Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners is a citizen science program





'Mexican Gherkin' Cucumber
 
Sub-Category: Slicing
Vine
 
Sub-Category 2:
Description: Melothria scabra. Heirloom. 4 foot vines abound with1 to 2 inch fruit that resemble miniature watermelons and sport a slight tang that grows stronger as they age. Disease resistant variety. Resistance to to traditional cucumber diseases, especially Powdery and Downy Mildews. Also known as Mexican Sour Gherkin and Mouse Melon. About 60 to 75 days to maturity.
Days To Maturity: 60-75
Seed Sources: Fruition Seeds - updated in 2019
Seed Savers Exchange - updated in 2019
Totally Tomato - updated in 2019
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds - updated in 2019

 
Rating Summary
 
Overall: (2.5 Stars)Overall
Taste: (2.1 Stars)Taste
Yield: (2.3 Stars)Yield
Ease/Reliability: (2.6 Stars)Ease/Reliability
 
Reviews
 
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Number of Reviews: 11

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KEY: O=Overall Rating, T=Taste, Y=Yield, E=Ease

Reviewed on 11/27/2019 by Saratoga MG - An experienced gardener

Overall Overall
Taste
Yield
Ease

Saratoga, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days
Soil Texture: Sand
Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20')
Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day

Good germination, but it was so crowded out in the bed by the other cucumbers, that it did not ever produce anything.
 

Reviewed on 11/24/2019 by Wayne County CCE - An experienced gardener

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Wayne, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 103 - 123 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20')
Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day

Honestly not sure what happened here, possibly crowded out by other varieties. Crop failure on this one.
 

Reviewed on 11/21/2019 by CCEYates - An experienced gardener

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Yield Yield
Ease/Reliability Ease

Yates, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

Patience is key for these little cuties. The plants take a long time to get growing but by the end of the summer, you\'ll have a pretty impressive vine that will cover a small trellis. Perfect for a school garden as they begin to produce later in the summer. Almost every kid who tried them loved them. Not particularly bothered by diseases or insects. We will grow these again.
 

Reviewed on 11/11/2019 by Albany County MGs - An experienced gardener

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Albany, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 123 - 143 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

They germinated and then disappeared. I think they dried out in the raised beds. I then tried again with transplants and they took off. They had to share the bed with the cucumbers and grew quite well despite the late start. Very cute and quite enjoyable to snack on. They also keep well on the vine so you can pick a handful at a time.
 

Reviewed on 10/18/2019 by CCE Rockland - An experienced gardener

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Taste Taste
Yield Yield
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Rockland, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days
Soil Texture: Clay
Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20')
Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day

Seeds planted outdoors 5/30. Strong vines but fruit didn\'t appear until early August. Vines still healthy in mid-October but fruit yield was low. Those who like the taste of \'Mouse Melons\' enjoyed the tart taste.
 

Reviewed on 10/08/2019 by Cutler Botanic Garden - An experienced gardener

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Broome, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40')
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

cute little cucumber.
 

Reviewed on 09/25/2019 by Food bank vvtg - An experienced gardener

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Erie, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 103 - 123 days
Soil Texture: Not Sure
Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet
Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day

Very small but easy to grow. The ground hog got most of them
 

Reviewed on 09/15/2019 by CCE Putnam - An intermediate gardener

Overall Overall
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Putnam, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 123 - 143 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

5/19: seeds planted. 6/5: only 3 germinated, 2 more seeds planted. by 8/31: no surviving seedlings and no new germination.
 

Reviewed on 08/16/2019 by Tompkins MGV - An experienced gardener

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Tompkins, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 123 - 143 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet
Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day

Very fun to grow. The vines look like miniature cucumber vines -- very thin stem, small leaves. Very vigorous once they get going, with long, branched vines. The fruits are bite-sized and crunchy. They taste cucumbery when small and thin; they get sour when they fatten up, so you might want to pick them before you think they\'re ripe. They end up needing a lot more space than you think they will, and produce a lot of tiny fruit, which hide behind the leaves. Keep looking and you\'ll find a lot.
 

Reviewed on 08/25/2011 by WorldsEnd - An intermediate gardener

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Yield Yield
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Alameda, California, United States
Frost Free Season: Fewer than 103 days
Soil Texture: Not Sure
Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20')
Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day

Pretty hard to start from seed, as they are very fragile, but once set, they grow and produce like crazy. I am not crazy for the taste, and the production total is about the size of a large cucumber... why not just plant pickling cucumbers? I think I\'ll do that from now on.
 

Reviewed on 07/01/2008 by Jeanie - An intermediate gardener

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Dane, Wisconsin, United States
Frost Free Season: 103 - 123 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40')
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

Would not call this a slicing vareity since it was very small. About the size of a globe grape. Very productive, and interesting to see in the garden.

I personally did not care for the flavor, but I don't care for raw cucumbers to begin with. But my DH who loves cukes didn't like these either.

Would be fun to pickle and serve on a deli tray, I think they would retain their crunch well pickled. Look just like a watermelon for a Barbie Doll.
 




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