Bitter melons are the fruit from an herbaceous vine, which as its name indicates is extremely bitter to eat if allowed to ripen. Hence, the fruit of the bitter melons and sometimes the tender leafy shoots, is harvested while young and then stuffed, pickled or sliced into a variety of menu items.

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Is tolerant to low temperatures with a round oval shape with a greyish-green peel colour. It turns orange when it is maturing. These melons are very tasty, fragrant and a sweet variety of melon. Delicious and juicy when eaten on their own.

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Description: Also known as the green melon, the honeydew is known for being a less-sweet cousin of the cantaloupe. It is very common in fruit spreads.
Taste: Honeydew melons typically retain the musky, fragrant flavors of other muskmelons, but they possess a slightly subdued flavor.

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Is an early maturing vigorous charentais variety, producing fruits weighing approximately 1 kg. The flesh is tender and deep orange in colour. The melons have a brix rating of 15%, giving the flesh a sweet taste.

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A very popular strain, its small fruits have wonderfully sweet, tasty, yellow-green flesh.

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An unusual and beautiful large winter radish also known as Red Meat. These large 2.5 ' 3″ round roots are creamy white outside with green shoulders and a full central burst of watermelon rose. Flesh is crispy and mild, with a sweet flavour perfect for salads, garnishes, fermenting, or cooking. The heat is in the white skin decreasing as the root matures.
Matures 55 days from direct sowing.
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These fruits are almost like little candies. They grow to the size of grapes and look like miniature watermelons. They are hybrids have been bred between cucumber / melon, some fresh maybe green some may pink.

Taste: They are not nearly as sweet as their size would suggest. Cucamelons usually taste like slightly sweet melon cross with cucumber.

Advise on growing these:

Seed sowing

For best results, seeds should be sown during September and November in a greenhouse or in a propagator. They can also be sown in pots or modular trays. Use a seed compost and sow the seeds thinly then cover with 1cm of compost, firm the surface and water with a watering can and rose attachment. Cover pots and trays with clear polythene, to ensure the compost stays moist until germination. It’s important to keep the ambient temperature at around 24C (75F), which will ensure the majority of seeds will successfully germinate. When the seedlings are about 3cm high they can be transplanted into individual 9cm pots.

Growing in containers

Cucamelon will happily grow in all types of containers, planters and even growbags. Containers should be at least 30cm and placed in a warm sunny position. Transfer to larger containers when the plants are 10cm-15cm high and after all danger of frost has passed. It’s advisable to support the plants on a trellis system, although they can be left to spread across the ground but at the risk of some fruits becoming damaged. Keep plants well-watered during dry weather.

Growing in beds

Cucamelon can also be successfully grown in open soil as you would with outdoor tomatoes or cucumbers. Prepare the planting areas in advance then transplant to their permanent positions when it’s safe to do so. Provide support and keep the plants well-watered.

General aftercare

Cucamelon plants grow quickly and will begin producing fruits in January or early pending on your conditions. Pinch out the growing tip when the plant has reached around 150cm in height and pinch out the side shoots when they are around 45cm long. The plants should not be allowed to dry out so keep well-watered during dry spells. If growing up a trellis or similar support they may need to be tied in, although the plant’s tendrils will latch onto most things around them including other plants. Applying a potash feed or tomato feed during the growing season will keep the plants growing healthily.

Harvesting & storage

Harvest only at 2.5cm length. Pick regularly to encourage more flowers and fruits to form. They are ready for picking when about the size of a grape. If left too long on the vine they will become very bitter and the seeds will swell. They will keep in a fridge for a week or you can freeze them by cutting them in half and placing into an airtight plastic bag or container. Alternatively they can be pickled.

Pest & diseases

Cucamelon are not usually affected by pests and diseases, which makes them a very easy plant to grow.

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Description: The sprite melon is one of the smaller melons on this list. It grows to roughly the size of a grapefruit and weighs about a pound. It is usually a stark-white color with medium netting on its skin.
Taste: The flesh is so sweet that it is often eaten for dessert.

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Water Melon Crimson Sweet. A very productive variety producing large round melons averaging 7 to 10 kilos approx., which are oval, light green with dark green stripes. The fruit has very sweet flesh that is brilliant red and practically seedless. Good disease resistance. Ready for harvest about 85 days after seeding in warm conditions. Can be grown outside in a warm, sheltered and sunny location, but for the most reliable crops under glass is best.

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A more compact variety although still trailing, producing small rugby ball shaped fruits which contain seeds but have a rich, sweet deliciously juicy flavour.
Grown under glass each plant can produce three to four fruits.

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Hand size! Perfect-sized mini seedless watermelon is easy to grow and adaptable to a variety of conditions. Refreshing flavor in its own picnic package! Pop these 'mini-seedless' watermelons into the refrigerator for a quick snack or bring a bunch on picnic's. Perfect-sized, easy to grow and widely adaptable. Vigorous plants producer!
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A new personal sized Watermelon with sweet 1.3 kilo approx., (pending on growing conditions) fruit and a distinctive bright green rind with dark green stripes and delicious bright red flesh containing fewer and smaller seeds.

Small and quick to grow.
Crisp and sweet.
Maturity 12 to 14 week.
Dark green with lush red flesh.
Ideal for those hot summer days, these small melons are perfect fridge size.

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The Moon and Stars Watermelon has a dark green rind speckled with tiny yellow "stars" and an occasional large yellow patch, or "moon".

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