Chicken bald back

[Luvachicken]

I saw that lovely chap grow/pick some cucamelons on the BBC 2 allotment challenge.

I thought they looked quite tasty and was thinking of giving them a go this year.

 

Has anyone grown them ?

Do they taste nice ?

 

Any other tips for them ?

[sjp]

I've not grown them yet but I've eaten a couple and they weren't to bad

most try to get the seed again this year

[counturchickens]

I think we all have to try these things, but they weren't for me. Tasted ok, but the plants ran riot in the greenhouse and I'd rather use the space for cucumbers!

[Luvachicken]

Cucumbers never do very well for me so the cucamelons might suit me better then

[Chickpea]

I've got some seeds in

[Luvachicken]

Yeah, I got some too - Suttons.

Lets see how we get on

 

Does your packet make out that you can keep the plant for the following year ?

[Valkyrie]

Saw them mentioned in the Smallholding magazine today. Now I want to find the article and can't find the magazine - gave it to OH to look at! I think it said that they are fiddly to harvest and are rather bitter? Not seen them before so good luck with your efforts and hope that they aren't as tart as this article said.

[Luvachicken]

Oh well, I guess if they are not that nice I could leave them out as slug bait .... but then again they might be delicious.

[Valkyrie]

It's probably all down to personal taste. Like beetroot is yuk to me but OH loves it. You won't know unless you try.

[sjp]

finally got some from Homebase on Monday

[Luvachicken]

I need to sow mine as I haven't done them yet.

Tomorrow afternoon is the first day of my Easter holiday so I will do them then.

[sjp]

I need to sow mine as I haven't done them yet.

Tomorrow afternoon is the first day of my Easter holiday so I will do them then.

I won't start mine off until the end of the month as I don't want them much bigger than 4 leaves high when I pot them up into the big pots in late May

[Luvachicken]

I finally sowed mine today.

The packet said to sow in April or May - I thought I'd left it too late.

I only sowed 4 seeds as I can only see me eating them.

Just need to see if they grow now.

[Christian]

I grew them in a pot last year. 2 plants to a large pot and they did quite well. Pick them when they are the size of a large grape, they taste better then. Leave them too long and they tasted a bit woody. Nice flavour, sort of fresh tasting. They like to climb, so i put pea sticks in the pot and that seemed to work for me. Water well.

[Luvachicken]

Thanks for that Christian that is very useful information.

 

I sowed 4 seeds and all 4 have popped up so I am really pleased.

They are only teeny at the moment but I have high hopes for them.

[Christian]

Are they in individual pots? I found they grew very quickly and the tendrils got all tangled up....

[Luvachicken]

They are in one of those very small seed trays at the moment.

The instructions say to prick them out about an inch tall.

They are literally just a couple of millimetres at the moment but thanks again for another tip on how to deal with them, a bit like out of hand sweet-peas.

[Christian]

Exactly, but much finer stems.

[Cat tails]

I just ordered a pack of seeds!

Was getting too curious with all this talk about these plants!

[Valkyrie]

Found this - hope it's helpful!

 

[Cat tails]

Jeah! I watched that! Very useful indeed. I've to wait another 3 weeks on my seeds, but I think I got most of my colleagues hooked already!

[Luvachicken]

Mine are growing well and I looked at that little video but just above it, it said they were like gherkins - I don't like gherkins

[Cat tails]

My dad apparently had them last year! (And didn't tell me... Or shared any...)

He says they taste mostly like cucumber with a hint of lemon. According to him, they are great for salads.

[Luvachicken]

If he didn't share then they must have been yummy Cat Tails

Your description sounds much more appealing.

[sjp]

how long do they take to germinate it's best part of 2 weeks since I sowed mine and still no sign of them yet 2 of the cucumbers and a courgette that I sowed Sunday are just braking the surface today all 3 are last years seed