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Melothria scabra

Melothria scabra
Cucamelon, Mexican miniature Watermelon, Mexican sour Cucumber, Mexican sour Gherkin, Mouse Melon, Pepquinos

12 reviews

4,1/5

8 reviews

1 reviews

0 reviews

2 reviews

I didn't get melon cucumbers, but classic green ones.

Pascale, 11/08/2025

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per pack of 25 seeds approximately (0,1g)

From 3,50 €

Price per item 3,90 €
Price for 3: 10,50 € i.e 3,50 € each

Sku: 83002

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This plant carries a 6 months recovery warranty

More information

The Cucamelon is a climbing vegetable plant that is very original and produces small, dark green fruits with pale green stripes, measuring 2 to 3cm (1in), in summer. Their flavour is very similar to that of a cucumber. They can be eaten raw, in salads or as a snack with salt, or used as a condiment, pickled in vinegar, like gherkins. This curious vegetable is sown from April to May for a harvest from June to August.

Ease of cultivation

Amateur

Height at maturity

2.50 m

Spread at maturity

50 cm

Soil moisture

Moist soil

Germination time (days)

10 days

Sowing method

Direct sowing, Sowing under cover, Sowing under cover with heat

Sowing period April to June

JAN J

FEB F

MAR M

APR A

MAY M

JUN J

JUL J

AUG A

SEP S

OCT O

NOV N

DEC D

Harvest time August to October

JAN J

FEB F

MAR M

APR A

MAY M

JUN J

JUL J

AUG A

SEP S

OCT O

NOV N

DEC D

Description

The Cucamelon or Pickling Cucumber is a very unique climbing vegetable plant that produces small, dark green fruits with pale green stripes, measuring 2 to 3cm (1in), during the summer. Their flavour is very similar to that of a cucumber. They can be eaten raw in salads or as a snack with salt, or used as a condiment, pickled in vinegar, like gherkins. This curious but easy-to-grow vegetable can be sown from April to May for a harvest from June to August.

Originating from Central America and Mexico and belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family, the Pickling Cucumber is a perennial vegetable plant grown as an annual in our climates. It has lobed green leaves and produces small, oblong dark green fruits with pale green stripes that are harvested when they reach a size of 2 to 3cm (1in). Melothria scabra has a climbing habit and is equipped with tendrils, but you can also let it run on the ground.

It is a fast-growing, productive vegetable that thrives in the sun, in moist and humus-rich soil. It is easy to cultivate and resistant to diseases.

Harvest: The harvest takes place approximately 80 days after sowing and before the fruits reach their final size. It should be done very regularly, ideally every two days during the peak production period, as the fruits grow rapidly and become less interesting.

Storage: Freshly harvested pickling cucumbers can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days before being pickled in vinegar.

The gardener's tip: Like all cucurbits, this small cucumber can be susceptible to powdery mildew: a white coating appears on the foliage. It is advisable to remove heavily affected leaves and spray with wettable sulphur every 2 weeks. In case of minor infestation, you can also treat the plants with skimmed milk diluted at 10 to 20% in rainwater. As a preventive measure, avoid watering the foliage and make sure to ventilate your greenhouse properly if the cultivation takes place under cover. A decoction of horsetail can also be applied to strengthen the foliage's resistance.

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Cucumber and gherkin: sowing, planting, cultivation, pruning

Family sheet

Modified the 5 August 2025 by Aurélien 14 min.

Cucumber and gherkin: sowing, planting, cultivation, pruning

Read article

<a href="https://en.promessedefleurs.eu/vegetable-gardens/vegetables-by-variety/cucumber.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cucumber</a> and <a href="https://en.promessedefleurs.eu/vegetable-gardens/vegetables-by-variety/gherkins.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gherkin</a> are two fruit-vegetables from the large family of Cucurbitaceae which includes many vegetable plants such as melons, courgettes, watermelons, etc. Cucumber is one of the flagship vegetables of summer; it is probably its refreshing and low-calorie nature that justifies this attraction to this vegetable. Gherkin is slightly less popular as it needs to be pickled and accompanied by small onions, peppercorns, and tarragon to express its full flavour. However, I can tell you that homemade gherkins are definitely worth it! There are several types of cucumbers: Dutch-type varieties that are intended for greenhouse cultivation, such as the 'Carmen' variety, and short-type varieties suitable for open ground cultivation like 'Le Généreux', a Vilmorin selection, and 'Vert Long Maraîcher', known for its good yield and sweet, crunchy white flesh. Historically, gherkins are cucumbers whose fruits are harvested small; varieties have since been selected to suit the characteristics of gherkins. A typical and well-known variety is 'Fin de Meaux', which produces small fruits of good taste quality. Also worth discovering is the gherkin 'Russe' with smooth fruits, to be harvested when they are the size of an egg. There are also some uncommon, exotic cucumbers, such as Kenyan Cucumber or Snake Cucumber, which require a lot of heat to produce well. I must also mention melothria, ideal if you often have diseases with your cucumbers. Indeed, this cucumber from a different botanical genus is very resistant to diseases! In the vegetable garden, cucumbers and gherkins prefer light, loose, cool soils rich in humus. They enjoy sunny exposures and temperatures between 18 and 22°C. These are quite water-hungry vegetables that need to be watered regularly. Additionally, they are sensitive to certain diseases such as powdery mildew and red spider mite... but by following our advice, you will prevent and treat these diseases naturally. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-41427" src="https://www.promessedefleurs.com/blogwp/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/concombre-1.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="900" />

Melothria scabra in pictures

Harvest

Harvest time August to October

Type of vegetable Fruit vegetable

Vegetable colour green

Size of vegetable Small

Interest Flavour, Productive

Use Cooking

Plant habit

Height at maturity 2.50 m

Spread at maturity 50 cm

Growth rate fast

Foliage

Foliage persistence Deciduous

Foliage colour medium green

Botanical data

Genus

Melothria

Species

scabra

Family

Cucurbitaceae

Other common names

Cucamelon, Mexican miniature Watermelon, Mexican sour Cucumber, Mexican sour Gherkin, Mouse Melon, Pepquinos

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Annual / Perennial

Annual

Product reference • 830021

Planting and care

Sowing:

Sowing takes place from April to May, at a temperature of around 20°C. It is done in buckets filled with good seed compost.

Planting in the garden takes place about 4 weeks later, when the young plants are well developed and the risk of frost has passed, around mid-May.

An spacing of 60cm (24in) should be respected between the plants on rows that are one metre apart.

Cultivating Cucamelon:

The cucamelon or pickling cucumber is a fairly demanding vegetable that requires well-fertilized soil. It is advisable to apply mature compost (about 3 kg per m2) in autumn, by scratching it to a depth of 5cm (2in), after having loosened the soil as for any vegetable cultivation. It prefers neutral soils (pH 7) but will also thrive in slightly acidic or alkaline soil (pH between 5.5 and 7.5).

It can be grown flat, but to save space, don't hesitate to use its climbing habit: on a frame covered with wire mesh, inclined at 45%, it will provide beneficial shade for lettuces or even in a tipi to add some whimsy to the vegetable garden.

Seedlings

Sowing period April to June

Sowing method Direct sowing, Sowing under cover, Sowing under cover with heat

Germination time (days) 10 days

Care

Soil moisture Wet

Disease resistance Good

Pruning No pruning necessary

Intended location

Type of use Vegetable garden

Hardiness Hardy down to +1.5°C (USDA zone 10b) Show map

Ease of cultivation Amateur