The 2022 Speckled Carosello

In 2020 I discovered a speckled carosello cucumber from a packet of seeds I grew in the greenhouse. My friend Giuseppe grew it again in 2021. Then with our combined seeds, I transplanted some seedlings of the specked cucumber into a 1-yard tote full of professional potting mix in Fairfield, California in July of 2022.

 

While the first planting that I did performed well in the tote, the second planting did not do as well. Part of the issue was likely due to planting later in the season as well as, I found out at the end of the season, that the soaker hose had cracked and was only watering in one area of the tote. While many people believe that water is a good thing, it sometimes causes more problems than it solves. The plants with the most insect pressure were those that were being overwatered, while the plants that were further from the leak performed much better.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Despite the challenges that I encountered while growing this carosello variety, I was able to grow out several speckled cucumber-melons. And near the end of the season, my little carosello patch was graced with a visitor. An adult female praying mantis decided to visit my little garden area. Since giving up raising praying mantids for gardening, I rarely interact with mantids, but between August and October each year, I usually see at least a couple.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While I would have preferred to have grown more of the speckled carosello, given too much or insufficient watering, I am grateful to have harvested anything at all. I was able to harvest seed and, having done so, I was looking forward to growing this variety out in 2023.