Peak maturity is short-lived, particularly at high temperatures, and the flesh becomes grainy and watery, and develops unappealing flavors. Varieties with attributes desirable for wholesale shipping and that have performed well in trials at the Plateau Experiment Station at Crossville are Athena, Cordele, Legend, Mission, and Primo. Athena and Primo also performed well in trials at the Knoxville Experiment Station. Cultural Practices Traditionally, muskmelons have been grown on bare soil in rows 5 to 6 feet apart, with hills 2 to 4 feet apart in the row. Many commercial growers have adapted plasticulture technology, including bedding, plastic mulch, trickle irrigation, and fertigation.
Bedding provides better drainage and warms the soil slightly.
Black plastic mulch helps increase the soil temperature and aids weed control. Warmer soil temperatures promote early season growth, increase sugar content, and improve the flavor of melons. Double and triple the average yields obtained with bare soil culture have been obtained, and the optimum cultural practices lead to more uniform quality and flavor among individual muskmelons. Spreading out the application of N and K2O through fertigation can improve yields and fruit quality. Pest Control Diseases can be a major problem in muskmelon production.