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Publication #HS725

Cucurbit Production in Florida1

S.M. Olson, E.H. Simonne, W.M. Stall, P.D. Roberts, S.E. Webb, S.A. Smith2

The Vegetable Production Handbook for Florida was updated in January 2011. The most current version of this chapter may be found at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/cv/cv12300.pdf.

Keywords: Cucurbitaceae, cucumber, cucumis sativus, cantaloupe, cucumis melo, summer squash, Cucurbita pepo, pumpkin, C. pepo, C. maxima, C. moschata, butternut squash, tropical pumpkin, calabaza, Cucurbita moschata, winter squash, Curcurbita maxima, watermelon, Citrullus lanatus

Photo gallery:

Figure 1. 

Pickling cucumbers in Dade county.

Figure 2. 

Cantaloupes on black mulch with windbreaks.

Figure 3. 

Acorn winter squash.

Figure 4. 

Butternut winter squash.

Figure 5. 

Seeding cucumbers in twin-row pattern on mulched bed.

Figure 6. 

Steps involved in triploid watermelon seed production. To produce seed, a diploid (2N) female parent plant is treated with colchicine to produce the solid-colored female tetraploid (4N) parent; this is crossed with a striped male parent (2N) which results in triploid (triploid) watermelon seed (3N). To produce a crop of triploid watermelon, the 3N seed is interplanted with a 2N pollenizer variety.

Figure 7. 

Examples of three field arrangements for 50% triploids (T) and 50% diploid (D) production (upper) and examples of two field arrangements for 75% triploid and 25% diploid production (lower).

Figure 8. 

Separate male and female cucurbit flowers require bees for pollen transfer.

Figure 9. 

Adequate bee populations are necessary for pollination of cucurbits.

Figure 10. 

Poor pollination causes 'bottleneck' of watermelon.

Footnotes

1.

This document is HS725, one of a series of the Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Date first printed June 1995. Date revised November 2009. Reviewed January 2011. Please visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2.

S.M. Olson, professor, E.H. Simonne, associate professor, W.M. Stall, professor, Horticultural Sciences Department; P.D. Roberts, assistant professor, Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, Immokalee, FL, S.E. Webb, associate professor, Entomology and Nematology Department, S.A. Smith, economic analyst, Food and Resource economics Department, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32611. The Vegetable Production Handbook for Florida is edited by S.M. Olson, professor, NFREC-Quincy, and E.H. Simonne, associate professor, Horticultural Sciences Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida.

The use of trade names in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information. It is not a guarantee or warranty of the products named, and does not signify that they are approved to the exclusion of others of suitable composition. Use pesticides safely. Read and follow directions on the manufacturer's label.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Millie Ferrer-Chancy, Interim Dean.