A Russian cucumber melon in the raised bed.

So I don’t have a whole lot to say about the Russian Ogurdynya snapmelon (C. melo var momordica) that I grew in the late Summer of 2023. It was just like the other ones that I had grown previously in the greenhouse and did pretty well. I was just so busy taking care of so many other plots that I didn’t have the time needed to give this variety attention.

 

 

 

 

 

Additionally, the texture of the Ogurdynya – which some claim to be related to the carosello – is nothing like a carosello. The outer layer is somewhat hard while the inner layer is much softer, becoming very seedy and gelatinous as the fruit matures. So, while the Ogurdynya is not bitter, it is not that exciting a fruit either. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The one thing I will give to this variety is that it is very vigorous. I believe that if I were to pick the fruit when immature, the vines would pump out a lot more fruit. I never found this out for certain, as I always just left the vines go to seed.