowering to allow bee pollination.

Another means of wind protection is to plant rye strips between every second or third row of the crop. Site selection is also important for wind protection and optimal soil temperature. Light-textured soils that warm quickly in the spring are preferable to heavier soils that remain cool. Good drainage, fertility, and high organic matter are other soil features that will improve the potential for good yield and quality.

Pumpkin and winter squash. These are normally direct seeded after all danger of frost is past.

Summer squash. Container grown plants may be used for the early crop and planted into plastic mulch. Early plantings should be protected from cold and winds with row covers or hot caps and windbreaks. See discussion under Cucumber and melon for details.

Watermelon. Watermelons should not be transplanted to the field until daily mean temperatures are above 55°to 60°F. Many varieties require over 100 days to mature, so season extension techniques are important. For seedless watermelons, plant one seeded row for every two rows of a seedless variety.

Transplants should be produced in a greenhouse with temperatures between 75° and 85°F. Each transplant should have at least a two inch by two inch space. Seedless watermelon seed should be planted with the point up to facilitate growth. To ensure pollination, plant one row of a seeded variety for very two rows of seedless.

Overseeding may be appropriate if the germination test is low. Transplants from seed typically take about three weeks to grow in the greenhouse.

Table 17.2.1 Recommended spacing

Crop Row In-row

Cucumber

Slicers 5-6’ 10-15”

Pickles 2-5’ 3-8”

Melon 5-6’ 2-3’

Pumpkin

Bush 4-6’ 18-24”

Vining 6-8’ 24-36”

Squash

Bush 4-6’ 18-24”

Vining 6-8’ 24-36”

Watermelon 6-8’ 3-4’

17.3 Fertility

Use lime to maintain a pH of 6.0 to 6.5. See Tables 17.3.1 and 17.3.2 for the recommended rates of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. If the pH is between 5.5 and 6.0, apply 5 pounds of magnesium per acre in the fertilizer band. If the pH is below 5.5, apply 10 pounds of magnesium.

Table 17.3.1 Recommended nutrients based on soil tests for cucurbits planted on bare ground.
N pounds/acre	P₂O₅ pounds/acre			K₂O pounds/acre			Comments
	Soil Phosphorus Level			Soil Potassium Level
	low	med.	high	low	med.	high
*80-100*	*120*	80	40	*120*	80	40	*Total recommended*

40	80	40	0	80	40	0	Broadcast and disk-in
20-30	40	40	40	40	40	40	Band place with planter or sidedress after transplanting
20-30¹	0	0	0	0	0	0	Sidedress when plants begin to run

1: If nitrogen deficiency is likely because of leaching or waterlogged soil, increase nitrogen sidedressings by 30 pounds.

Table 17.3.2 Recommended nutrients based on soil tests for cucurbits planted in plastic mulch with fertigation.
N pounds/acre	P₂O₅ pounds/acre			K₂O pounds/acre			Comments
	Soil Phosphorus Level			Soil Potassium Level
	low	med.	high	low	med.	high
*80-100*	*120*	80	40	*120*	80	40	*Total recommended*

40	40	40	0	40	40	0	Broadcast and disk-in
15-20	20	20	20	20	20	20	Fertigate one week after planting
15-20	20	20	20	20	20	20	Fertigate three weeks after planting
15-20	20	0	0	0	0	0	Fertigate at fruit set

17.4 Harvesting

Cucumber. Both fresh-market and pickling cucumbers are picked by hand four to five days apart depending on temperature and moisture. A field can generally be picked ten to 15 times.

Populations of 40,000 plants or more per acre concentrate yields sufficiently for mechanical harvesting of pickles. Success of machine harvest depends on establishing a uniform stand, harvesting when ten percent of the fruit are two inches in diameter or larger, and moving the fruit quickly from the field to the processing plant.

Melon. Melons should be harvested at “full slip” when the fruit slips easily from the vine. The ground color under the net starts to turn yellow at full slip, and the soluble solids (determined with a handheld refractometer) are greater than eight percent. Eastern melons are bruised easily during harvest, and this can shorten shelf life.

The winter or honeydew-type melons do not slip when ripe. Harvest is based on experienced observations of the change in color of the ground spot and amount of softening of the blossom end at optimal ripeness.

Eating maturity of melons occurs one to three days after harvest, and the best flavor is attained if melons are held near 70°F for this final ripening, then chilled for serving. If melons are to be stored longer, they should be held at 50° to 55°F and 85 to 90 percent relative humidity. Eastern melons will seldom maintain quality when stored longer than one week. Winter melons such as honeydew can be stored for two to four weeks, at 45° to 50°F and 90 percent relative humidity. All melons are subject to chilling damage if held at temperatures lower than those indicated.

Pumpkin and Squash. In fields where pumpkins are turning orange, it is worthwhile to cut and windrow and bring them in out of the field. This will allow the handles to cure and protect fruit from insects, vertebrate pests, and diseases. For best color development, day temperatures in the 70’s to 80F and night temperatures no lower than 65F is best. If you need to leave pumpkins in field for pick-your-own, cut the handles from the vine to save them from advancing disease.

Store only mature fruit that is free of disease. Harvest and place the fruit under shelter before it can be damaged by chilling or freezing. Fruits subjected to temperatures below 50°F for two weeks or more may break down and rot.

Desirable storage conditions are 50° to 55°F at a relative humidity of 50 to 75 percent with good air circulation to maintain uniform temperature and humidity throughout the storage period. During a long storage period, fruit will lose less moisture if humidity is maintained near 70 to 75 percent.

Acorn-type squash can be stored ten to 15 weeks after which quality deteriorates rapidly. Other squash may be kept up to six months under good conditions.

Watermelon. Watermelons should be harvested when the tendril on the vine at the juncture between the fruit and stem turns brown; the ground color under the melon turns yellow; and “thumping” produces a dull, hollow sound. In some varieties, a slight bumpy surface develops when the watermelon is ready to be harvested.

Watermelons are best stored at 55°F and 90 percent relative humidity. If handled gently, they should store two to three weeks under these conditions. Some seedless varieties may have a slightly longer storage life. Holding at temperatures less than 50°F causes the red color to fade quickly to pink.

Table 17.4.1 Nonpathogenic disorders.
Disorder	Affected crop(s)	Cause/Recommendation
Oedema	Pumpkin/winter squash	Provide a consistent level of moisture to help reduce this moisture-stress related problem.
Poor fruit set	All	Related to poor pollination. Also, weather dependent. Provide hives at a rate of 1 hive per 2 acres.
No female flowers	Cucumber/squash	Variety or weather related.
Fruit cracking	Melon	Due to excessive rainfall or irrigation.
Misshapen fruit	Cucumber	Poor pollination or water management during fruit enlargement.
Fruit hollows	Cucumber/watermelon	Good water management during fruit enlargement is essential.

17.5 Disease Management

17.5.1 Importance of each disease for a particular cucurbit.

Disease	Cucumber	Melon	Pumpkin	Summer squash	Winter squash	Watermelon
Angular leaf spot	L,R	L	M	L	M	L
Bacterial leaf spot	L	-	M	L	M	-
Bacterial wilt	H	M	M,V	M	L	NA
Alternaria leaf blight	L	M	L	L	L	M
Anthracnose	L,R	M	L	L	L	M
Choanephora blight	-	-	L	H	L	-
Fusarium crown and fruit rot	L	L	H	M	M	L
Fusarium wilt	-	H,R	-	-	-	-
Damping-off	M	L	L	L	L	L
Downy mildew	M,R	M,R	H	M	H	L
Gummy stem (Black rot)	L	M	M	L	M	M
Phytophthora blight	-	L	H	H	H	L
Powdery mildew	M,R	M,R	H,R	H,R	M	M
Plectosporium blight	-	-	M	M	-	-
Scab	L,R	L	L	L	L	L
Septoria leaf spot	-	L	L	-	L	-
Sudden wilt	-	H	-	-	-	-
Ulocladium leaf spot	M,R	-	-	-	-	-
Viruses	L,R	H	M	H,R	M	L
¹ R = resistant varieties exist (plants are not susceptible); L = low (occurs, but rarely in damaging levels); M = moderate, H = high level of susceptibility to pest; V = variable susceptibility among varieties; - disease tolerance for a particular crop is unknown.

Table 17.5.2 Relative effectiveness of various chemicals for cucurbit disease control.

RELATIVE CONTROL RATING

Pesticide and Group Number(s)

PHI

ANGULAR LEAFSPOT

BACTERIAL LEAF SPOT

ANTHRACNOSE

BELLY ROT

COTTONY LEAK

DAMPING OFF

DOWNY MILDEW

GUMMY STEM BLIGHT

PLECTOSPORIUM BLIGHT

PHYTOPHTHORA BLIGHT

POWDERY MILDEW

SCAB

SEPTORIA LEAF SPOT

Acrobat, Forum (dimethomorph) 15	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	+++	-	-	+++	-	-	-
Aliette (fosetyl-Al) 33	0.5	-	-	-	-	-	-	+++	-	-	-	-	-	-
Armicarb 100 (potassium bicarbonate) M	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	+/-Co	-	-
Bravo, Echo, Equus (chlorothalonil) M5	0	-	-	+++	+++	-	-	++	+++	+++	+	++Co	+++	+++
Cabrio (pyraclostrobin) 11	0	-	-	+++	-	-	-	++R	++C,R	+++	-	++C,R	+++	+++
Copper, fixed^aM1	0	+	+	+	-	-	-	++	+	-	+	++Co	+	+
Curzate (cymoxanil) 27	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	+++	-	-	-	-	-	-
Dithane, Manzate, Penncozeb (mancozeb) M3	5	-	-	+++	-	-	-	+++	++	-	-	+Co	-	-
Flint (trifloxystrobin) 11	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	++R	++C,R	`	-	++C,R	-	-
*Gavel (zoxamide +mancozeb) 22 + M3	5	-	-	-	-	-	-	+++	-	-	+++	+/-Co	-	-
JMS Stylet-oil, (oil) M	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	+/-Co	-	-
Kaligreen (potassium bicarbonate) M	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	+/-Co	-	-
Maneb (maneb) M3	5	-	-	+++	-	-	-	+++	++	-	-	+Co	-	-
ManKocide (mancozeb +copper hydroxide) M3 + M1	5	+	+	+++	-	-	-	++	++	-	+	+Co	-	-
MilStop (potassium bicarbonate) M	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	+/-Co	-	-
Nova (myclobutanil) 3	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	+++R	-	-
Nutrol (monopotassium phosphate) M	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	+/-Co	-	-
Phostrol, Prophyt (phosphorous acid) 33	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	+++	-	-	-
*Previcur Flex (propamocarb) 28	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	++++	-	-	-	-	-	-
Pristine (pyraclostrobin + boscalid) 11 + 7	0	-	-	+++	-	-	-	+++	+++	-	-	+++	-	-
*Procure (triflumizole) 3	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	+++R	-	-
Quadris, Amistar (azoxystrobin) 11	1	-	-	+++	+++	-	-	++R	++C,R	+++	-	+R	+++	+++
Quadris Opti (azoxystrobin+chlorothalonil) 11 + M5	1	-	-	+++	+++	-	-	+++R	+++R	+++	-	+R	+++	+++
Ranman (cyazofamid) 21

Pest Management Guidelines A Cornell Cooperative Extension Publication	Cornell Guide for Pest Management of Vegetables
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