Topic: Cucumelon

[powerspade]

Anyone tried these I just ordered some seed 

[markfield rover]

If as in mouse melon yes, although mine never got any bigger than a quails egg, grown in a greenhouse they formed a curtain , productive and attractive ,they will happily scramble everywhere-flavour wise the jury is out but I will be growing again next year.

[galina]

If as in mouse melon yes, although mine never got any bigger than a quails egg, grown in a greenhouse they formed a curtain , productive and attractive ,they will happily scramble everywhere-flavour wise the jury is out but I will be growing again next year.

This is what mine are like too, an inch long, half an inch wide, crunchy little 'cucumberish' fruits on very slender plants.  Before James Wong  'reinvented' them, they were called Melothrie (by Real Seeds and others) or Melothria Scabra (latin name) or Mouse Melon or Mexican Sour Gherkin.

I had a difficult start with them this year, my first batch was slug food, but sowing again certainly succeeded.  I have them in the greenhouse, they are small plants that scramble everywhere.  I have picked a little basket and taken indoors, they will keep a little while just sitting there.  Even now there are still new ones developing on the plants.  The James Wong claims are exaggerated and incorrect, but for an extra autumn crop, they are fab.  Incidentally they are quite heavy bearing and pickle very successfully too.

[Chrispy]

I had great trouble getting mine started, from half a packet of seeds I ended up with just one live plant. and that one seemed to sit there for weeks with just 2 leaves, but when it got going it was very vigorous and very productive.
I am going to try and store the root over the winter.

I found, if you stick the fruit in the fridge for a day, and eat them cold, they have a lot more flavour than if you eat them straight off the plant.