Mexican Sour Gherkin Cucumber - Page 2

livinonfaith · January 16, 2013

Grew these two years ago and they were a lot of fun. I didn't do them last year because while they were tasty, it took a lot to make a serving and I didn't think we got that much from it.

A couple of weeks ago, my son asked if I would please plant these again this year! (He doesn't usually ask.) Turns out that the reason I didn't get that many was because he was out there every few days raiding the vines!

Guess we'll have to make room!

Crandrew · January 16, 2013

Hahah what a wonderful story

gardenfrog · January 17, 2013

I've grown them for the past couple years. They do have a very mildly sour aftertaste that is pleasing. Keeping them on-hand is nearly impossible since they get consumed almost as fast as they are picked! My experience is that they grow fast and begin to fruit quickly. : )

Crandrew · January 17, 2013

great! thanks Garden frog.

Do any of you folks recall how high these will grow if you trellis them?

nativeplanter · January 17, 2013

I have (I think) a relative of this plant - Melothria pendula - growing in my flower beds, herb garden and over a rose bush. I can't get rid of the stupid thing - it is very difficult to pull out the whole plant, and it is so delicate that it can hide and grow unnoticed until it starts to cover things. Plus, it fruits abundantly, so there must be seeds everywhere.

I'm not sure how to tell the difference between M. pendula and M. scabra, but I assume I have pendula as it is native to the southeast. It does smell like cucumbers! But based on my experience with it, I'd be hesitant to plant the other lest it take over too!

livinonfaith · January 17, 2013

We didn't let ours get ripe and dark green. We thought they were a little too tough and sour at that point. We ate ours when they were still a lighter green and they tasted like refreshing little cukes.

Mine were slow to get going. REALLY slow! But once they had about four leaves, all of a sudden they took off! I would almost grow these just for the adorable little leaves and tiny yellow flowers at every juncture.

Crandrew · January 24, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by livinonfaith

We didn't let ours get ripe and dark green. We thought they were a little too tough and sour at that point. We ate ours when they were still a lighter green and they tasted like refreshing little cukes.

Mine were slow to get going. REALLY slow! But once they had about four leaves, all of a sudden they took off! I would almost grow these just for the adorable little leaves and tiny yellow flowers at every juncture.

Awesome to hear!

I really hope my cucumbers do well this season. I was thoroughly discouraged last year. Im going to try and trellis them over a CRW arch trellis between the two beds...we'll see

HiPoha · January 24, 2013

I just saw the OP photo of it... so that's what they are. Had some growing wild along my fence for years. Always cut them down thinking they were some kind of weed. Seems they are hardy to diseases that kills most tomatoes and cucumbers. Only the birds would eat them, or so I thought. I'll take a taste of them next time they come up.

habitat_gardener · January 24, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crandrew

... I really hope my cucumbers do well this season. I was thoroughly discouraged last year. Im going to try and trellis them over a CRW arch trellis between the two beds...we'll see

There's a great photo of that kind of trellis at the bottom of this page

http://www.mofga.org/Publications/Ma...9/Default.aspx

Crandrew · January 24, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiPoha

I just saw the OP photo of it... so that's what they are. Had some growing wild along my fence for years. Always cut them down thinking they were some kind of weed. Seems they are hardy to diseases that kills most tomatoes and cucumbers. Only the birds would eat them, or so I thought. I'll take a taste of them next time they come up.

It's suggested you pick them young to eat fresh or pickle them and they are supposedly yummy and as you said disease resistant.

HiPoha · January 27, 2013

I took a look at my fence today and found some of these things again. They may be a relative of the Mexican Gherkin. They get red when fully ripe. I tasted a green one and it was very bitter.

livinonfaith · January 28, 2013

They may be some sort of relative, but they are too large to be a Mexican Gherkin. The stripes and leaves aren't quite right, either. Also, the Mexican Sour Gherkin doesn't ripen to red. It falls off while still green.

Here are a couple of things that look similar to that. This doesn't show the leaves. I googled some of them and some show similar leaves to yours and some are quite different. Some of them are poisonous, so be careful!

http://www.kcb-samen.ch/shop/?cPath=...ac258ff0c137ac

This one has very similar leaves, but the fruit ends up orange and it isn't quite as elongated as yours.

http://www.kcb-samen.ch/shop/product...ac258ff0c137ac

Yours is pretty cool, even if only as a plant specimen!

Crandrew · January 28, 2013

Great info!

HiPoha · January 28, 2013

Livinonfaith:
Thanks for the info, I think my plant is the coccinia grandis or scarlet gourd, not the Mexican Gherkin. Turns out it is considered a weed here in Hawaii although they can be eaten.

Crandrew · January 29, 2013

Well why not give it a try

Do you think you could pickle the fruit?

January 28, 2013	#29
HiPoha Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Hawaii Posts: 130	Livinonfaith: Thanks for the info, I think my plant is the coccinia grandis or scarlet gourd, not the Mexican Gherkin. Turns out it is considered a weed here in Hawaii although they can be eaten. Last edited by HiPoha; January 28, 2013 at 01:54 PM. Reason: error

January 16, 2013	#16
livinonfaith Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina Posts: 1,332	Grew these two years ago and they were a lot of fun. I didn't do them last year because while they were tasty, it took a lot to make a serving and I didn't think we got that much from it. A couple of weeks ago, my son asked if I would please plant these again this year! (He doesn't usually ask.) Turns out that the reason I didn't get that many was because he was out there every few days raiding the vines! Guess we'll have to make room!

January 16, 2013	#17
Crandrew Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: asdf Posts: 1,202	Hahah what a wonderful story

January 17, 2013	#18
gardenfrog Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Shelbyville, IN Posts: 343	I've grown them for the past couple years. They do have a very mildly sour aftertaste that is pleasing. Keeping them on-hand is nearly impossible since they get consumed almost as fast as they are picked! My experience is that they grow fast and begin to fruit quickly. : )

January 17, 2013	#20
nativeplanter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Hampton, VA Posts: 86	I have (I think) a relative of this plant - Melothria pendula - growing in my flower beds, herb garden and over a rose bush. I can't get rid of the stupid thing - it is very difficult to pull out the whole plant, and it is so delicate that it can hide and grow unnoticed until it starts to cover things. Plus, it fruits abundantly, so there must be seeds everywhere. I'm not sure how to tell the difference between M. pendula and M. scabra, but I assume I have pendula as it is native to the southeast. It does smell like cucumbers! But based on my experience with it, I'd be hesitant to plant the other lest it take over too!

January 24, 2013	#23
HiPoha Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Hawaii Posts: 130	I just saw the OP photo of it... so that's what they are. Had some growing wild along my fence for years. Always cut them down thinking they were some kind of weed. Seems they are hardy to diseases that kills most tomatoes and cucumbers. Only the birds would eat them, or so I thought. I'll take a taste of them next time they come up.

January 29, 2013	#30
Crandrew Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: asdf Posts: 1,202	Well why not give it a try Do you think you could pickle the fruit?