Cucamelon ( also named mouse melon , Mexican sour cucumber , Mexican moody gherkin , Melothria scabra ) is a little yield that is about the size of a with child grapeshot and see similar to a watermelon . When cucamelon fruit are ripe , you could use up them whole with the skin and enjoy their slightly glowering predilection . the great unwashed say cucamelons taste like a glum cucumber with a dash of lime .
People enjoy eat these small tart fruits because it is claimed they are very healthy for you . Little inquiry has been done into the health benefits of the cucamelon plant . However , cucamelon fruits are say to comprise antioxidant , vitamins , and other nutrients .
In this clause , you will learn more about this delectable fruit that looks like a miniature watermelon . You will also notice out how to grow your own cucamelon plant to revel its many wellness benefits .
What is a Mouse Melon (Cucamelon or Mexican Sour Cucumber, Melothria scabra)
Cucamelon ( mouse melon vine ) has become a popular yield and many masses say that it is a superfood .
The Royal Horticultural Society says that the Romance name for the cucamelon isMelothria scabra . Cucamelons belong to theCucurbitaceaefamily and rise in Mexico . Therefore , computer mouse melons ( cucamelons ) are related tocucumbers , melons , and pumpkins . ( 1 )
Cucamelons ( melothria scabra ) are also name shiner melons , the Mexican morose gherkin , and the Mexican morose cucumber vine . In Spanish cucamelons are calledsandiita , or , lilliputian watermelon . You may also hear cucamelons referred to as pepquinos , or the Mexican miniature watermelon .
Where Do Cucamelons (Mexican Sour Gherkin) Grow?
Cucamelons ( Mexican sour gherkin ) are native to Mexico and Central America . Although most people have generally only get word about these miniskirt - melons in the last few year , cucamelons have grown in Mexico for century .
The good newsworthiness is that you do n’t have to trip to Mexico to buy cucamelon fruits . you may grow your own cucamelons if you live in a warm climate . you may corrupt cucamelon seeds and plant them similar to cucumber .
Cucamelons grow on a thin vine and you bang when the fruit are ripe because they drop off the plant .
How to Grow Cucamelons (Mouse Melon, Mexican Sour Gherkin)
Although cucamelons are in the same family as cucumber , they are much easier to spring up . The modest fruits of the cucamelon plant are also fascinating to look at because they look like miniature watermelons .
It is rare to find cucamelon fruits in local health computer storage . If you need to enjoy the taste and health benefits of cucamelons , you will probably have to grow them yourself .
Here are measure - by - step instructions to mature this repeated exotic industrial plant .
Where to buy cucamelon seeds?
First , you will require to buy cucamelon seeds . you may easily find ejaculate to grow a cucamelon plant life at online store such as Amazon ( likethis one ) .
To ensure that your cucamelon seeds germinate and grow , it ’s authoritative to purchase high - quality seeds . So , check out online reviews of the individual seller . The best cucamelon seeds should be organic or free from chemicals .
The salutary affair about growing your own cucamelons in your garden is that you may save the seeds from the ripe fruits . This will provide you to plant more cucamelon plants next year .
Even though cucamelon is a perennial plant , you may have to dig up , store , and replant the tuber every yr . The genus Tuber is the thick rootage part of the cucamelon plant that looks like a potato . Growing cucamelons from the genus Tuber usually ensue in a respectable crop of right tasty cucamelons .
The best climate to grow cucamelons
The salutary time to plant your cucamelon seeds is around April or May ( Northern Hemisphere ) . The filth temperature should be between 75 ° F and 85 ° F ( 24 ° light speed to 30 ° C ) .
Most find the greatest winner grow their own cucamelons by start them indoors in pots before moving them outside . It is of import to avoid frost as this will damage the growing cucamelon vine .
How to prepare the soil to grow Mexican sour gherkins
To ascertain that you get a serious harvest of cucamelon fruit , you should engraft them in the ripe character of grime .
standardized to rise cucumbers , cucamelons enjoy fast - draining soil that is rich in nutrients . For this , work compost into your soil to give enough alimentation for your cucamelon plants to grow all summertime .
The cucamelon seed can take a few weeks to germinate , so you need to be patient . However , after about 3 or 4 weeks you should see some cucamelon seedlings spirt . You will ask to water your cucamelon works on a regular basis to aid it grow properly .
Another way of life to grow Mexican sour gherkins is to put one semen in each locoweed and develop the plants in a greenhouse .
The best location to grow cucamelons (mouse melons)
To ensure a sound crop , you should plant your cucamelon plant life where they get plenty of sun . It is important to keep them out of any spectre as the “ black eye melon ” plant need 6 hours of sunlight every Clarence Shepard Day Jr. to thrive .
How to help your cucamelon plant grow well
Many masses enjoy winner growing cucamelon industrial plant when they apply a telegram cage or treillage to plunk for the vine . you could use a small Lycopersicon esculentum cage or trellis to help keep the stems and mini - melons off the ground . Cucamelon vine can spring up quite bombastic , so corrupt a treillage that is vainglorious than you think you may need .
you could serve your miniature Mexican watermelons develop well by providing enough moisture . During the summertime month , water your plant well once a week . However , if the summer is very hot , then you may call for to water the sprawling vines twice a workweek .
It is significant to supervise the dirt for moisture mental object . If the weather cools , only water the cucamelon plants if the territory dries out . You should check the top 1 - inch of soil for xerotes .
Another way to help oneself your cucamelon plant grow and provide healthy fruit is to put mulch around the base of the plant . Mulch helps control wet degree and prevent weeds from affecting your plant growth .
The thin vines of Mexican miniature watermelon vine will grow in all directions and cling to almost anything . To check intelligent growth , you should gently wrap the vines through the trellis .
Pests and Problems
One of the great thing about grow your own cucamelons is that they are very indestructible . ordinarily , pests do n’t bother the vine and fowl generally stay away from them .
Disease usually is n’t a problem with cucamelons and they should grow o.k. without having to use any pesticide on them .
When is a cucamelon ripe and ready to eat?
Before the grape - sized fruits appear on the cucamelon vine , you will notice that flowers appear . From the time you see the prime , you will have to wait for 2 or 3 weeks before the yield are ripe to find fault .
you could reap any size of cucamelon yield ; however , the larger fruit be given to become unbendable with age and have more germ . The skillful way to state if a cucamelon is ripe is by squeezing it to see how soft it is . These miniature watermelons are commonly ready to cull around the start of July .
If you carefully remove the ripened yield , the vine will continue to bring out yield until about the midriff of November .
How to care for your mouse melon plant
During the growing season , you’re able to aid keep your “ melon cucumber vine ” plant healthy by cut back some of the foliation . Removing leaves from the vine will help sunlight to get through . If you notice any leaves that turn yellowish or are dead , reduce these off as well .
At the end of the crop in the drop , you should make out back on the dead leaf . To help protect the tuber from Robert Frost , you necessitate to apprehend it out . you could do this by using a garden crotch to cautiously transfer the tuber from the ground without damaging it .
To overwinter cucamelon tubers , you may store them in a large skunk filled with potting dirt . You should place the Tuber in layers in the quite a little so that they deflect bear on each other . you may store the pot in a frost - free place throughout the winter quick for plant again in April .
What is the Best Way to Eat a Cucamelon (Mouse Melon, Mexican sour Gherkin)?
Cucamelon fruits are good to eat straight off the vine . you’re able to cut them off with a pair of sharp scissors and enjoy the sour taste of these Mexican cucumbers .
you could also make a simple cucamelon salad by chop up some of the fruit and ruffle them with sliced olives and peppers . Drizzle some supererogatory virgin olive oil and season to taste .
Another way to gain from the nutrients in cucamelons is to use them in fresh salad in seat of cucumber vine . This will help to give any summer salad a tangy taste from these unique yield .
Why not make your own cucamelon salsa by supplant tomato with chop cucamelon fruits ? Just add a gang of chop cilantro , some chili flakes , and dot over some crumbled feta cheese .
Recipe for cucamelon pickles
Because cucamelons are like to Cucumis sativus , they areperfect for pickling . This is one of the reasons why mouse melons are also scream Mexican sour gherkins .
Here is how you could pickle your cucamelons to enjoy them all year around .
You will need :
To make your cucamelon pickles , this is what you should do :
you may also experiment with the constituent to create unlike flavored pickled cucamelons . For exercise , you could try on using just apple cyder acetum ( about 1 ½ cups ) and 4 tablespoons of raw sugar to create a sweet and dour character of cucamelon pickle .
Possible Health Benefits of Cucamelon
There are many lay claim health benefits of wipe out cucamelon fruits . Each small yield from the cucamelon flora may pack a lick when it come to its nutritionary economic value . Cucamelons are plenteous in vitamin , minerals , and the rugged hide is a in effect informant of fiber .
Some people claim that this superfruit is skilful for your pith , protects against aging , lowers your endangerment of stroke and has anticancer properties .
It is also gentle to prepare cucamelons to enjoy their many health benefit . you’re able to chop up up raw cucamelon fruits and add to salad . Or , you may prefer make cucamelon pickles to enjoy the low green mini - melons later .
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