What are some good muskmelon and watermelon varieties for Iowa?

Question:

What are some good muskmelon and watermelon varieties for Iowa?

Answer:

Muskmelon Varieties

• ‘Athena’ (oval 4 to 6 lb. fruit)
• ‘Aphrodite’ (oval 6 to 9 lb. fruit)
• ‘Ambrosia’ (round 4 to 5 lb. fruit)
• ‘Hale’s Best’ (oval 4 to 5 lb. fruit, heirloom)
• ‘Earli Dew’ (honeydew type, pale green flesh)
• ‘Passport’ (hybrid melon, green flesh) 
• ‘Divergent’ (round, 4 lb, good for organic systems)
• ‘Sarah’s Choice’ (oval, 3 lb.)
• Sugar Cube (round, 2 lb.)
• ‘Snow Leopard’ (honeydew type, 2 lb.)
• ‘Wrangler’ (oval 4-5 lb.)
• ‘Goddess’ (early maturing, 6-8 lb.)

Watermelon Varieties

Seeded, Large

• ‘Crimson Sweet’ (red-fleshed, blocky round fruit, 20 to 30 lb.)
• ‘Royal Sweet’ (red-fleshed, blocky oval fruit, 20 to 25 lb.)
• ‘Sangria’ (red-fleshed, blocky oval fruit, 20 to 26 lb.)
• 'Black Tail Mountain' (red-fleshed, round, 8-12 lbs.)

Seeded, Small

• ‘Sweet Beauty’ (red-fleshed, oblong, 5 to 7 lb.)
• 'Starlight' (red-fleshed, round, 10-12 lb.)
• 'Cathay Belle' (red-fleshed, round, 7-10 lbs)
• 'Sugar Baby' (red-fleshed, solid dark rind, round, 8-10 lb.)
• 'Sureness' (yellow-fleshed, round, 8-10 lbs.)
• 'New Orchid' (orange-fleshed, round, 7-9 lb.)
• 'Yellow Doll' (yellow-fleshed, round, 5-7 lbs.)

Seedless, Large*

• ‘Crunchy Red’ (red-fleshed, round to oval fruit, 15 to 18 lb.)
• ‘Gypsy’ (red-fleshed, round fruit, 13 to 17 lb.)
• ‘Millionaire’ (red-fleshed, oblong fruit, 13 to 20 lb.)
• 'Sweet Gem' (red fleshed, round, 13-16 lb.)
• 'Orange Crisp' (orange-fleshed, round, 17-19 lb.)
• ‘Amarillo’ (yellow-fleshed, round fruit, 12 to 14 lb.)

Seedless, Small*

• 'Ocelot' (red-fleshed, round, 3-5 lb.)
• 'Nectaro' (red-fleshed, round, 5-7 lb.)
• 'Gentility' (red-fleshed, round, 6-7 lb.)

*A seeded variety (pollenizer) must be planted with seedless watermelon varieties for proper pollination.  Pollinator seeds are often included in seedless watermelon seed packets. Plant a pollenizer with a different rind pattern than your crop so you can differentiate the seedless fruit from seeded pollenizer. Fruits from pollenizer plants are also edible.