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ABOUT Cucamelons
DESCRIPTION
GROWING cucamelons
GROWING INFO
GET A HEAD START
Head start
CUSTOMER REVIEWS
REVIEWS
Quick Facts
- Type: Cucamelon
- Life Cycle: Annual Crop
- Heirloom: Yes
- Color: Miniature Green Fruits
- Growth Habit: Vining
- Plant Height: 1' Tall
- Plant Width: Up to 10' long
- Harvest: 60 to 70 Days
- Fruit Size: 1 to 2 inches
- Environment: Full Sunlight
All about Mexican Sour Gherkins
Though most people consider the Mexican Sour Gherkin (Melothria Scobra) to be a part of the cucumber family, it actually belongs to the Melothria family. Though it looks much like a tiny watermelon, and goes by nicknames such as cucamelon, mouse melon, and little watermelon, this cute little Mexican Sour Gherkin was more or less adopted into the honorary title of cucumber.
As the name suggests, the Mexican Sour Gherkin is native to Mexico and Central America, and had been a staple of the Mexican and Central American diets since pre-Columbian times. It was the French botanist, Charles Victor Naudin, who was the first person from the modern world to have described them in 1866.
It has the taste of a cucumber that is citrusy and tangy rather than sweet. This is a slow growing vine plant that can grow up to 10 feet under the right conditions. The fruit can grow to be 1 to 2 inches, but should be cultivated before it reaches 1 inch to prevent the fruit from becoming too seedy if used for cooking. The vine also produces small yellow flowers and does well climbing up trellises, taking about 60 to 70 days.
Compared to cucumbers, the Mexican Sour Gherkin is more resistant to pests and tolerant to drought and mild cold (but not frost). You can treat Cucamelon as a perennial, and though the fruits are not particularly high yielding, they produce their fruits yearly. For those who reside in places that have colder seasons, when autumn arrives and the fruit production has stopped, lift their primary radish-like root and keep it in barely moist compost in a garage or shed until winter passes.
Sowing Cucamelons
Cucamelons are best started indoors, 6 to 8 weeks prior to the last frost. The small seeds resemble Cucumber seeds and can be sown at a depth of 1/4” under topsoil. If sowing indoors, you might consider using peat pots for easy transplanting later on. Transplant or direct sow your Cucamelons outdoors after all danger of frost has passed, and the soil is loose and workable.
Growing Conditions For Cucamelon
Cucamelons will prefer an area of full sunlight and prefer a soil that is rich. The plants can be watered regularly until established. Once your plants start to bare fruits, they will not need as much water and are actually somewhat drought resistant as well. Consider adding a bit of a light compost to hard compact soils to improve your drainage. Provide a trellis or support stake for the plants.
Germination & Growth
Cucamelon seeds are not quick to germinate, and can sometimes take up to 4 weeks to show signs of life. The plants can grow to a vining length of up to 72 inches long and can be spaced about 6 to 12 inches apart from one another, if they are grown upright with the support of a trellis. Harvest the small, 1 to 2 inch fruits in roughly 60 to 70 days. Add to salads, eat raw, or pickle these cuties.
Harvesting Your Cucamelons
You can begin harvesting in about 60 to 70 days from when first sprouts appear. Pick the fruits when they are about the size of a grape. Twist or pick them from the plants, but be careful not to damage the plants. As the fruits ripen more they will lose their crisp texture, so it is best to harvest when they are young!
Get a head start on the season!
If you are looking to get a head start on the growing season, we've got you covered! We offer bricks of expanding Coco Coir to act as a growing medium for your plants. We also offer biodegradable CowPots for starting your seeds indoors. CowPots are designed from cow manure and are 100% biodegradable. The supplies below make it easier than ever to get a kick start to your Spring and Summer garden!
Always fresh and intended for the current and following growing seasons. Seeds are packaged in water resistant / tear resistant packaging.
Heirlooms have been purposely bred, selected & passed down from generation to generation. They are wholesome picks that will breed true to the parent.
We never knowingly purchases treated seed products. We also do not treat any of our seeds with substances such as neonicotinoid or thyram.
Seed Needs promises to never knowingly purchase or supply genetically modified seed products. We have taken the Safe Seed Pledge!
Always fresh and intended for the current and following growing seasons. Seeds are packaged in water resistant / tear resistant packaging.
Heirlooms have been purposely bred, selected & passed down from generation to generation. They are wholesome picks that will breed true to the parent.
We never knowingly purchases treated seed products. We also do not treat any of our seeds with substances such as neonicotinoid or thyram.
Seed Needs promises to never knowingly purchase or supply genetically modified seed products. We have taken the Safe Seed Pledge!
Front Side
Seed packets by Seed Needs are beautifully illustrated and provide a colorful depiction of the variety inside. We provide the common name, as well as the scientific name, seed quantity and a few specs about the variety to be grown.
Back Side
Each packet contains full growing instructions on the reverse side. Specifications on sowing the seed, growing conditions such as sunlight and moisture preferences and germination and growth information can be found as well. We also provide a QR to scan for easy reordering.
- Always Non-GMO / Untreated.
- Stored in a temperature controlled facility that's free of moisture.
- Always packaged for the current and the following growing seasons.
- True to the varieties advertised.
- 99% pure seed with no added fillers.
- Always Non-GMO / Untreated.
- Stored in a temperature controlled facility that's free of moisture.
- Always packaged for the current and the following growing seasons.
- True to the varieties advertised.
- 99% pure seed with no added fillers.
A SEED COMPANY ON A MISSION FOR CHANGE
Seed Needs has been providing gardeners with quality seed products since 2010 and has shipped millions of packets to happy customers all over the US. We offer flowers, herbs, vegetables, vines, wildflower blends, seed packet collections and seed packet favors.
With the success of our brand, we have kept our promise to continually donate to different organizations and personally sponsor children all over the globe each and every month. We grew our sponsorships from just 1 child to over 100 children worldwide in only a few years. We would like to sincerely thank all who support us because it wouldn't be possible without you!
Check out our charitable contributions!
A SEED COMPANY ON A MISSION FOR CHANGE
Seed Needs has been providing gardeners with quality seed products since 2010 and has shipped millions of packets to happy customers all over the US. We offer flowers, herbs, vegetables, vines, wildflower blends, seed packet collections and seed packet favors.
With the success of our brand, we have kept our promise to continually donate to different organizations and personally sponsor children all over the globe each and every month. We grew our sponsorships from just 1 child to over 100 children worldwide in only a few years. We would like to sincerely thank all who support us because it wouldn't be possible without you!
OUR KIDS
We sponsor over 100 children
worldwide every single month!
We sponsor children from all over the world. Check out how many kids we currently sponsor below!
ASPCA
We love animals as much as the next person! We currently donate the amount below monthly!
We also donate $400 to combat animal
cruelty each & every month.
St. Jude
Cancer is a terrible thing, especially in children... We have committed to donating to SJCH monthly.
We now commit $250 each month toward
St. Jude Children's Hospital!