PREMIER SEEDS DIRECT - CUCAMELON - 65 Finest Seeds

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Once cucamelon seeds sprout, the plants are relatively low care. If using grow lights, keep them turned on for sixteen hours a day. Also pay attention to soil moisture. Cucamelon plants appreciate even moisture but don’t want to be sitting in water. Too much moisture may encourage root rot. I also fertilize the young plants with a half strength dose of fish emulsion fertilizer every two weeks. These exotic little fruits are not new but an old heritage variety that has been grown for centuries in Mexico and South America. They do however cope well with the UK climate and decent crops can be grown here if given a sunny but sheltered spot in the garden. As noted above, cucamelon plants are vigorous vines that love to climb. I usually plant a cucamelon vine on either side of my bean tunnels to mix with the various pole bean varieties, but I also plant them at the base of wire A-frame trellises or cucumber trellises. They are natural climbers and you don’t have to worry about helping the plants attach to their supports. Their tendrils latch on securely and propel the plants UP! Various wilts cause the vines to wilt and die. Controls are strict sanitation in the garden and greenhouse. Avoid over-watering, plant in well-drained soil, use long rotations, and use disease resistant varieties when available.

How to grow cucamelons - Suttons Gardening Grow How

Plant cucumbers beside asparagus, beans, Brassicas, celery, corn, dill, kohlrabi, lettuce, onion, peas, radish, and tomatoes. Avoid planting near potatoes and sage. Both corn and sunflowers can act as a trellis for cucumbers to good effect. Dill will help cucumbers by attracting predatory insects, and nasturtiums is said to improve the flavour and growth of cucumbers. Cucamelons love heat so find a spot in your garden that offers full sun and shelter from strong winds. I plant cucamelons at the base of trellises, tunnels, or other strong supports. The vines look delicate but they can climb eight feet or more and produce many side-shoots. A strong structure is essential. If you have plenty of space, you can let the plants sprawl along the ground. I find it more difficult to find the small fruits when the plants are not grown vertically. One of the benefits of growing you own is growing new & unusual or different varieties that are not widely available especially in high street supermarkets so why not gyo tasty 'little mouse watermelons' as they are known in Mexico ( Sandiitas de raton). Day 6 – They can be moved to the garden anytime. If the night temperatures are still chilly, wait another few days to transplant, or cover the plants with a cloche or mini hoop tunnel.Once the main shoot has reached a height of 2.5m (8ft), pinch out the growing tip. Pinch out the growing tips of the side shoots when they are 40cm (16″) in length. Sow your cucamelon seeds during April and May. Ideally, you should use a propagator or plant your seeds in the greenhouse where a steady temperature of 22-24ºC (71-75ºF) allows them to germinate in around 10 days. Sow the seed 1 cm deep, with the blunt end facing downwards. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, transfer them into 9cm (3½″) pots to grow on. Gardeners in warmer climates – zone 7 and above – don’t need to start their seeds indoors. Their season is long enough to direct seed in garden beds once the risk of frost has passed. Cucamelon seeds are quite small so don’t plant them too deeply. Provide bottom heat by placing the trays on a heating mat. This helps speed up germination. Planting cucamelon seeds Harvest cucamelons when the fruits are three-quarters to one and half inches long. Harvest often for the highest quality fruits. How to plant cucamelons in a garden Before transplanting, dig a few inches of compost or aged manure into the soil. Carefully pop the plant out of its pot, handling the roots carefully as they don’t like to be disturbed. Plant the seedling into the prepared spot, firming the soil gently around the roots. Water well after planting. Trellises and tunnels for cucamelons

Cucamelon seeds and how to plant them - Savvy Gardening Cucamelon seeds and how to plant them - Savvy Gardening

Interested in growing other unusual and new veg this year? Try melon mangomel – it’s the size of a melon but tastes like a mango! These small seeds of cucamelon can be given a head start by sowing in seed trays placed in heated propagators, after germination takes place 10 to 14 days later, thinned out into 9cm pots. Or sown late April under cover in 9cm pots with 7 to 10 days germination. Planting begins outdoors when all signs of frost has past or in greenhouse with trellis support provided. Plants will benefit from a growing base of rich moisture retentive soil. DistancePlease note, we are unable to deliver seeds to countries outside the UK. Due to new BREXIT regulations, we can no longer supply to the Republic of Ireland, sorry. Cucamelon have a vine growing habit and in native country can be an invasive plant. Vines are spindly and fruits, unlike the name given, do not taste of melon, and as best described as crisp cucumber with a hint of lime. Here's Our Guide to Growing Cucamelon: How, Where & When to Grow Cucamelon