Vegetable SeedsHSC-CUC-021-PKT

Mexican Sour Gherkin Cucumber Seed — tiny patterned cucamelon harvest

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Melothria scabra

67Days to maturity

A seed worth growing

Mexican Sour Gherkin Cucumber Seed

Item #HSC-CUC-021-PKT

The cucamelon, a tiny specialty cucumber.

Mexican Sour Gherkin, also called cucamelon or mouse melon, bears 1" fruits that look like miniature watermelons and taste like cucumber with a tangy, citrusy edge. Eat them fresh or pickled; they sell well in half-pints or clamshells.

Vines start slowly but can reach 10' long, so trellis them. Yields are modest. Pick promptly, as fruit left past 1" turns seedy.

About 67 days from sowing. Open-pollinated.

Specs

Packet: 30 seeds
Average 157,700 seeds per lb.

In stock — Packet

$6.40

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Know before you sow

Quick Facts

Seed size (10 mm scale) and germination soil temperature chart for cucumber — Seed size & germination

Latin Name: Melothria scabra
Days To Maturity: 67 days
Hybrid Status: Open Pollinated

Growing times vary with weather, soil and local conditions.

Growing guide

From seed to harvest

Wait for warmth

Soil at 70°F or more; seed will not sprout below 50°F.

Sow or transplant

Sow 1/2" deep, 2 seeds per foot, thinning to 12"; or set out 3–4-week-old transplants 12" apart.

Cover against beetles

Row cover from planting keeps cucumber beetles and the bacterial wilt they carry away.

Pick daily

Harvest every day once fruit starts; store at 50–55°F and about 90% humidity.

Growing Information

Scientific name

Melothria scabra

Soil and warmth

Cucumbers want warm, fertile, well-drained soil at pH 6.0–6.8 and regular watering for a full crop. They are very sensitive to cold, so wait until both the soil and the air have warmed before planting. Plastic mulch and row cover add warmth, keep insects off and noticeably boost vigor and yield. For tunnels and greenhouses, parthenocarpic (self-fruiting) varieties are the better choice.

Days to maturity

Counted from direct sowing. Transplants are ready about 10 days sooner.

Transplanting

Sow 1–2 seeds per cell in 50-cell trays 3–4 weeks before planting out, and keep them above 70°F (21°C) by day and 60°F (16°C) at night. Set plants 12" apart in rows 5–6' apart, keeping the root ball intact.

Direct sowing

Wait for soil of at least 70°F (21°C); below 50°F (10°C) the seed will not sprout at all. Sow 2 seeds per foot, 1/2" deep, in rows 6' apart, and thin to one plant every 12".

Seeding rate

At 2 seeds per foot in rows 6' apart: about 100 seeds per 50 ft., 1,000 per 500 ft. and 15,000 per acre.

Insect pests

Keep cucumber beetles off with row cover from planting day, or use an approved insecticide such as pyrethrin or azadirachtin. Controlling beetles also helps prevent bacterial wilt, which they spread.

Disease

Rotate crops, clear away old vines and choose resistant varieties.

Harvest

Once plants start bearing, pick every day.

Storage

Cucumbers keep for up to 2 weeks at 50–55°F (10–13°C) and about 90% relative humidity.

Seedless types

Parthenocarpic cucumbers produce seedy fruit if other cucumbers pollinate them. That is why seedless types are usually grown on their own in greenhouses or hoop houses with insect screens.

Transplants

Plan on about 85 plants per 100 seeds.

Packet

30 seeds.

Seeds per lb.

About 157,700 on average.

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