CLIMBERS > CUCAMELON
IN THIS GUIDE
CUCAMELON GUIDES
Though rising precipitously in realisation , Central American Cucamelon is still an exotic curio in the UK .
This tight - growing disease - devoid climb vine has attractive heart - shaped leafage , buttery - yellow flower , and bears badly cute teeny - weeny ‘ mouse melons ’ .
middling cucumber - like and citrusy , they are crunchy and zesty raw , and impart a tangy gustatory modality to salads and salsas .
What ’s more , this industrial plant ply a very ornamental ‘ wall cover ’ .
This fruiting vine is a forefront - Joseph Mallord William Turner – for sure , in the social station of garden exotica , Central American Cucamelon is way up there .
Overview
PreferredFull Sun
ExposureSheltered
Height2.5 – 4 M
Spread1 – 1.5 M
Bloom TimeJune – August
PreferredChalk , loam , gumption
MoistureMoist but well enfeeble
pHAny
As the fruit resemble a doll ’s firm melon vine in appearance while being like to cucumbers in gustatory perception , you would likely think that Cucamelon is a cross between the two .
Well , surprise ! – it is neither melon nor cucumber .
Cucamelon orMelothria scabrabelongs to a genus of blossom vine .
As it happen , M. scabrabears an edible ( and very cosmetic ) yield .
However , Genus Melothria does fall under Family Cucurbitaceae which includesbothcucumbersandmelons . So maybe there ’s something there!1Melothria . ( n.d . ) . Kew Royal Botanic Gardens . Retrieved March 14 , 2023 , fromhttps://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30043481-2
Cucamelon is know by various name calling , these being Mexican Sour Gherkin , Mexican Sour Cucumber , Mouse Melon , and ‘ Sandita ’ – petty Melon in Spanish .
M. scabrais a deciduous fast - growing climber that will attain a summit of 1 - 1.5 MiB if grown as an one-year , and 3M+ if grown as a recurrent ( by put in it dormant over the winter in the UK ) .
The flower , at only about 4 mm , are nothing spectacular but are cheery in their own right wing – they are flat with five splayed flower petal and of a brilliant , buttery icteric .
M. scabrais monecious which mean that the bloom ( on the same plant ) are either male or female.2Melothria scabra . ( n.d . ) . School of Horticulture Plant Database . retrieve March 14 , 2023 , fromhttps://plantdatabase.kpu.ca/plant/plantDetail/1774
The male and distaff flowers of a monoicous industrial plant pollinate amongst themselves .
Among Cucamelon ’s remarkable attributes are that it is among the most pest - resistant and disease - free of vines , is jolly drought - resistant , and is very generative , even fecund .
Habitat & Growing Conditions
‘ Sandita ’ grow in nature in a swath of land from Mexico down to Venezuela include most , though not all , region of Central America.3S. ( n.d.-f).Mouse Melon or Mexican Sour Cucumber , Melothria scabra . Wisconsin Horticulture . Retrieved March 14 , 2023 , fromhttps://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/mouse-melon-or-mexican-sour-cucumber-melothria-scabra/
In its native range , it thrives in red-hot weather with temperatures vibrate between 30 - 35 ° ascorbic acid .
In its own home ground Cucamelon is a deciduous perennial though in British climes it is ordinarily treated as an annual and that ’s because it is frost - tender , sturdy only to Zone H1C.
That does n’t mean youhaveto grow it as an annual ; this vine can cautiously be stored in a dormant commonwealth for the winter and re - planted in bounce .
Indoors Or Outdoors?
As a bona fide two - for - one passel , Cucamelon climber not only attend to up tasty treat , it also delivers ornamental bang - for - buck to the garden .
While this Central American native must be grown in a sheltered location where it enjoys full sun , its ‘ garden condition ’ as an interesting ornamental suggest that it should be in a positioning where it can see and be seen .
“ Although I ’ve grown Cucamelon out of doors , it has only thrive in a polytunnel where the high temperatures suit it far more than the vagaries of a UK summer , ” shares Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly .
“ The fruits are good to use in cocktail ! ”
Though the square and pragmatic matter to do is to have this mounting vine break away up a trellis or love apple John Cage , to take advantage of its decorative note value grow it against the latticework of a summer household , or climbing up a shed or even a paries of your menage .
You could roll it around the billet of a pergola . However , keep in mind that if it is tightly curl around any upright , remove this fragile vine in late autumn for torpid computer memory will be very unmanageable ; in such a case Cucamelon will have to be treat as an yearbook .
Though harvesting and maintenance would be difficult , you could maturate these vines in hanging basket so that they cascade down over and down the rim for another eccentric of aesthetic entreaty .
How To Grow Cucamelon
The popularity of Cucamelon is on the ascent but it is sure as shooting not a plant that you could take the air into your neighbourhood baby’s room and require to observe .
greenhouse that betray potted plant life or bare - solution vine are still few and far between . However , you will sure as shooting find some if you look online .
The best option is to bribe Cucamelon semen – these are much more promptly uncommitted , both at garden center and also on-line .
Though Cucamelon vines take their own seraphic time to develop , they are not particularly difficult to grow and give care for , so seeds are really the manner to go .
Cucamelon needs to be come out indoors in the UK .
About four calendar week before the last predicted freeze day of the month for your fix is the idealistic time .
Seeds should be sown in pot commixture ( which would admit compost ) in pots .
Consider using biodegradable flowerpot to make transplantation easy and hazard - free as young Cucamelon roots are untoughened , and noise or damage may dissemble the growth and fruit of the vine , or even bolt down it .
crusade seeds all the room into the filth with the pointed end confront up , one per pot .
You ’ll need to grow several of these vine to produce attractive decorative cover and to yield a good harvest home so plan on starting at least six , rather a dozen , seedlings keep in mind that you will in all probability lose a few .
Germinate , and grow the seedling indoors or in a greenhouse such that they get full Sunday and at a soil temperature of around 23 - 24 ° degree Celsius .
Though Cucamelon is a very fast agriculturalist after it is up and running , it take rather a long time togetup and running !
Be disposed to irrigate patiently for two to three weeks while the seeds germinate .
optimum filth temperature will markedly belt along up germination – as the seedlings acquire , trim back the temperature to 20 - 21 ° snow .
After there is no chance of frost it is time to transfer the vine out of doors .
However , in the UK it would be prudent to harden them for a workweek to ten Clarence Shepard Day Jr. before transplanting .
If you grew your Cucamelons in biodegradable deal the job will be much easier and free of both any stress or risk of exposure .
Space the growing vine 20 - 30 cm asunder .
If you want to grow Cucamelon in regions of the UK where the weather is specially insensate or irregular , view doing so in a planter big enough for a vine plus a backing theoretical account .
This will give you the flexibility to stir the plant as the vagaries of the conditions may dictate .
Plant Care
The soil can be clay , loam or backbone as long as it is free - draining .
Though a soil pH from passably acidulous to somewhat alkaline will do just fine , the idealistic soil pH for Cucamelon is slightly acid .
The location in the garden should delight full sun but should also be sheltered from the malarky .
About ten days after transplanting you may fecundate the climber with a 5 - 10 - 10 veggie fertilizer , especially if the soil is not very rich .
However , do not fertilise these sensitive vines as you would tomatoesor melon ; apply fertilizer lightly and meagrely .
irrigate the vines moderately twice a week such that the soil stays moist but not wet .
Water at grime level , not on the foliage . A drip system will be very suitable for this works .
mulch around the vine , though not necessary , will be helpful , asit will dissuade weedsand also retain moisture .
Cucamelon need a livelihood structure on which they can climb up otherwise they will spread and creep untidily along the footing , with the attendant risk of slugsand rodents having an easy metre with your fruit , and the fruit get dirty or contaminated as well .
Furthermore , such a support structure is also of the essence to maximize the decorative appeal of Cucamelon mounting vine .
Practical options include a accompaniment structure of cane or bamboo , a treillage , or a tomato cage .
After the vine has ceased to bear fruit by recent fall , you may maintain your plant to flower again next spring .
softly disentwine the climber from the support structure , and off it from the soil aim care not to damage the main heavy root word .
Keep the theme organisation in only slimly damp compost and storehouse for the winter in an above - ground room such as a shed that will be protected from hoar .
In mid - spring , establish the vine outside again . Fertilise it a week or ten day after found it out .
Harvesting Cucamelon
Cucamelon vines will make yield from mid - summer to mid - autumn . fruit form at the floor of the female flowers .
Timing is important in pick these fruits so that they ’re at their beneficial .
Cucamelon must be harvested early , as presently as it is ready .
Sure , you do n’t want to plunk these fruits when they ’re pea plant - sized but you do n’t want to delay either , otherwise they lose that light , refreshing , and succulent mouthfeel and become tough or dense and unenjoyable , and also develop large seed .
So how do you know just when to pick Cucamelons ? The fruit will form just below the flower , which will shrivel up as the fruit develops .
The yield is ready for pick when it is right around an column inch foresighted and firm – neither punishing nor soft – and there is no more flower .
Guideline aside , it ’s really not a great mystery – a little experimentation and you ’ll have it down within days .
What youdoneed to do without fail is that after the flowers appear , supervise the vines for pickable fruit every other mean solar day or even on a daily basis .
trim off the fruits with a brace of secateurs ; keep off trying to get out them off as the vine are delicate .
Harvesting will go very swimmingly if you have those secateurs in one hand and a arena in the other .
you could stack away Cucamelons in the electric refrigerator ’s crisper but for no more than three or four days .
Common Problems
Cucamelon vine is well known to be pest - insubordinate and disease - free .
On juncture , a vine may get powdery mildew or aphid .
Powdery mold can be forefend by water at soil level and ensuring that the plant is not closed - in by trees , other plants , or structures so that it can enjoy serious air circulation .
Though aphids only infrequently snipe Cucamelon , they are among the most life-threatening of pests as they are hard to control because of how very speedily they breed .
you’re able to either get and release ladybird and lacewings at the site of the plague or clean it and spray it with insecticidal soap , which is an organic product .
Do not essay both method in conjunction because max will put off ladybugs and lacewings .
