Cucamelon (Melothria scabra)

Additional images and information via True Love Seeds

These tiny melons resemble tiny watermelons and taste like cucumbers! They are so tiny and cute and are a great size for pickling. You can also eat them in salads, as snacks, or you can even use them as garnishes.

Planting/Harvesting Notes

  • Plant in full sun with well draining soil
  • Plant vines 4 to 5 feet apart.
  • Trellis up the vines for easier harvest once they start to grow
  • Vines can reach up to 10 feet!
  • Plants should be ready to harvest 60-70 days after planting

Seed Saving

These melons must grow past the point of edibility in order to have mature seed. So you should save seed at the end of the season since once the seed matures, the vine will stop producing new fruit. Choose a disease free plant that has desirable fruit to save seed from. Be sure to either hand pollinate any blooms or only grow one variety of squash in order to ensure you get the same type of plant as the plant you are saving from.

To save seed, harvest the melons after they have reached more than 1 inch long. Then cut the melon and scoop out the seeds into a container. Then fill the container with water so the seeds float (1/4-1/2 cup water) and allow the seeds to ferment for 3 days or so. Stir the container daily. This fermentation process allows the seeds to remain viable for 3-4 years if stored correctly. Once the seeds are fermented, the good seeds should sink to the bottom of the container and the bad ones should float. After 3 days, skim off the floating seeds and scum. Dump the sunken seeds into a strainer to wash and then dry on a screen or a paper plate. Be sure to label seeds! Once the seeds are dry, store in a labeled paper envelope.

Lay seeds out to dry on a drying screen, paper plate, or similar flat surface. Label these seeds so you remember what they are. Then once the seeds are dry, store in a labeled paper envelope in a cool, dry place. Dried seeds will remain viable for up to 6 years if properly stored.

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