276°
Posted 20 hours ago

PREMIER SEEDS DIRECT - CUCAMELON - 65 Finest Seeds

£9.9£99Clearance
ZTS2023's avatar
Shared by
ZTS2023
Joined in 2023
82
63

About this deal

Gardeners in warmer climates – zone 7 and above – don’t need to start their seeds indoors. Their season is long enough to direct seed in garden beds once the risk of frost has passed. Cucamelon seeds are quite small so don’t plant them too deeply. Provide bottom heat by placing the trays on a heating mat. This helps speed up germination. Planting cucamelon seeds

Cucamelon seeds and how to plant them - Savvy Gardening Cucamelon seeds and how to plant them - Savvy Gardening

Day 6 – They can be moved to the garden anytime. If the night temperatures are still chilly, wait another few days to transplant, or cover the plants with a cloche or mini hoop tunnel. Once cucamelon plants are established in the garden and growing well, they are pretty low maintenance. I keep an eye on soil moisture, watering when there has been no rain. I also mulch around each plant with straw or shredded leaves to help the soil retain moisture. To promote healthy growth and plenty of fruits, I fertilize every few weeks with an all purpose liquid organic fertilizer. Watch out for pests like cucumber beetle and diseases like powdery mildew. When you’re ready to sow the seeds, fill seeding trays or pots with a pre-moistened high quality soilless potting mix. Sow the seeds a quarter inch deep. I like to cover my trays with a sheet of plastic wrap to hold soil moisture. Once the seeds have germinated, I remove the plastic to allow good air flow.Cucamelon are Central American fruit that are not a hybrid of melons but part of the curcubitaceae family i.e cucumbers, and for the past few years are the new (almost novelty) vegetable that has come to gardeners attention. Harvest cucamelons when the fruits are three-quarters to one and half inches long. Harvest often for the highest quality fruits. How to plant cucamelons in a garden These small seeds of cucamelon can be given a head start by sowing in seed trays placed in heated propagators, after germination takes place 10 to 14 days later, thinned out into 9cm pots. Or sown late April under cover in 9cm pots with 7 to 10 days germination. Planting begins outdoors when all signs of frost has past or in greenhouse with trellis support provided. Plants will benefit from a growing base of rich moisture retentive soil. Distance Cucamelons love heat so find a spot in your garden that offers full sun and shelter from strong winds. I plant cucamelons at the base of trellises, tunnels, or other strong supports. The vines look delicate but they can climb eight feet or more and produce many side-shoots. A strong structure is essential. If you have plenty of space, you can let the plants sprawl along the ground. I find it more difficult to find the small fruits when the plants are not grown vertically.

How to Grow Cucamelons | BBC Gardeners World Magazine

Day 1 – Take the plants outside on a mild day and place them in a shady spot. Bring them in that night. Sow your cucamelon seeds during April and May. Ideally, you should use a propagator or plant your seeds in the greenhouse where a steady temperature of 22-24ºC (71-75ºF) allows them to germinate in around 10 days. Sow the seed 1 cm deep, with the blunt end facing downwards. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, transfer them into 9cm (3½″) pots to grow on. Cucamelon have a vine growing habit and in native country can be an invasive plant. Vines are spindly and fruits, unlike the name given, do not taste of melon, and as best described as crisp cucumber with a hint of lime. Here's Our Guide to Growing Cucamelon: How, Where & When to Grow Cucamelon Once the main shoot has reached a height of 2.5m (8ft), pinch out the growing tip. Pinch out the growing tips of the side shoots when they are 40cm (16″) in length. Before transplanting, dig a few inches of compost or aged manure into the soil. Carefully pop the plant out of its pot, handling the roots carefully as they don’t like to be disturbed. Plant the seedling into the prepared spot, firming the soil gently around the roots. Water well after planting. Trellises and tunnels for cucamelonsDay 3 – Give them a half day of sun, but bring them indoors at night if the temperature is forecast to fall below 50 F (10 C). Spacing of 30-40cm between plants for both indoor and out door growing situations. This will ensure productive plants, provided plant support is also in place. Various wilts cause the vines to wilt and die. Controls are strict sanitation in the garden and greenhouse. Avoid over-watering, plant in well-drained soil, use long rotations, and use disease resistant varieties when available.

Cucamelon Seeds From D.T.Brown Cucamelon Seeds From D.T.Brown

Day 2 – Put them outside again but introduce them to an hour or two of early morning or late afternoon sun. Bring them indoors at night if the temperature is forecast to fall below 50 F (10 C). Once cucamelon seeds sprout, the plants are relatively low care. If using grow lights, keep them turned on for sixteen hours a day. Also pay attention to soil moisture. Cucamelon plants appreciate even moisture but don’t want to be sitting in water. Too much moisture may encourage root rot. I also fertilize the young plants with a half strength dose of fish emulsion fertilizer every two weeks. I love planting cucamelons in our vegetable garden. In fact, I love them so much, they’re featured in my award-winning book, Veggie Garden Remix! Cucamelon plants are easy to grow and prolific, with each producing hundreds of small oval fruits that look like tiny watermelons but taste a lot like cucumbers. With more gardeners wanting to grow cucamelons, many nurseries are now offering seedlings. Yet savvy gardeners can easily grow their own plants by starting cucamelon seeds indoors in mid-spring. Powdery Mildew – An airborne fungal disease that causes white spots on the leaves at the end of the season. Several home-sprays are said to be somewhat effective. Spray any of the following at 7-10 day intervals. 1tsp baking soda and 1 quart of water with a squirt of dish soap, or 1 part milk to 9 parts of water. Resistant varieties get the mildew just a few days later than the other varieties.Begin to harden off cucamelon seedlings around your last expected spring frost date. I don’t rush my plants into the garden as cucamelons are cold sensitive and can sustain damage if the temperature drops or there is a frost. Instead, I begin the process around the last frost date and plant them in my garden beds or containers seven to ten days later when the weather is more settled. As noted above, cucamelon plants are vigorous vines that love to climb. I usually plant a cucamelon vine on either side of my bean tunnels to mix with the various pole bean varieties, but I also plant them at the base of wire A-frame trellises or cucumber trellises. They are natural climbers and you don’t have to worry about helping the plants attach to their supports. Their tendrils latch on securely and propel the plants UP!

Asda Great Deal

Free UK shipping. 15 day free returns.
Community Updates
*So you can easily identify outgoing links on our site, we've marked them with an "*" symbol. Links on our site are monetised, but this never affects which deals get posted. Find more info in our FAQs and About Us page.
New Comment