HS919

Galia Muskmelons: Evaluation for Florida Greenhouse

Production1
Elizabeth M. Lamb, Nicole L. Shaw, Daniel J. Cantliffe2

Galia muskmelon (Cucumis melo Reticulatus

group L.) is a specialty melon with green flesh and a
golden-yellow netted rind, prized for its bold aroma
and high sugar content (Fig. 1). While it was
developed in Israel for field cultivation, it can be
successfully produced in greenhouses or walk-in
tunnels (Fig. 2). The primary market is currently
Europe, however, field grown Galia melons are being
imported into the United States from Israel and
Guatemala. The wide distribution has led to Galia
being an identifiable trade-name for this type of
melon. Terminal market prices for Galia melons are
substantially higher than those for other specialty
melons. For example, on March 26, 2002 at the New Figure 1. Vine-ripe Galia melons. Credits: Photo courtesy
of Juan Rodriguez
York Terminal market, Galia 4s were $18-20 while
Crenshaw 4s were $14 and Orange Fleshed 6s were
greater than 8 feet. Galia melons prefer temperatures
$11. Also, peak quality in Galia melons requires
in the range of 70-95o F and do not yield well when
harvest near the vine-ripe stage, so shorter transport
temperatures drop below 60o F. Best fruit quality is
distances should result in increased fruit quality.
obtained when night temperatures are at the lower
Production Methods extreme within the optimum range.

Tests in Florida have demonstrated successful

Galia melons can be produced in any greenhouse
hydroponic production of Galia melons in perlite or
suitable for growing tomatoes. The gutter height
pine bark in white polyethylene lay-flat bags (Fig. 3).
should be sufficient to allow good air movement
Other media and containers should be evaluated on a
around the plants and to aid in ventilation, preferably

1. This document is HS919, one of a series of the Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and
Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Publication date: May 2003. Please visit the EDIS Web site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.
2. Elizabeth M. Lamb, assistant professor, Indian River Research and Education Center, Nicole L. Shaw, senior biologist, Daniel J. Cantliffe, professor and
chair, Horticultural Sciences Department, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville,
32611.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer authorized to provide research, educational
information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap, or national origin.
For information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension Service office. Florida Cooperative
Extension Service/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences/University of Florida/Christine Taylor Waddill, Dean.
Galia Muskmelons: Evaluation for Florida Greenhouse Production 2

maintaining a 10-20% leach of the total water

provided and will vary with plant development,
temperature and available sunlight. In general, water
use for melon production is greatest during vegetative
growth. Sufficient water is necessary during fruit
maturation but excess irrigation can lead to fruit
cracking. Irrigation scheduling can be adjusted by
changing the frequency of irrigation events, the
length of the irrigation period, or both.

Galia melons have been successfully produced in

the Gainesville, Fla. area using the fertilization
schedule provided in Table 1. Environment and
Figure 2. Greenhouse production of Galia melons. production factors may require modifications in the
Credits: Photo courtesy of Juan Rodriguez nutrient mix in other regions. Excess nitrogen at
transplanting may burn the plants. Preliminary
trial basis before using them on a commercial scale. research suggests that a continuous supply of nitrogen
Transplants can be produced in a peat:perlite mix and throughout the growing season may result in
transplanted after 3-4 weeks. In the Gainesville, Fla. increased fruit yields when compared to changing
area, the Fall crop should be planted before the first nitrogen level with growth stage (see website on
week of August and the Spring crop should be planted melon fertigation). Increasing the level of potassium
mid to late January. (Normal daily mean temperature fertilization or raising the solution electrical
in Gainesville, FL is 54° F in January and 80° F in conductivity (EC) to 3.8 milliSiemens/cm may result
August, Normal Daily Mean Temperature Web site). in sweeter fruit. The pH of the nutrient solution
In other regions, planting dates should reflect local should be 5.5-6.5.
temperatures.
Plant spacing should be approximately 12 in
between plants in a single row. Row spacing may
depend on trellising height. Tests have shown
increased plant yield with 4 foot row spacing when
the plants can be trellised to 12 feet (0.25 plants/ ft2,
approximately 10890 plants/acre). If maximum
trellising height is no greater than 8 feet, row spacing
of 6 ft may be more appropriate (0.17 plants/ft2,
approximately 7400 plants/acre). Plants are pruned to
a single stem and can be supported on a nylon net
trellis (6 in x 6 in openings) or with twine and plastic
clips, as in greenhouse cucumber production.

Greenhouse grown Galia melons require

Figure 3. Production of Galia melons in perlite-filled bags. intensive pruning beginning one week after
Credits: Photo courtesy of Nicole Shaw
transplanting. Lack of adequate pruning will result in
excessively vegetative plants and reduced fruit
Water and nutrients are delivered through a drip
numbers. All laterals are removed up to the 8th node
irrigation system with an emitter at each plant. While
on the main stem to allow the plant to produce a good
black irrigation pipe is most common in greenhouse
base of vegetative growth to support fruit set. Each
vegetable production, growers in warmer regions
lateral subsequent to the 8th node is pruned after the
have found that using white pipe with a black interior
first fruit is set and has reached golf ball size (Figure
prevents heating of the irrigation water and algal
4 arrow indicates where lateral should be pruned).
growth. Scheduling of irrigation is based on
Galia Muskmelons: Evaluation for Florida Greenhouse Production 3

The leaf may be left at the pruned node or removed. sweetness ratings should be in the range of 11-14 o
Fruit set at the first node on a lateral are often higher Brix or higher.
quality than those set on subsequent nodes.
Therefore, if fruit does not set at the first or second Cultivar Evaluation
node on a lateral due to poor pollination, temperature
The results of a comparison of cultivars of
imbalances, or inadequate early pruning, it is
Galia-type melons are provided in Table 2. The
preferable to remove the entire lateral to encourage
melons were grown in an Israeli sawtooth design,
fruiting at higher laterals.
passive ventilated greenhouse covered with double
layer polyethylene, located in Gainesville, Fla. The
sidewalls were 12 ft high and the peak was 26 ft high.
The 3 ft roof vent and sidewalls were covered with
0.02 in. mesh screen for insect control. Plants were
grown hydroponically in perlite filled polyethylene
bags, 3 plants per 1 ft x 3 ft bag. Additional
information on this test is available in the
Proceedings of the Florida State Horticultural
Society, 114:288-293 or at the Protected Agriculture
Web site, http://www.hos.ufl.edu/protectedag under
Publications.

Figure 4. Lateral with developing fruit. Arrow indicates

The cultivars evaluated were Arava, Gal-152,
where lateral should be pruned. Credits: Photo courtesy of Gal-52, Galia, Galor, Jalisco, Revigal (Hazera
Nicole Shaw Genetics - Burim, D.N. Shikmim, Israel 79837);
Arava, Galia, Golan (Zeraim Gedera – Gedera,
Bumble bees should be introduced into the Israel 70750); Capri, and Omega (Sunseeds – 18640
greenhouse approximately 2 weeks after planting. Sutter Blvd., Morgan Hill, CA 95038-2078).
Sugar water should be available for supplemental Cultivars with the same name from different seed
feeding until pollen in available, but must be removed companies are designated with the initial of the seed
at that point to encourage pollination. Because of the company (H for Hazera Genetics and Z for Zeraim
necessity for insect pollinators, use of insecticides is Gedera) in Table 2. Three-week-old plants were
limited and biological control or insect exclusion transplanted into the hydroponic system on October
should be used where possible. Daily scouting and 14, 1999 and March 3, 2000. There were 9 harvests
use of sticky traps to indicate pest population levels between January 15 and February 11 in the Fall 1999
are essential. Powdery mildew (Sphaerotheca season. The Spring 2000 harvest period extended
fuliginea) and gummy stem blight (Didymella from May 15 to July 28 with 17 harvests.
bryoniae) must be controlled to maintain yields.
Results for total marketable fruit per season,
Fruit should be harvested when the rind color is average fruit weight, percent Brix and percent netting
golden-yellow and the fruit are at the full-slip stage are given in Table 2. Although the number of fruit
for the highest quality. Full-slip indicates that the harvested per plant is higher in the Spring 2000
fruit separates cleanly from the stem under moderate season for many cultivars, when adjusted for number
pressure. Fruit quality is determined by fruit size, of harvests, the values are fairly similar. Experience
amount of rind netting, and sweetness (measured as has shown, however, that Spring is a better season for
degrees Brix). In the European market, fruit of production of Galia melons, due to higher
1.5-2.2 lb are preferred for Galia melons. While the temperatures and higher solar radiation. Weight and
American market prefers 3 lb or larger field-grown number of culled fruit were higher for the Fall crop.
muskmelons, smaller fruit of a high-value, specialty Average fruit weight was consistently higher in the
melon may have greater marketability than larger Spring season, by 10-90%. Rankings of cultivars by
fruit. In general, well-netted fruit are preferred. Fruit
Galia Muskmelons: Evaluation for Florida Greenhouse Production 4

average fruit weight varied by season but Arava H,

Arava Z, Gal –152 and Gal 52 were among the top
cultivars for fruit weight in both seasons. However,
the two Arava cultivars had slightly lower fruit
numbers in the Spring. For most cultivars, fruit
grown in the Spring season were sweeter (higher Brix
values) and more netted. While Brix values were
lower than reported for Galia melons in both seasons,
they were within acceptable levels in the Spring
(cantaloupes with a Very Good internal quality
designation for USDA quality standards must have at
least 11% soluble solids). In general, different
sources of the same cultivar did not differ greatly.
Choice of cultivar may depend on whether the market
is more dependant on fruit size or fruit sweetness.
Galia Muskmelons: Evaluation for Florida Greenhouse Production 5

Table 1. Nutrient solution for greenhouse production of Galia melons.

Nutrient Parts per million

N - vegetative growth 80-100
N - at first flower 120-140
N - fruit maturation 160-180
P 50
K - vegetative growth 150
K - fruiting 225
Ca 120
Mg 50
S 65
Fe 3
Cu 0.2
Mn 0.8
Zn 0.3
B 0.7
Mo 0.06

Table 2. Harvest data for Galia-type cultivars.

Marketable Fruit Per Plant Average Fruit Brix Percent Netting

Weight (oz)
Cultivar Fall 1999 Spring 2000 Fall Spring Fall Spring Fall Spring
(9 harvests) (17 harvests) 1999 2000 1999 2000 1999 2000
Arava-H 4 3 22 35 10 11 75 100
Arava-Z 3 3 23 34 10 11 75 75
Capri 3 3 22 42 10 11 75 100
Gal 52 3 5 25 32 11 11 100 100
Gal 152 3 5 23 31 10 12 75 100
Galia-H 2 4 22 27 8 12 50 75
Galiz-Z 3 5 22 28 9 12 50 75
Galor 2 5 22 30 10 12 75 100
Golan 2 5 20 24 11 11 75 100
Jalisco 3 5 24 30 9 10 75 100
Omega 4 5 20 25 11 11 75 100
Revigal 3 5 24 26 10 11 75 100