growing cucamelons: From Seed to Harvest in Easy Steps
Let’s look at growing cucamelons! Cucamelons are tiny fruits that look like a grape-sized watermelons, complete with stripes. They’re also known as ‘mouse melons’ or ‘Mexican sour gherkins.’ The reference to ‘sour’ comes from their taste – they taste like cucumbers with a hint of sour lime.
Interestingly, despite their fresh flavor and tiny size, they’re surprisingly hardy plants that can resist tough and dry conditions better than most. The cucamelon is native to Mexico and Central America and have been grown for centuries.
They’re becoming more and more popular and look awesome in a fruit salad – you’ll get a bunch of comments and questions when you add these little cuties to the table!
Guide to Growing Cucamelons
How to Grow Cucamelons From Seed
Growing cucamelons (Melothria scabra) from seed is actually surprisingly simple. They are delicate plants when they’re young, so be careful when it comes time to transplant your seedlings. Here’s how to grow them from seed.
Choosing Your Seeds
Purchase seed from a reliable supplier. There are many suppliers out there that provide old or impure seed – the fresher the seeds, the better.
When to plant your cucamelon Seeds
Cucamelons are warm-weather crops, so they’re sensitive to cold. Starting them indoors 4-6 weeks before the last expected frost gives them a head start and ensures they have a strong root system by the time they’re transplanted.
If you’re planting them directly outside, make sure the soil temperature is consistently above 70°F (21°C) and all risk of frost has passed. Cold soil can inhibit germination or potentially damage the young seedlings.
Read more: Are Cucumbers Fruits or Vegetables?
How to Plant the Seeds
Cucamelons aren’t picky, thankfully. Choose a good quality potting mix if you’re starting your seeds in a container. It needs to be well-draining but nutrient-rich; most potting mixes made for vegetables are a great choice. Aim for a neutral pH, around 6.5-7.5.
Cucamelon seeds are tiny. The general rule is that you should plant your seeds as deep as they are thick. For cucamelons, this means no deeper than 1/2″. I like to add two seeds per container to make sure I get at least one plant germinated. You don’t have to; one seed is fine, especially if the seed is very fresh.
If you are planting them in the garden, space them around a foot apart to give them plenty of space. You’ll be surprised by how much ground they can cover!
Once the seeds are planted, give them a gentle but thorough watering-in. You want to get rid of all those air bubbles in the soil and make sure they’re tucked in. Keep them well-watered – sprouting seeds don’t like to dry out. Cover them with a plastic bag or something similar if you’re worried about them drying out.
Once they’re sprouted and a couple of inches tall, you can relax with the watering a bit. Toughening them up before planting in the garden is always a good idea.
If they were in a shady position while germinating, get them used to being in the sun. When they grow up, they like to be in a full sun to very lightly shaded position – at least 5-6 hours of sun every day.
Growing Cucamelons In the Garden
Once your little guys and girls are planted in the garden, there are a few things to keep in mind for success. Let’s take a look.
Climbing Support
Cucamelons will happily grow on the ground. In fact, they happily grow just about anywhere, and they will climb up just about anything. I had a shovel leaning against the fence and my cucamelon thought it a great thing to grow up!
There are advantages to providing them with a trellis or support, though. Cucamelons have slender, vining stems that can reach lengths of up to 10 feet. These vines readily latch onto structures with their tendrils, pulling themselves upwards as they grow.
By providing a trellis or similar support, you not only facilitate their vertical growth but also ensure better air circulation around the plants, reducing the risk of fungal diseases.
Elevating the vines off the ground keeps the fruits clean, lessens the chance of pest damage, and makes spotting and picking the small fruits much more convenient. If you don’t have a trellis, even a sturdy fence or netting can serve as a support structure.
Fertilizing
My cucamelons don’t get a lot, I admit. Every few months, I spread a big lot of homemade compost around the garden (a mix of mainly horse manure, dried leaves, and grass clippings – it’s the bomb!), and the cucamelons generally get a scoop or two.
They aren’t demanding, but feeding them with a balanced vegetable fertilizer can boost their growth. I’ve also found that a liquid fertilizer (foliar feed) works well for them, probably because of their great leaf surface.
Pests and Diseases
Cucamelons have the advantage of being less known to many common pests, making them less susceptible than some other garden vegetables. Their thick skin provides an extra layer of protection against minor pest attacks. However, they aren’t entirely immune.
Aphids, for example, can be attracted to the young shoots and the undersides of leaves. These tiny pests suck out the plant’s sap, weakening it and potentially transmitting diseases.
They’re also susceptible to spider mites. These are tiny critters that can suck the vitality from plants, often identified by the fine, silky webbing they leave behind.
To prevent and manage these problems, try these natural solutions:
- Regular inspection: Periodically checking the plants, especially the undersides of leaves, can help you catch a potential infestation early. Early detection makes it easier to manage and control these pests.
- Natural predators: Beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings are natural predators of aphids. Encouraging these beneficial insects in your garden can help keep aphid populations in check.
- Water spray: A strong spray of water can knock off and dislodge aphids and spider mites. This can be an easy and chemical-free method to reduce their numbers.
- Companion planting: As we discussed in our cucamelon companion plants guide, certain plants can deter pests. For example, marigolds are known to repel various pests, while nasturtiums can attract aphids away from your main crops, acting as a sacrificial plant. Incorporating these plants into your garden design can create a beautiful, balanced ecosystem.
Super Easy Cucamelon Propagation Tip
Once you have one established plant, growing more and more is ridiculously simple. Use a process called air-layering. You don’t even have to do anything for this except for let your cucamelon plants rambling along the ground.
Wherever their leaf nodes touch the ground, they grow roots. After a week or two, you can dig these sections up, and replant them elsewhere! No work required!
You can do a similar thing in containers. Guide of the plant’s healthy tendrils over the top of a container (I like a decent size, 6 or 8″ wide filled with good quality potting mix). You can even ‘twist’ the tendril around the inside of the pot for maximum surface touching.
Peg the tendril in place with a paperclip, small pebble, a stick, or really anything that makes sure it touches the soil. After a few weeks, those tendrils will grow their own roots and you can cut it away from the mother plant.
Voila – new cucamelons!
Harvesting Your Cucamelons
The best time to pick cucamelons is when they’re about the size of a grape. While it might be tempting to let them grow bigger, cucamelons are at their best flavor and texture when they’re grape-sized. Waiting too long makes the skin tough, and the seeds bigger and more noticeable.
When you touch them, they should feel firm, not squishy. A simple touch test will often tell you if they’re ripe: they’ll pop easily off the stem when they’re ready. If you have to tug hard, give them a little more time.
When and how to eat them? Fresh is best!
Cucamelons add a great crunch to salads, or you can pickle them. Beyond salads, you can use them in salsas, chuck them in a stir fry or use them as garnishes for cocktails. Anything you’d use cucumber (or even lime!) for, really. If you like to experiment, try them in a ceviche or as a topping for tacos.
If you can’t eat your cucamelons immediately, store them in the fridge for a few days, just like you would with regular cucumbers. Ideally, store them in a vegetable crisper drawer, which maintains a humid environment that’s ideal for them.
However, remember that like all fresh produce, cucamelons are best eaten as soon as possible after you harvest them. If you notice any shriveling or signs of decay, it’s best to eat or process them immediately, like turning them into pickles or relishes.
Or feed them to your chickens – they love them!
Cuce-clusion
Growing cucamelons is awesome. Not only are they a conversation starter, but they’re also a tasty, unique treat everyone will love, including the kids.
With a bit of care and attention, you’ll be munching on these delightful mini-melons in no time. So, give them a go, and soon, you’ll see why I love my cucamelons so much!
