PREMIER SEEDS DIRECT - CUCAMELON - 65 Finest Seeds

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Begin to harden off cucamelon seedlings around your last expected spring frost date. I don’t rush my plants into the garden as cucamelons are cold sensitive and can sustain damage if the temperature drops or there is a frost. Instead, I begin the process around the last frost date and plant them in my garden beds or containers seven to ten days later when the weather is more settled. Will require tying to support. When vine reaches 2m tall 'pinch out' growing tip to encourage the plant to produce more fruits & trim side shoots to about 30cm. It is a perennial so it roots can be lifted in autumn and stored in a frost-free area and replanted the following May. 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. 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

Cucamelon Growing Guide | How To Grow Cucamelon | Sow Seeds Cucamelon Growing Guide | How To Grow Cucamelon | Sow Seeds

This has produced quite a stir as a novelty couple of years ago. A vigorous trailer or climber which is relatively easy to grow. Cucumelons produce an abundance of fruit resembling tiny watermelons, which taste a bit like cucumber but with a citrus tang. They need little care, are drought tolerant and if the roots are lifted before first frosts they can be stored and replanted for earlier fruiting the following season. Please 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. We Recommend: Olympian (CU400) . All our cucumbers are excellent, but for a standard slicer for the home garden Olympian is a wonderful choice. It works just as well in a raised bed as it does under cloche protection. Trellis it or let the vines wander about over the soil. 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. Distance Spacing of 30-40cm between plants for both indoor and out door growing situations. This will ensure productive plants, provided plant support is also in place.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. Day 1 – Take the plants outside on a mild day and place them in a shady spot. Bring them in that night. 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!

Cucamelon Seeds | Quality Seeds from Sow Seeds Ltd Cucamelon Seeds | Quality Seeds from Sow Seeds Ltd

I love planting cucamelons in our vegetable garden. In fact, I love them so much, they’re featured in my award-winning book, Veggie Garden Remix! Cucamelon plants are easy to grow and prolific, with each producing hundreds of small oval fruits that look like tiny watermelons but taste a lot like cucumbers. With more gardeners wanting to grow cucamelons, many nurseries are now offering seedlings. Yet savvy gardeners can easily grow their own plants by starting cucamelon seeds indoors in mid-spring. 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 Once cucamelon plants are established in the garden and growing well, they are pretty low maintenance. I keep an eye on soil moisture, watering when there has been no rain. I also mulch around each plant with straw or shredded leaves to help the soil retain moisture. To promote healthy growth and plenty of fruits, I fertilize every few weeks with an all purpose liquid organic fertilizer. Watch out for pests like cucumber beetle and diseases like powdery mildew. 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. Powdery Mildew – An airborne fungal disease that causes white spots on the leaves at the end of the season. Several home-sprays are said to be somewhat effective. Spray any of the following at 7-10 day intervals. 1tsp baking soda and 1 quart of water with a squirt of dish soap, or 1 part milk to 9 parts of water. Resistant varieties get the mildew just a few days later than the other varieties.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). 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!