Is this the first time you have seen a Cucamelon? Aren’t they just the cutest little things??! Well, along with being cute, they are quite delicious. Imagine a cucumber spritzed with lime…fresh! They can be enjoyed right off the vine or sliced into a pasta or green salad. We asked a Saara, a Cucamelon growing expert, for 3 tips on how we can all enjoy these little gems in our own garden!
Cucamelons are quite a low maintenance vegetable to grow and these 3 tips should help you to get a bountiful harvest:
- Be patient- germination of the seeds will usually take at least couple of weeks so don’t give up hope if the little shoots are not popping up in a matter of days. Once on show, the little seedlings will also take some time to get bigger, but once the plants have established themselves and the weather has warmed up they will really get going.
2. Give the plants support. Trellis, netting or some other type of arrangement, cucamelons will need a support structure to climb up on- they will reach quite some heights. The higher they grow, the more cucamelons you will hopefully get too. Growing upwards, they add a beautiful feature to your garden or greenhouse with their gorgeous green but thin vines and green leaves.
3. Harvest when they are grape size and firm. Check behind the leaves as the little fruits hide very well behind them. Harvest them regularly as they taste the best when grape size and not overgrown.
Thank you to Saara for these great tips on how to grow the best Cucamelons! These are definitely on my list to plant next Spring, will they be for you as well?? If you are having a hard time finding seeds at your local garden center, they can be found online here . In the meantime, search our your favorite local grocer to see if you are able to enjoy these delicious treats sooner than later.
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