How to care for and grow cucamelons

This fruit has multiple names including; 'Mexican sour gherkin', 'mouse melon', 'pepquinos', and 'miniature cucumber'. It's scientific name is Melothria scabra, in the gourd family.

They are not cold hardy, so they are treated like annuals. I planted seeds in late March indoors, they were growing very slowly but suddenly grew super long vines! I tied them to a wooden chopstick using some string to help them climb vertically. Cucamelons grow long vines, you can grow them on the ground, but to save space, I will grow them up a tomato cage.

Seeds should be started 6 weeks before your last frost in a propagator. If you don't have a propagator, planting the seeds in any clear container can also work. Once they grew their second set of leaves, I took them out of the cells and put them into small pots.

Now that they've outgrown their small pots, I planted them into a 43cm diameter/45L pot. I used a hack when planting them to make sure they won't be in the way of the tomato cage: press the cage where you would like it to go, take it out and place wooden dowels (I used chopsticks) into the holes left behind from the cage, place the plants around the dowels. Now your plants are perfectly placed! I chose to put three on the outside and one in the middle. I believe I have around 12 individual plants - the pot is quite big so there should be enough space.

Once the vines grow longer, I will gently wrap them up the cage and if needed tie it loosely for stability. I am really looking forward to the cucamelons growing, and I hope I will have a plentiful harvest to share with friends and family.

----> Thank you for taking the time to read my blog, Nate.