When to Plant Cucamelon in Canberra, Cold / Highland Guide
Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Canberra), not a live sensor.
What this month normally looks like in Cold / Highland
In October the Cold / Highland zone normally runs 20°C by day and 7°C overnight, with about 58 mm of rain over 7 or 8 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -6.4°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 15 postcodes, SILO.
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This Cucamelon guide is written for the Cold / Highland zone, which takes in Canberra, Cooma and Bright. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Oct to Dec
- Days to harvest
- about 14 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Low
- Spacing
- 60 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 6.0–7.0
Melothria scabra. Mexican sour gherkin: a climbing cucurbit with small edible fruits. Grown as a warm-season annual in frosty gardens.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Cold / Highland
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep -
- Oct S
- Nov S/T
- Dec T
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
One email a week with what is worth planting in the Cold / Highland zone right now, Cucamelon included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.
How to Grow Cucamelon in Cold / Highland Australia
- Soil
- Rich, fertile, organic-rich well-draining loam
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 6.0-7.0
- Sunlight
- Full sun, at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sun a day
- Spacing
- 60cm apart, 50cm between rows
- Watering
- Keep soil moist and well drained. Once established the vine is drought tolerant, but regular water gives more fruit.
- Good companions
- Nasturtium, Dwarf Beans, Lettuce, Radish, Basil
Cold / Highland Growing Tips for Cucamelon
Recommended Varieties
- Mexican Sour Gherkin (climbing vine, grows to about 2 m on a trellis): Best grown up a trellis or tee pee
- D.T. Brown Gourmet Cucamelon (Mexican Gherkin) (seed): Harvest about 12 to 14 weeks from sowing. Not available to WA
Key Challenges
- Powdery Mildew: Weakens leaves and reduces the crop
- Aphids: Sap-sucking, virus transmission
- Common Garden Snail: Introduced snail with a tan spiral shell
- Slugs: Soft-bodied shell-less molluscs that feed at night on seedlings and leafy vegetables
Pro Tips
- Enrich soil with well-rotted compost before planting; feed with a high-potassium liquid fertiliser every 2 to 3 weeks during flowering and fruiting
- Apply organic straw mulch around the root zone to conserve soil moisture and protect shallow roots
- Provide a small trellis, netting, or cage for slender climbing tendrils to climb and keep fruits off the ground
Pests and problems for Cucamelon in Cold / Highland
- Powdery Mildew Grow on a trellis for airflow, water at the base of the plant and avoid overcrowding. Watch
- Common Garden Snail Common Garden Snail: Introduced snail with a tan spiral shell Watch
- Slugs Slugs: Soft-bodied shell-less molluscs that feed at night on seedlings and leafy vegetables Watch
- Aphids Aphids: Sap-sucking, virus transmission Watch
Harvesting Cucamelon
When ready: Fruits reach the size of a small grape (2 to 3 cm long) and are firm with dark green watermelon-like stripes
How to harvest: Pick fruits by hand or snip carefully from the delicate slender vines with small scissors
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
- An email when it's time to sow
- Your own garden plan, including planning from a photo
- Price history and price alerts
- Pest risk alerts for your area
- Full salt and canning detail
Common Questions About Cucamelon
When do you plant cucamelon in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Apr to Aug
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan to Feb, Aug to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jan, Sep to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Sep to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Oct to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Jan to Feb, Aug to Dec
- Mediterranean (Perth): Sep to Dec
Can you grow cucamelon all year round in Canberra?
No. In the Cold / Highland zone the planting months are Oct to Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Cucamelon in Canberra?
Start in pots under cover from October to November. Plant out in November to December once frosts have passed.
What soil temperature do Cucamelon need?
Cucamelon germinate best when soil temperature is between 20°C and 28°C.
How do I know when Cucamelon are ready to harvest?
Fruits reach the size of a small grape (2 to 3 cm long) and are firm with dark green watermelon-like stripes
What are the best Cucamelon varieties for Canberra?
Recommended varieties for the Cold / Highland zone include: Mexican Sour Gherkin (climbing vine, grows to about 2 m on a trellis): Best grown up a trellis or tee pee, D.T. Brown Gourmet Cucamelon (Mexican Gherkin) (seed): Harvest about 12 to 14 weeks from sowing. Not available to WA.
What grows well with Cucamelon?
Good companion plants for Cucamelon include: Nasturtium, Dwarf Beans, Lettuce, Radish, Basil.
Are cucamelon salt tolerant?
Only a little. Cucamelon are moderately sensitive to salt, so the harvest drops on salty bore water. Mix salty water with rainwater, and mulch the bed.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box near the top of the page and it tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Cold / Highland zone, Canberra is its reference city.