Cucamelon

Geodark

Anyone out there tried growing cucamelon? I have 5 or 6 in my greenhouse, they are growing well, have loads of leaves and flowers - but all the flower/fruit are dropping off rather than growing.

anyone any ideas?

DaftyDuck

Well, I've not grown them, but I have cucumbers, and I have melons.... so that might give me a bit of insight.... not!

An educated guess would be the heat/watering balance is wrong. If they (cucumbers & melons, in my case...) get too hot, and the humidity isn't high enough, they drop the fruitlets before they set properly. Same happens if I water them heavily every other day.

So, I water mine every evening, and add in a morning watering if \I know it's going to be scorching. Even melons like shading from the peak sun in July & August. If I'm about during the middle of the day, and it's super-hot, I sprat the glass & concrete of the greenhouse (but not the plants themselves, never the plant when the sun is on them) to cool by evaporation.

Only other suggestion would be pollination. If they are not pollinated (and need to be), the fruit will fall off anyway.... not sure how cucamelons are pollinated, but I did just look them up (aaaahhhh), and they say easy to grow, so I'm guessing pollination shouldn't be a problem.

Try more regular, and more watering, and try to keep them cooler in mid-day sun.

Geodark

DaftyDuck wrote: »

Well, I've not grown them, but I have cucumbers, and I have melons.... so that might give me a bit of insight.... not!

An educated guess would be the heat/watering balance is wrong. If they (cucumbers & melons, in my case...) get too hot, and the humidity isn't high enough, they drop the fruitlets before they set properly. Same happens if I water them heavily every other day.

So, I water mine every evening, and add in a morning watering if \I know it's going to be scorching. Even melons like shading from the peak sun in July & August. If I'm about during the middle of the day, and it's super-hot, I sprat the glass & concrete of the greenhouse (but not the plants themselves, never the plant when the sun is on them) to cool by evaporation.

Only other suggestion would be pollination. If they are not pollinated (and need to be), the fruit will fall off anyway.... not sure how cucamelons are pollinated, but I did just look them up (aaaahhhh), and they say easy to grow, so I'm guessing pollination shouldn't be a problem.

Try more regular, and more watering, and try to keep them cooler in mid-day sun.

Might try the misting thing - I has been very warm in the greenhouse. I did a search and a lot of people are saying the same thing about flower drop. guess it is just going to be trial an error until I get their conditions right! I water them every night. I wouldnt care my cucumbers are doing fantastic! (just picked another 2 huge ones today!)

auntyS

I am growing one plant in a large pot outdoors and it hasn't dropped many fruits yet although the wind poses a greater risk for me. I water it every evening and through the day when it's been very hot. I'm just guided by the look and feel of the compost. I also give it a feed when I do my tomatoes.
I wouldn't call them easy to grow from seed - very poor germination rate, but once growing they do well.
I grew them last year and I can tell you they will go wild and take over the greenhouse, climbing over and clinging to anything in it's way.
They are fun, tasty little things though, and a good talking point. I hope they do well for you.

Geodark

auntyS wrote: »

I am growing one plant in a large pot outdoors and it hasn't dropped many fruits yet although the wind poses a greater risk for me. I water it every evening and through the day when it's been very hot. I'm just guided by the look and feel of the compost. I also give it a feed when I do my tomatoes.
I wouldn't call them easy to grow from seed - very poor germination rate, but once growing they do well.
I grew them last year and I can tell you they will go wild and take over the greenhouse, climbing over and clinging to anything in it's way.
They are fun, tasty little things though, and a good talking point. I hope they do well for you.

yeah, they are growing fantastic - and I know what you mean about taking over. But as soon as the flowers start to fade, the miniature fruit are dropping off.

wallbash

Both of mine are now outside, when should I pick the 'fruit'?

FLA27

My Dad grew these last year and gave me one of the plants. I put mine outdoors due to lack of room and Dad kept his indoors.

My Cucamelon was soon covered in bees and the fruit set quickly. My Dad's Cucamelon fruit didn't set until he moved his outdoors.


The instructions on the packet didn't say they had to be pollinated by insects but I'm sure it helped.

Fun to grow though!

weiser

have some in a greenhouse and some outside ....outside growing better give them time they will be fine im sure

auntyS

wallbash wrote: »

Both of mine are now outside, when should I pick the 'fruit'?

Last year I was picking mine when they were about the size of an olive or large grape. If they are left too long the skin can become tough.
It's really just a case of trial and error - pick one and sample it.
The hard part is spotting them as they hide behind the leaves and are well camouflaged.

Geodark

FLA27 wrote: »

My Dad grew these last year and gave me one of the plants. I put mine outdoors due to lack of room and Dad kept his indoors.

My Cucamelon was soon covered in bees and the fruit set quickly. My Dad's Cucamelon fruit didn't set until he moved his outdoors.


The instructions on the packet didn't say they had to be pollinated by insects but I'm sure it helped.

Fun to grow though!

Think I might have to move them outside then, or at least one of them and give that a go.

Geodark

strangely enough, I have just gone into the greenhouse tonight to give it a watering and I now have a load which are starting to get bigger - don't know if it because the weather has been a few degrees colder or what?