Have you heard of cucamelon? They are becoming a trendy garden crop. Cucumelons are small fruits that resemble baby watermelons. They're hard to resist, and many are enjoyed straight from the vine without making it to the kitchen!
So how do these inch-long fruits taste? They have a hint of cucumber and a lime-like flavor, despite looking more like miniature watermelons. Cucamelons are also well-loved in Mexico, known as 'sandia de raton' (meaning the mouse's watermelon). Other names include mouse melon and Mexican sour gherkin (sour pickle).
In hot summer areas, such as Arizona's low desert, the best time to start them indoors is between January to March and mid-July to August. Plant the transplants outdoors between mid-February and April and mid-August to September. View the website article for the meaning of other colors
Because cucamelon plants are vines that sprawl and can be tricky to contain, you should have a trellis so the tendrils will be able to climb up there as the vines grow. Providing a trellis allows better airflow around the cucamelon and helps prevent pest damage.
You should start to see fruit on your cucamelon plants around 70 days after transplanting them. When the fruits are bright green and firm, and about the size of a small grape, they're ready to be harvested. Read the website article for specifics