Who is that cucumber?
Cucumber is called by several different names in Lithuania. Most often it is called African cucumber or melotria. And although it sounds a bit exotic, its seeds can be purchased in Lithuania and you can successfully grow this somewhat unusual vegetable.
Cucumber (Melothria) belongs to plants of the pumpkin family. It grows naturally in North and South America, in tropical areas. We grow them as annual plants. However, in countries with a warmer climate, they recover well after winter and grow for several years.
African cucumber, melotria or gourd (in the text we will use all the names in parallel) is a herb with a creeping stem. It grows very fast and can grow up to 3-5 meters in height. The leaves are much smaller than those of cucumber.
The flowers are homogeneous, yellow, bell-shaped. Male flowers are clustered in small bunches or umbrella-shaped inflorescences. Females are single, grown in the leaf axils. Both male and female flowers grow on the same plant, but require insects to pollinate them.
Fruits 1.5-2.5 cm long, globose or roll-shaped, multi-seeded. Looks like small watermelons.
Is cucumber edible?
African cucumbers can be grown as ornamental plants for pergolas or other supports. However, Melothria scabra is also an edible plant. Cucumber tastes like cucumber, only the skin has a more sour taste. They are also eaten fresh, they can be pickled or pickled, and added to salads.
When to sow cucumbers?
African cucumbers can be sown in nurseries, greenhouses or directly into the soil. However, since these are tropical plants, care must be taken not to go outdoors before all frosts have passed.
So, depending on where it is sown, cucumbers are sown:
in the nursery at the end of March – beginning of April;
in the open field – in May-June.
There should be no rush to sow or transfer to the open. It is best to transfer them to the open ground like watermelons – in June. And keep them covered with agricultural film for a while to prevent them from freezing. It is especially necessary to protect them from frost, because they are very sensitive to them – they freeze and die immediately.
Cucumber cultivation: the right place
It grows best in glazed balconies, greenhouses. However, they can grow up to 5 meters high and 2-3 meters wide, so few amateur gardeners can find enough space for them in a greenhouse.
When growing outdoors, a sunny, wind-protected place is chosen. A shelter against the wall of the house, gazebo, terrace or the southern side of the fence is especially suitable. It should also be remembered that they need support to grow. So either you need to provide for them, or plant them in a place in the garden where they will naturally find something to lean on and hold on to while chasing up. It can even become a kind of hedge, hiding your plot from prying eyes.
Sowing cucumbers in nurseries
If you are going to plant melotria in nurseries, the soil for seedlings is perfect for the seeds. The seeds are sown at a depth of 1-7 cm. It is best to sow immediately in pots with a diameter of about 9 cm, a few seeds at a time. Then you will no longer need to pick them, and it happens that not all seeds germinate.
After sowing, the ground is gently moistened and covered with a film. The most suitable temperature for seeds to germinate is +23 degrees.
Until the seeds germinate (which takes 7-14 days), the film should be removed every day, the condensation formed and watered as needed.
When the cucumbers germinate, the film should be removed, and the seedlings should continue to grow where they will receive a lot of sunlight and heat. Watered as needed when the soil dries out. It is better to moisten the ground with a sprayer so that it does not wash away. Before transplanting into open ground, it is recommended to fertilize weekly with a solution of potassium nitrate (10 g of potassium nitrate in 10 l of water). It is recommended to fertilize with complex fertilizers for the last time before transplanting.
Sowing (transplanting) African cucumbers into the soil
A loamy or loamy, fertile soil is most suitable for growing cucumbers. Ideal fertilized with manure or compost or after growing legumes – peas, beans, beans.
Seedlings are sown in open ground when the ground warms up well. Seedlings are also transferred no earlier than in May. Around the time the lilacs bloom. However, it is not advisable to rush, the sown seeds should still be covered with a film, and the sprouts should also be protected from frosts, which can occur even in early June.
The seeds are sown directly in the beds. Seedlings are planted one by one, leaving a distance of 70 cm between plants and 50 cm between rows.
Seedlings just transferred to the soil do not grow for about 2 weeks, as they grow and strengthen the root system. A tuber is formed, similar to a potato. After that, the gourds quickly stretch upwards and form foliage. African cucumbers grow very quickly, so you need to take care of the supports when you transplant the seedlings or after they sprout (if you sow directly into the bed).
Growing cucumber in a pot
These vegetables grow and match well even when planted in large pots. Therefore, it is convenient to grow them on large balconies, loggias or terraces. All sowing tips and soil selection are the same as for growing in soil. It is only very important to choose the right size pot. It must have a volume of approximately 19 liters and a diameter of at least 30 cm. Suitable, high supports are also important so that the cucumber has somewhere to run.
Cucumber is a real climber: proper supports and pruning
Cucumbers are real climbers, so ordinary supports suitable for cucumbers will not be enough for them. Strong supports of at least 3 m height are required. A wire mesh is ideal as it provides good air circulation. In addition, when growing in this way, cucumbers are not compressed very densely and ripen faster, producing more fruits.
Pruning is not required for melotrias. However, it is recommended to remove dead, yellowed, withered leaves. This improves air circulation, reduces the risk of disease and allows the plant to devote more energy to fruit production.
Cucumber cultivation: how to water and fertilize?
African cucumbers like moist, but not waterlogged soil. They need to be watered regularly, but not overwatered.
For abundant flowering and a good harvest, cucumbers need to be fertilized regularly. At the beginning of growth, when the seedlings are transferred to the soil, they need nitrogen fertilizers the most. Phosphorous and potassium fertilizers are the most important when the flowers begin to pile up and bloom. It is best to use 0.2 percent for fertilization. strength complex fertilizer solution (20 g of fertilizer in 10 l of water).
When and how are cucumbers harvested?
Melotria fruits ripen around July. It continues to grow fruit until frost. A cucumber is ripe when it reaches about the size of a grape and is soft green in color and firm. An overripe gourd has a yellowish color, the peel is hard, even more sour, and the seeds are large.
The more often cucumbers are harvested, the more new fruits the plant produces. Up to 5-7 kg of African cucumbers can be harvested from one bush.
Cucumbers are eaten fresh, pickled, added to salads. They are used in exactly the same way as our usual cucumbers. It stays fresh in the fridge for up to a week.
Cucumber: pests and diseases
These vegetables are very resistant to diseases and other pests. Does not suffer from any diseases typical of cucumbers. Therefore, it can basically grow without any chemical spraying.
Sometimes cucumbers are attacked by powdery mildew. To avoid it, it is necessary to ensure good air circulation between the leaves and provide suitable supports. Cucumber leaves cannot lie on the ground or be in moisture.
If cucumbers are attacked by aphids, you can try to spray them with a strong stream of water or try natural remedies against them. And only without helping anyone, destroy with chemical preparations.
How is cucumber propagated?
The easiest way to propagate cucumbers is to collect seeds from overripe fruits. All you have to do is let a few fruits overripe (they turn yellow or brown and very soft) and scoop out the seeds. Soak the seeds in water for a day and those that will settle to the bottom, leave them for seed: drain and dry well. Store in a sealed paper bag for next year’s sowing.
African cucumbers can also be propagated by tubers, similar to dahlias. In autumn, after the first frost, their leaves and stems turn yellow and begin to wither, then you need to dig up the tubers and place them in boxes or pots in layers with compost: a layer of soil, tubers, a layer of soil, tubers, etc. It is best to store them in the basement. And in the spring, when the earth warms up, plant it again.
Sources:
https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/agurkaitis/
https://growinginthegarden.com/how-to-grow-cucamelons-6-tips-for-growing-cucamelons/
https://hub.suttons.co.uk/gardening-advice/how-to-grow-cucamelons
https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/cucamelon/
