Days To Maturity
75
Mature Height
4.2 Feet
Mature Width
6 IN
Sun / Shade
Full Sun
Cucamelon Mexican Sour Gherkin Seeds
Cucamelon Mexican Sour Gherkin Seeds
A native heirloom vegetable with lemony goodness
Shipping details
Ships in 1-2 business days
$2.95
Key Characteristics
Description / Cucamelon Mexican Sour Gherkin Seeds
Days to Maturity: 75 from transplant
You've simply got to try this new little cucamelon in the garden, planter, or even hanging basket. Native to Mexico and Central America, it has been used for centuries by the Aztecs and other native peoples. Now, at last, it makes its way to our table, looking like a miniature watermelon and tasting like a cucumber infused with lemon.
Mexican Sour Gherkin, which goes under many names, from the Spanish Sandiita ("little watermelon") to Cucamelon or Cukette, is actually not a cucumber or melon at all. The botanical name is Melothria scabra, and this native treasure is easier to grow than a cucumber and super-productive. The 1-inch-diameter fruits are simply delicious, either fresh or pickled. You can't go wrong adding this to the vegetable garden or patio.
These little fruits are oval and pale green with darker green stripes. They have a thin rind and a very small seed cavity, with a few seeds that don't develop until late. Ah, the pleasure of a cucumber without the seeds. But the bite of Mexican Sour Gherkin is definitely more tart than that of a cuke. That makes it a great candidate for sour pickles, but it also can be turned into sweet gherkins. Use it as you would a cucumber, right down to salsas, sandwiches, and spreads.
Prepare to be overwhelmed by the bounty of this plant. Although it reaches only about 4 feet long and scarcely 6 inches wide, it bears heavily all season, the small fruits forming among large, handsome 3-lobed leaves. Given sunshine and a good start, Mexican Sour Gherkin is prepared to take off, tolerating drought more effectively than many other vegetables, and free of pests.
Grow this vining plant in a hanging basket or train it up a pea fence or small trellis. It does not like to spread along the ground; snails and slugs do too much damage. But given a vertical setting, there's no stopping it.
Sow these seeds indoors about 4 to 6 weeks before the last anticipated spring frost in your area. Be patient with the germination; it can take up to a month, though one to two weeks is much more common. The secret is a bit of heat: the seeds like temperatures of 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Get out the heat mat or elevate the Bio Dome or seed tray to a high spot in a warm room to take advantage of maximum heat. Then grow the seedlings on a bit cooler (65 to 70 degrees is fine), and transplant them anytime they have 2 sets of true leaves or more.
Once transplanted outdoors, Mexican Sour Gherkin really takes off. You will love the ornamental foliage, small gold blooms, and masses of charming fruit on this veggie. Have fun sharing it with friends.
Product Details
| SKU | 52634-PK-P1 |
|---|---|
| Genus | Melothria |
| Species | scabra |
| Product Classification | Seeds, Vegetables |
| Sun / Shade | Full Sun |
| Foliage Color | Medium Green |
| Habit | Vining |
| Days To Maturity | 75.00 |
| Harvest Season | Early Fall, Late Summer, Mid Summer |
| Resistance | Disease Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Heat Tolerant, Humidity Tolerant, Pest Resistant |
| Characteristics | Bloom First Year, Easy Care Plants, Edible, Heirloom, Trellises |
| Uses | Baskets, Beds, Containers, Cuisine, Outdoor |
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Customer Reviews
Top customer reviews
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I look forward to these every year 0 people found this helpfulThey took a long time to germinate and about only half of them sprouted. Planted in 10 gal grow bags, they struggled all spring and summer right up until temperatures started to cool, then they exploded with growth and fruit. I was pulling handfuls of fruit off every single day. Zone 8a
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Seedlings Wilted and Died 0 people found this helpfulI started these indoors with many other types of seeds and these are the only ones that did not successfully grow. Less than 50% of them germinated and of those, they all eventually wilted and died. Not sure what the problem was.
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Not again 0 people found this helpfulThe good- they are very prolific. They had a nice little pop if you put them hole in a salad. The skin is a little tough, and the flavor is more lemony than cucumber like. The only reason I’m not going to grow them again is because they go everywhere and take over anything that’s even remotely close to them. If you have lots of space, and like vegetables, that are a little unique, this would be great for you.
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It sprouted 0 people found this helpfulThe seeds sprouted, but did nothing after that. The other cucumber plants, that are in the same area are doing real well.
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Great flavor and cute 0 people found this helpfulI had not seen these before and wanted to try. Great on a trellis very prolific, small yellow flowers, cute shape, great pickled and fresh in salad.
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Perfect Germination! 0 people found this helpfulAll seeds germinated into lovely fragile looking vines. I am incorporating them into my flower hanging baskets. After hardening off I have planted them with red verbena and yellow petunias. I will update when they fruit.
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Perfect Germination! 0 people found this helpfulAll seeds germinated into lovely fragile looking vines. I am incorporating them into my flower hanging baskets. After hardening off I have planted them with red verbena and yellow petunias. I will update when they fruit.
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Mexican Sour Gherkin Seeds 0 people found this helpfulOurs didn't even come up. Total waste of money!
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What happened? 0 people found this helpfulWell, my pack of gherkin seeds only contained three seeds! Sure hope at least one of them sprouts.
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What happened? 0 people found this helpfulWell, my pack of gherkin seeds only contained three seeds! Sure hope at least one of them sprouts.
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Not a happy planter 0 people found this helpfulPlant took over like an invasive vine, without producing any cucumbers.
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Good seed 0 people found this helpfulFirst time growing gherkins, so we will see how they do. Healthy seeds good looking seeds. I Did experience less than ideal germination rates but I did try a few different germination methods just for experimenting. Two methods yielded better germination than others, but that was user error. All and all a good packaging, with health plants. Pricey but there aren’t much of this seed open pollinated around.
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We Love These 0 people found this helpfulThey look just like the picture. They grow on a thin, lacey, beautiful vine. I'm going to put some in pots with a trellis this year. They are bitter, lemony, and crunchy. Great in tzatziki.
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Tasty novelty 0 people found this helpfulFruits live up to the 'sour' part of their name. Likened to a lemony cucumber with a tough skin. Makes a nice garnish or crunch in a salad or salsa. They weren't my favorite for eating plain (thick skin, too sour solo). They do however grow on a vine thin enough to intermix with other cages (adjacent tomatoes, etc...) to sprawl along the garden. They are prolific enough to create a handful or two every few days in the hot part of the summer.
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Beautiful vining plant... 0 people found this helpful...but that's all I got. I planted 10 of these vining plants along a trellis on the west side of my yard. Eight of the ten plants came to life after about 3 weeks. The vines took off as the sun intensified, getting full sun from about 10:30 until 6 or 7 at night. Lots of Lacey vines and sprinkled with tiny yellow flowers and not one single fruit all season long. I was so excited to try this little tasty gem. I'll try again this year, but I'm not sure what I can do differently. I did a 10-10-10 organic fertilizer, after about three weeks of plant growth. Maybe someone here can steer me in the direction of correcting the problem.
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