Cucamelon plant

How to grow Cucamelon plant growing and care:

Rich soil, slightly acid soil, mulch and to add fertilizer

What is the best way to start growing?
Plant / Seed / Tubers

Is it necessary to graft or use vegetative reproduction?
No

Difficulties or problems when growing:
When the plant young very sensitive to slugs

Planting season:
Spring / Summer

Pests and diseases:
Aphids, slugs, powdery mildew

Pruning season:
All year

How to prune:
Dead parts

Size of the plant:
80-160cm, 32-64 inches

Growth speed in optimal condition:
Fast growing / Medium growing

Water requirement:
Average amount of water

Light conditions in optimal condition for growing:
Full sun

Is it possible to grow indoor as houseplant?
No

Growing is also possible in a planter /flowerpot / containers:
Yes, Planting in containers need to be at least 10-20L (2.5-5 gallons), well-drained soil, the plant not react well to overwater, need to make enough holes in the container for good drainage also choosing soil for container important and need to be soil well ventilated, can be potting mix or peat soil with perlite, when use bottom for the pot need that it will dry in the same day, when it’s grow as perianal every two years better switch soil.

Blooming information

Bloom season?
Spring / Summer / Autumn

General information about the flower:
Small flat yellow, flowers can be male or female and can possible to see female flower with like small fruit before

Edible Fruit

Fruit harvest season:
Spring, summer, autumn

Fruits pests or diseases:
Birds, powdery mildew

What can be done with big quantities of Cucamelon plant fruit?
Eat raw, salads

Work requirements on the fruit:
Collect the fruits in the time

How long does it take to bear fruit?
5 months

Ripening of fruit
Need to collect it before it’s fully ripen

How to grow Cucamelon plant from seeds

Sowing requirement:
Easy to sow no special treatment, sowing temperature better to sow in 21-25C (70-77F)

Saving seeds until sowing:
Room temperature, dry place

Sowing season:
Spring (but in warm weather possible in the summer) and in cold climate start in the winter indoor

How to plant:
Better to plant it in light soil that will be well ventilated and keep the moist like vermiculite

Planting spacing – How far apart to plant:
Depend if trellising 20*30cm (8*12 inches), sowing to transplanting 5*5cm (2*2 inches)

Depth of Sowing:
1-2cm (0.5-1 inch) from the top

Conditions for seeds germinate:
Moist soil, full sun

Watering requires for Seeds:
Average amount of water, don’t let it dry

Germination time:
7-21 days

Condition of seedling:
Warm weather, big amount of water, full sun, place to trellising

Scientific name:

Melothria scabra

Alternative names: Mouse melon, Mexican sour gherkin, Cucamelon, Mexican miniature watermelon, Mexican sour cucumber