A Desperate Growout of the Carosello Tondo Barese

After asking a gardening group that I belong to several times about growing in their gardens, I one day received an unexpected phone call from one of my gardening friends. He said that he was willing to have me use a little of the space in his front yard to grow out a small row of one variety of my cucumbers, but that he would be growing some melons at the same time. Being that I would also be growing a variety that is a botanical muskmelon, I politely declined the offer. However, after giving it a little more thought, I returned his call and told him that I had a variety that I believe could set fruit before his melons even began producing male flowers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The variety that I decided would work best with the parameters my friend provided me was the Carosello Tondo Barese. This is one of the very earliest of the carosello varieties to fruit. On average, they begin fruiting when the plant is 12-18 inches in diameter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The fruit went from being transplanted (from 2” soil blocks) to fruiting within 30 days and were ready to harvest for fruit within 60 days from transplant. As soon as I finished harvesting fruit, I told my friend that he could replant. The whole process took place between May and June. Then I processed the seed and paid my friend for them. He was pretty surprised how much seed I was able to harvest from so few seeds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

While I wasn’t able to grow as much of the Tondo Barese that I would like, I was grateful that everything was grown well and remained isolated from other melons nearby. I’m so grateful for everyone who grows for me or allows me to grow in their yard.

The Cretan Cucumber Keeps going!

If the grower had any questions about the vigor of the Cretan cucumbermelon, it was started in March in the greenhouse and, after acclimating to the girl’s garden, it continued producing fruit all the way through August. Starting out as an early variety and producing until very late in the season is quite a feat for any cucumber variety.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The fruit itself is a light green well scalloped, mildly fuzzy fruit. Very similar to the Mezzo Lungo varieties from Italy, but with a much juicier flesh and much less fuzz. Besides that, the fruit shape and length were very consistent. This is not too common in otherwise unknown varieties. The fact that both vigor and consistency were present in this one variety was very positive. Even the seed that I harvested was of very high quality. With everything going for it, I hope that the Cretan cucumbermelon will be one that I will continue growing well into the future!

The Cretan Greek Cucumbermelon

In stark contrast with the Xylangouro cucumber that I grew in the greenhouse, the Cretan cucumbermelon was an amazing and delicious variety of Cucumis melo var. chate or adzur.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The plants were vigorous, the flowers were uniform, the fruit had a nice texture and were just a joy to grow. They did so good in the greenhouse and had so much life to them, that soon after the first couple of fruit went to seed, I decided to find a place to plant them out in the garden.