Cucamelon syn. Mexican Sour Gherkin Vegetable Seeds

Cucamelon Syn. Mexican Sour Gherkin Vegetable Seeds

Botanical Name: Melothria scabra

Syn. Mouse Melon, Sandita; heirloom vegetable from Mexico that crops abundantly. Fruit are about the size of grapes, look like a tiny watermelon, and taste like lemony cucumbers. The older fruit can become quite sour. Eaten raw in salads, used in stir-fries or pickled, they are popular with children. Very hardy, drought-tolerant, unlikely to be damaged by pests and diseases. May self-sow the following year.

Plant Type: Warm season vigorous trailing annual vine; grows best on a trellis; will also grow in a hanging basket

Sow When:

• Temperate: Late September – February
• Subtropical: July – March
• Tropical: September – December; April – August
• Cool: October – December
• Arid: August – February

Germination:

• 3 – 10 days
• Depth: 10 – 20 mm deep

Position: Full sun

Sow Where: Sow direct

Soil Type: Fertile, well-drained, add compost, pH 5.5

Spacing Details: 2 seeds spaced at 15 – 30 cm along the trellis

Details: Prefers frequent watering

Harvest: 75 days; harvest often while still firm