- When is harvested?
- When are the fruits ripe?
- How do the fruits taste?
- Do the Mexican mini cucumbers have to be peeled?
- Trellis required
The fruits of Melothria scabra look like two to three centimeter watermelons, but they taste like aromatic pickles. The relatively easy-care plant can be found more and more frequently in our gardens, because it is also wonderfully suitable as a privacy screen. The Mexican mini cucumber also bears fruit much earlier than other cucumbers. How you can tell that these are ripe is explained in the following article.
As the name suggests, Mexican mini cucumbers don't grow very large
When is harvested?
The fruits ripen continuously from June to October and can therefore be harvested until the first frost. The new breeds are relatively cold-tolerant, which ensures high yields.
When are the fruits ripe?
The oval, dark green cucumbers with light color speckles are ready for harvest when they are about an inch to four inches long. If you pick them from the bush, they should taste aromatic like cucumbers and still be quite firm.
Fully ripe fruits fall off by themselves. However, the shell is then already relatively hard, which reduces the enjoyment.
How do the fruits taste?
The taste of Melothria Scabra is strongly reminiscent of cucumbers with a pleasantly sour note.
Do the Mexican mini cucumbers have to be peeled?
The peel is eaten as it contains most of the aromatic substances. Due to its fine flavor, Melothria Scabra is the ideal snack cucumber that you can nibble directly from the plant.
Trellis required
In any case, attach the Mexican mini cucumber to a trellis, as the delicate shoots break easily. So your children can also harvest the delicious gherkins without having to worry about the plant being damaged.
tips
You can snack on the small gherkins straight from the bush or halve them lengthwise like a cucumber salad. If you want to enjoy the wonderful aroma in winter, you can pickle and preserve Melothria scabra like gherkins.