Mexican Mini Cucumber: Planting & Caring for the Cucamelon

The Cucamelon is very trendy right now. We reveal what you should consider when planting the Mexican mini cucumber and how to eat it.

The Mexican mini cucumber is a frugal plant with one decisive advantage: the small snack cucumbers are loved by children. And because the cultivation is almost as easy as pie, we can accommodate the small climbing plants in yours Vegetable Growing Plan just recommend.

So you can shine with expert knowledge when someone asks you for the tiny melons in your garden asks, we have origin and properties, purchase, planting and care tips for you collected. Finally, you will also find some tips on how to use these special fruits.

Mexican mini cucumber: origin and properties

The mini cucumber comes from Mexico and is also native to other Central American countries. Cucamelon is a warmth-loving, climbing plant climbing plant. The plant forms strong storage roots underground, which make it tolerant to drought and allow a perennial cultivation. Above ground, the young tendrils search for a support point with circular movements and then roll up helically along it. The Cucamelon with its three-lobed leaves and small yellow flowers grows about eight feet in height.

The flowers develop into grape-sized fruits that taste fresh and sour and look like tiny watermelons. This is not surprising either, because melons, cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) and minicucumbers are within the order Cucurbitaceous (Cucurbitales) in the same suborder. Only melons and cucumbers belong to the genus Cucumis (cucumber family), but the mini cucumber becomes a genus Melothria counted. This genus includes a total of ten species - but only Melothria scabra is available from us as plants or seeds.

Summary of origin and properties of the Mexican mini cucumber:

• Order: Cucurbitales; Genus: melothria; kind: scabra
• Origin is in Central America
• Likes warmth and tolerates drought
• climbing plant; about 2.5 meters high
• Forms underground storage roots for overwintering
• fruits about 25 mm long; externally a watermelon; taste like a cucumber

Buy Mexican mini pickles

Mexican Mini Cucumbers are available as preferred plants or seeds. Because the cultivation is quite uncomplicated, the purchase of seeds is definitely worthwhile. If you are a bit late with sowing, you will find your mini cucumber because of its increasing popularity with various online retailers and also in some garden centers. The price is quite low, you can buy ten seeds for less than two euros and a whole plant costs no more than four euros. However, if you really want to use the small fruits, you should get more than two plants in order to be able to harvest worthwhile quantities.

Tip: The further culture of the Mexican mini cucumber succeeds well via the storage root, which as in dahlias (dahlias) can be overwintered slightly moist and frost-free. Because the varieties available are usually seed-solid, the small seeds can also be squeezed out of the fruit, cleaned, dried and sown again the following year.

What do you have to consider when planting the mini cucumber?

Because the Cucamelon comes from warmer zones on earth, it cannot cope with the frosty temperatures in our area. Only after the ice saints have passed - i.e. after the 15th May - preferred plants should be planted outdoors. Experience has shown that their location should be sunny to semi-shady, warm and protected. Cultivation in the greenhouse is possible, but not absolutely necessary. The soil is optimal when it is nutrient-rich and relatively dry - overwatering only increases the plant's susceptibility to disease. In order to get far up, the mini cucumber definitely needs a trellis. Also in the bucket or raised bed By the way, the culture succeeds without any problems. the Plantura organic tomato & vegetable soil is a good choice for this. It provides the mini cucumber with ideal nutrients and is also peat-free and sustainably produced.

Proper care of the mini cucumber

For a better overview, we have prepared all the information for you in table form:

Sowing window sill	late February to mid-March
seeding depth	1-2 cm
germination temperature	18-25ºC
germination time	22-26 days
pricking	About a week after germination; in nutrient-rich substrate
culture temperature	18°C and more
plant out	After the 15th May; in nutrient-rich substrate; sunny, warm location
Sowing outdoors	mid-May to mid-June
spacing of the plants	40x40cm
to water	Moderate; Soil should never be wet
harvest	Possible from July to October
wintering	Remove foliage in autumn; digging up storage roots; hibernate cool and frost-free in slightly moist sand
propagation	About seeds

Recipes and preparation of the mini cucumber

The mini cucumber can be prepared and consumed in many ways. As a snack cucumber, children in particular like to nibble it directly from the plant. Incidentally, the slightly younger fruits have a better taste and contain fewer seeds than the ripe, yellowish fruits. Likewise, the mini cucumber can of course be used whole or sliced ​​in salads, where it provides that certain bite.

Boiling or stewing is also possible and is rounded off with a creamy dill sauce and some potatoes. And last but not least, the Cucamelon can be pickled like real cucumbers and, thanks to its limited dimensions, saves us having to cut it into small pieces. A sweet and sour vinegar brew with apple juice, dill and onions emphasizes the special taste of the mini cucumbers particularly well.

more on the subject growing cucumbers can be found here in our special article.