Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: oddjob5 on June 24, 2016, 19:09

Title: wintering cucamelons
Post by: oddjob5 on June 24, 2016, 19:09

Hi all,

This is my first year of growing cucamelons in the greenhouse and after a slow start they are now nearly a meter tall and starting to flower. Has anyone had any success at keeping them over winter? I know its a bit early but i like to plan :-)

Title: Re: wintering cucamelons
Post by: Yorkshire Lass on June 25, 2016, 08:55

I too would be interested if anyone has some advice?

Title: Re: wintering cucamelons
Post by: sunshineband on June 25, 2016, 08:55

No, as they do seem to die back in the Autumn. I know yours is small right now but it will put on several metres of growth ye! They are so easy to grow from seed it almost seemed a waste of precious space for me to try to keep one going, either as a plant or a root

Title: Re: wintering cucamelons
Post by: Trikidiki on June 25, 2016, 14:00

I thought one of the espoused virtues of the cucamelon was that it would survive the winter albeit below ground.

Title: Re: wintering cucamelons
Post by: robinahood on June 25, 2016, 15:53

It will overwinter, if its not too cold, but you would be better off keeping it as you would a dahlia tuber, I.e. in dry compost in a frost free place.I  dug mine up by mistake in winter, tried reburying them but they didn't make it!

Title: Re: wintering cucamelons
Post by: Trikidiki on June 25, 2016, 17:03

Do they create a tuber or are they like a herbacious perennial?

Title: Re: wintering cucamelons
Post by: robinahood on June 25, 2016, 19:28

Its a tuber.

Title: Re: wintering cucamelons
Post by: oddjob5 on June 27, 2016, 14:04

Thank you all for the replies. I will try keeping the tuber frost free in a dry compost  over winter.
No fruits on them yet but there are some yellow flowers coming through so it cant be long.