The Self Sufficiency Pages

Home food production, renewable energy, alternative technologies, sustainable agriculture
with an emphasis on Brisbane and Queensland

Cucurbits

Pumpkins, Melons, Cucumbers, Gourds

More to come in future updates. Meanwhile, check out the links below for further information.

News

Record-breaking one ton pumpkin

The world pumpkin record has been broken in the USA with a 2009 pound (945kg) champion grown by Ron Wallace. That's more than a ton in US measurement (or a little under a metric ton). See pictures at BigPumpkins.com: 2012 - Ron Wallace and his 2009 pound World Record! (2012)

U.S. pumpkin champion 2010
After only 4 years growing giant pumpkins, Ron Root has triumphed in The Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in California with a 1,535 pound (691 kg) 'Atlantic Giant'. However, he failed to beat the world record, set by a 1725 pound (776 kg) fruit in 2009. (October 2010)

Links

The following links have been provided for general information. The particulars of growing these crops successfully will vary depending on your location, especially with respect to pests and diseases and their treatment. If in doubt, check with local authorities for current information on permissable pesticides, and always follow directions on the label of any products you may purchase. (see also Pests and Diseases).

More general information about vegetables here: Vegetables

Cucurbits (General)

Cucurbitaceae and The Cucurbit Network

Cucurbits The Pollination Program, Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, Australia

Intercrossability of Cucurbit Species N.C. State University, North Carolina

Diseases of cucurbit vegetables NSW Department of Primary Industries

Zucchini pest:The Pumpkin beetle The Florez Nursery blog, NSW

Plant pathology: Mosaic virus of Zucchini The Florez Nursery blog, NSW

Assisting pollination in the garden Charlotte County UF/IFAS Extension Service, Florida (PDF)

Pumpkins and Squash

Pumpkins and grammas: commercial production Dept Primary Industries & Fisheries, Queensland

Commodity growing guides - Pumpkin NSW Department of Primary Industries

Organic Pumpkin and Winter Squash Production National Center for Appropriate Technology (USA)

Pumpkin Nook dedicated to everything about pumpkins

BigPumpkins.com Website about growing giant pumpkins

Growing Giant Pumpkins In The Home Garden Ohio State University

How to grow a monster pumpkin Extension Service Garden Hints, Oregon State University

Squash Display (Illustrations of many varieies) Missouri Botanical Garden

Calabaza - Cucurbita moschata Duch. ex Lam. University of Florida

'Tatume': The Squash of Many Names (also called 'Calabacita') Texas A&M University

A Summary of N, P, and K Research with Squash in Florida University of Florida

Squash Blossom Drop Purdue University

Pumpkin and Squash in: Insect Pollination Of Cultivated Crop Plants. USDA Agricultural Research Service

Storing Pumpkins Washington State University Clark County Extension

Storing Winter Squash and Pumpkins North Carolina State University

Cucumbers

Cucumber and Gerkin in: Insect Pollination Of Cultivated Crop Plants. USDA Agricultural Research Service

Growing cucumbers Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture

Bitter Cucumbers A Temporary Problem Purdue University

Easy Gardening...Cucumbers Texas A&M University

Cukes for backyard gardens Charlotte County UF/IFAS Extension Service, Florida (PDF)

Cucumis sativus Ecocrop database, Food and Agriculture Organization

Cucumber and Gherkin from: Insect Pollination Of Cultivated Crop Plants, United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service

Fresh Market Production Cucumbers North Carolina State University

Cucumber Breeding at NC State North Carolina State University

Zucchini

Zucchini fruit rotting Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture

Growing Zucchini Marrows Victoria Department of Primary Industries

Summer Squash Production (including Zucchini) North Carolina State University

Watermelon

Watermelons: commercial production Dept Primary Industries & Fisheries, Queensland

Growing Watermelon in the Home Garden Ohio State University

Growing Seedless Watermelon University of Florida

Watermelon University of Illinois

Seedless watermelon good eating to soothe the summer heat includes some info on how seedless varieties are produced. Texas A&M University

Seedless Watermelon University of Illinois Extension

Watermelon - Growth (Fruit splitting) Walter Reeves. Georgia

Watermelons - Ripe When? Walter Reeves. Georgia

How to choose the best watermelon University of Florida (PDF)

Watermelon (and Stockmelon, Pie Melon, or Citron Melon) in: Insect Pollination Of Cultivated Crop Plants. USDA Agricultural Research Service

Watermelon Breeding North Carolina State University

Powdery mildew of melons (watermelon, rockmelon and honeydew) Dept Primary Industries & Fisheries, Qld

Fusarium wilt of melons (watermelon, rockmelon and honeydew) Dept Primary Industries & Fisheries, Qld

Viruses affecting melons (watermelon, rockmelon and honeydew) Dept Primary Industries & Fisheries, Qld

Bacterial fruit blotch of melons (Watermelon, rockmelon and honeydew) Dept Primary Industries & Fisheries, Queensland

Rockmelon, Honeydew

Melon The Pollination Program, Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, Australia

Growing rockmelons and honeydews: Before you start Dept Primary Industries & Fisheries, Qld

Growing rockmelon and honeydew: Common questions Dept Primary Industries & Fisheries, Queensland

Muskmelons (Cantaloupes) North Carolina State University

Melon Breeding at NC State North Carolina State University

Muskmelon in: Insect Pollination Of Cultivated Crop Plants. USDA Agricultural Research Service

Choko

Most Queenslanders know this familiar backyard vegetable as "Choko". It's more commonly known internationally as "Chayote". Although it's actually a cucurbit, it differs from other familiar members of that family in having a single-seeded fruit (which is planted whole to propagate) and a perennial habit.

Chayote - Sechium edule (Jacq.) Sw. University of Florida

Chayote - A Small, Multipurpose Squash Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, New york

Neglected crops 1492 from a different perspective FAO Plant Production and Protection Series, no.26. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. See section on Chayote (Sechium edule), in additon to the many other interesting species covered in this publication)

Chayote in: Insect Pollination Of Cultivated Crop Plants. USDA Agricultural Research Service

Chayote Production Guidelines for Hawaii (PDF)

Chayotes in Alabama? Alabama Cooperative Extension System

Chayote Texas A&M University

Unusual Vegetables - The Chayote University of Florida

Early experiences with the chayote Discusses work in the early part of the 20th century attempting to commercialise chayote in the USA. Reproduction of a 1948 article, Proceedings of the Florida State Horticultural Society (PDF)

Sorting Sechium names Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database, University of Melbourne

Possible Misspellings: Chokos, Chokoes, Chokeo, Choke-o

Others

Asian Melons Northern Territory Government, Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines

Loofahs, gourds, melons and snake beans Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation, Australia (PDF)

Grow Your Own Sponges (luffa gourd) University of Illinois

Luffa Sponge Gourds: A Potential Crop for Small Farms at the Center for New Crops & Plant Products website

Vegetable Sponge in: Insect Pollination Of Cultivated Crop Plants. USDA Agricultural Research Service

Luffa Gourd Breeding North Carolina State University

Cucumis metuliferus, Cucurbitaceae (African horned melon, Kiwano) at A Digital Botanic Garden (blog, UK)