Reviving Dried Cucamelons: How to Rehydrate and Grow These Unique Fruits

Cucamelons also known as Mexican sour gherkins or mouse melons are a fascinating fruit gaining popularity among home gardeners. These grape-sized veggies look just like tiny watermelons but taste like a tangy cucumber-lime hybrid. They’re super fun to grow!

As a gardener who loves experimenting with unique edibles, I became enamored with cucamelons several years ago. However, I recently faced an interesting challenge with my beloved cucamelons – I had accidentally let some fruits dry out completely on the vines.

My goal had been to collect seeds from these shriveled late-season cucamelons But could these desiccated little fruits still be revived to grow new plants? Intrigued, I decided to find out!

In this article, I’ll share what I learned about rehydrating and attempting to grow cucamelons from dried, shrunken fruit. Read on for tips that may bring your shriveled fruits back to life.

For those unfamiliar, cucamelons originate from Mexico and Central America where they’ve been grown for ages. They go by several fun nicknames like “Mexican sour gherkins” and “mouse melons.”

These extremely prolific vining plants produce mounds of tiny oval fruits that resemble itty-bitty watermelons. But one bite reveals their true cucumber-lime flavor.

Cucamelons require less care than cucumbers. They tolerate cooler weather and resist pests and diseases well. The rambling vines look beautiful trailing up supports or meandering through flower and vegetable beds.

Letting a few cucamelons dry naturally on the vine at season’s end allows you to collect seeds for next year. But could shriveled fruits still sprout if rehydrated? I was eager to find out!

Gathering My Desiccated Specimens

As my cucamelon vines faded in fall, I noticed numerous shrunken, dried fruits still clinging to the brittle stems. These were cucamelons I’d missed harvesting, left to completely dehydrate in the cool autumn air.

The fruits were rock hard, their skin shriveled and darkened. Inside, the flesh was completely desiccated and feather light.

I carefully collected a half dozen of these dried cucamelon “mummies” to experiment with. I wanted to see if any life remained in these shriveled fruits that could potentially be revived.

Rehydrating the Fruits

Before attempting to grow my dried specimens, rehydrating them was essential.

I tested two different methods:

Method 1 – Soaking: I soaked 3 dried cucamelons in room temperature water, changing it daily for 48 hours. The fruits absorbed some moisture and swelled slightly but their skin remained tough.

Method 2 – Boiling: I boiled 3 shriveled fruits for 3 minutes, then let them soak in the cooling water for 2 hours. These fruits plumped up faster, absorbing way more water. Their skin softened significantly.

Boiling proved far more effective for rehydration. The hot water quickly penetrated the fruits, rapidly rehydrating them.

Planting and Results

With fruits rehydrated, it was go time! I carefully planted each boiled cucamelon half inch deep in soil, kept them warm and moist, and waited.

Remarkably, just 4 days later, 2 boiled fruits sprouted! Tiny vines emerged. The soaked batch sadly showed no signs of life.

Over several weeks the seedlings grew stronger. I transplanted them to the garden after 6 weeks once the vines were several inches tall.

Tips for Reviving Dried Cucamelons

My experiments showed it is possible to rehydrate shriveled cucamelons and potentially regrow them. However, success isn’t guaranteed. Here are some key tips:

• Select naturally dried fruits, not artificially dehydrated ones. Natural cold drying is best.

• Rehydrate with boiling water rather than room temperature soaking. The heat speeds rehydration.

• Allow 48 hours for thorough rehydration before planting. Patience is key.

• Check daily and plant ASAP once sprouts emerge. Get them light fast.

• Maintain warm, moist soil and strong light once planted. Optimal conditions are vital.

• Only transplant once seedlings are 4-6 weeks old and well established.

With TLC and ideal conditions, you may luck out and revive some shriveled fruits like I did! It’s an exciting experiment for adventurous gardeners.

Even if seeds don’t sprout, rehydrating provides cucamelon seeds to collect for next year. It’s a fun gamble with nothing to lose.

These unique fruits have won me over with their delightful flavor, beautiful vines, and now their tenacity too! Consider giving dried cucamelons a second chance – you may be rewarded with vigorous new vines.