Cucamelon Seeds

A delightful novelty veggie in my food garden, Cucamelon - aka mouse melon - look like miniature watermelons! Hailing from Mexico and Central America, these distant cucumber cousins have a bright, refreshing taste with a citrus tang. They're totally unique and kids, especially, love them.

Cucamelons rarely make it in the house, as I snack on them while tending my gardens. But when they do, they're sliced in a salad or bring a small to a veggie platter. I preserve them like pickles, too. And just had a customer tell me they put them in cocktails!

Cucamelon vines need a structure to climb as they grow. My favourite way is to guide them along a tomato cage when growing in a container, but any sturdy trellis will work. Once flowers appear, start checking for fruit after a week.

Type: annual fruit (although eaten as a veggie, like tomato)

Height: plant 1 ft tall, vines up to 10 ft.

Light: full sun

Moisture: well drained, rich warm soil - amend with compost before planting

Planting: start indoors 6 weeks before last frost, in 4" deep pots to minimize root trauma and transplant shock

Harvest: 75 days