Cucamelon/ Melothrie/ Mexican Mouse melon/ Sour gherkin

[John DUnn]

I've ended up with three healthy plants. Two are in the polytunnel 'romping' as someone else said. I kept the third plant outdoors against a sunny, south-facing wall.

Indoors: masses of fruit ; Outdoors: growth ok, but only about three or four fruits.

So even with the best outdoor conditions I could give it, it is hardly a winner. A definite indoor plant.

[kizkiz]

I'm another with two plants in the greenhouse doing their best impression of a thing that romps!
Shed loads of fruits now all over the place.
I'm also not 100% sure when best to pick them though

[s.penny91]

Just noticed lots of dead wasps around my cucamelon plants.... Coincidence or are they not a very wasp-friendly plant? On a more positive note - Lots and lots of fruits now. Made a great salad with olives, feta, cucamelons, homegrown lettuce & balsamic vinegar the other night

[Likac66]

I put two in the greenhouse and two outside on the allotment. Allotment ones have disappeared under squashes that have taken over, but the two in the greenhouse are doing great. I love the way they have just climbed up anything that takes their fancy. I think I've had about 20 fruits so far from them (although we were away for a couple of weeks so don't know if the "plant babysitter" had any). I like them and my kids LOVE them so will definitely grow them again next year.

Here are the ones I picked today:

[veggiechicken]

I've only had one so far There are a few more on the way though

[Tripmeup]

The lesson I am taking from this thread for next year is to grow them in the grenhouse...They failed on me outside this year....

Don't forget you can lift the root and store overwinter to grow again next year!!

[FunkyFlowerpot]

Hi all,
I have about 8 plants & experimented round the garden & in the GH. The GH ones are rubbish but the one that got hold of my jasmine growing up a trellis has gone nuts!! It's romped away.
I have saved mine & pickled them, what a success! I'm now saving more for another jar.



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[s.penny91]

Care to share your pickling recipe FunkyF? Ive seen so many differet ones on the internet i dont know where to start!

[FunkyFlowerpot]

Well, I looked on t'interweb & got ideas & then added what I thought should go in!
I cut my cucs lengthways, sliced a shallot & salted them for a few hours. Washed salt off & patted some moisture off.
I put them in a jar with a few peppercorns & mustard seeds (to look nice), teaspoon of honey, slice of lemon - quartered, few lemon basil leaves, bit of dill & topped it up with Sarsons pickling vinegar.
I left them only for a week or two before trying & was really surprised!
They have a good bite to them but if you like it hot add a chopped chilli.
This was my first attempt & I'm chuffed to bits - if anyone was to try my recipe, I'd be over th e moon!!


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[superfly78]

I sowed 16 but only two survived and they have gone crazy, I am getting tons off mine and tey are growing outside. They are now stretching over from the trellis to the tomatoes to start growing through them as well

[Tripmeup]

..Now ye are making me rethink Maybe I will try outside again next year...

[kizkiz]

Really need to get a pic. I have so many fruits it's crazy. Been picking a bowl full at a time
As someone else said, they just grow anywhere. Mine ran out of trellis and meandered across to the nearest chilli, which it is now entwined with.
I have runners all over the floor, through the vent and up the garden fence and one almost up to the roof without apparently holding on to anything!

[veggiechicken]

Blimey kizkiz - mine are nothing like as prolific. I've picked less than a dozen - hardly worth the effort. They're in the GH - about 6 plants in 2 pots.
Please - a pic!! I'd like to see that they are worthwhile

[FunkyFlowerpot]

They need a LARGE pot each VC.

The 1 I have sharing with a Kiwi (I can't get it to grow nicely!) has gone mad. The ones in little pots have stayed small.

Just an idea ....


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[veggiechicken]

I think there are 4 in one large pot and 2 in a smaller pot - maybe next year, if I can overwinter them, I'll put them into huge pots!!..............and don't mention kiwis please, I'm still recovering from being swamped by one