Cucamelon

[star]

Has anyone tried these? I was given some seeds by a friend. They sound amazing......and ready to eat in 9 to 12 weeks. 

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[squeezyjohn]

You're right - they do sound amazing!

My only worry is that a lot of these new exotic things are being touted as amazing by one fellow, James Wong ... and they are definitely brilliant at selling his books for him.

Only time will tell if they're also amazing to grow and eat too.

[galina]

Has anyone tried these? I was given some seeds by a friend. They sound amazing......and ready to eat in 9 to 12 weeks. 

They have been around for a long time, called Melothria or Mexican Sour Gherkin or Mouse Melon.  Seeds have been sold for years for example by Real Seeds and Nicky's.  James Wong makes them sound like a brand new vegetable that he has introduced to us - not quite!

Yes they grow well enough in a cold greenhouse and they are nice.  But I entirely agree with SqueezyJohn's post.

[manicscousers]

We grew these several years ago, in the poly, they went mad, loads of fruit, nice taste. Couldn't keep up with them so lots went to waste. Went over quickly, maybe I could have pickled them but you can only have so many gerkins 

[galina]

We grew these several years ago, in the poly, they went mad, loads of fruit, nice taste. Couldn't keep up with them so lots went to waste. Went over quickly, maybe I could have pickled them but you can only have so many gerkins 

That is what I did with some of mine, they look pretty in a jar, the rest were put into salads, just halved, but they could be left whole.  I got some right up to frost, they started producing during September.  Started them in May - that tallies with James Wong's 12 weeks to maturity.  I like them because (like Achocha) they grow well and produce cucumber-like fruits after outdoor cucumbers get mildewed. 

I do get a bit irritated by the apparent 'renaming' and 'reinventing' of things by James Wong.  The worst is New Zealand Yam:
http://tinyurl.com/c8f252b
They are described as the 'new varieties of sweet potato '!  It is nothing of the sort, neither sweet potato nor yam, nor from New Zealand.  It is Oca, plain and simple, a staple crop from the Andes in South America.  New Zealand Yam is a very minor alternative name, which is very misleading.  There have been many posts on this forum over the years about Oca, but rather than promoting Oca growing, James Wong appears to introduce a new crop that can be sold for a fortune.  Same with 'cucamelon' aka Melothria.

However, stripped of all the commercial hype, Melothria is a worthwhile vegetable to grow and I wish you good luck with them and hope you'll like the flavour.

[star]

Thanks everyone for all the info. I didn't realise James Wong was involved in any of this, I must get out more 

Mefinks I gorn a bit mad....I sown 8 seeds.......I better find someone to give some to, hmm my daughters, my lovely fwend, neighbours. That gets me off the hook a bit then....


I am a silly billy 

I'm so glad I asked now 

[Duke Ellington]

Might be nice in a gin and tonic or pimms!

Sonia