Timun Krai in a Grape Bin

While the origin of the plant species Cucumis melo is most often associated with Africa, there are also Cucumis melo varieties that are Asian in origin. Less domesticated than the African melos, the Cucumis melo variety conomon is often used in cooking or pickling due to its tendency to produce bitter fruit. Often referred to as an Asian pickling melon, these fruit tends to thrive in warm humid conditions much better than many African C. melo varieties. In general, conomons also have some unique traits that make them unique from other C. melos including a spiny stem and extremely short hair on the fruit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Timun Krai is an Indonesian cucumber variety from the small village in East Java called Krai. While the Timun Krai is generally not bitter, occasionally one entire plant will produce extraordinarily bitter fruit. Only one of the plants I grew in 2023 produced bitter fruit. By tasting the immature fruit and flowers of all the plants, I was able to ensure that none of the seed that was saved came from a bitter fruit. The texture of the Timun Krai is very fine and nice and the flavor is quite good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My experience growing the Timun Krai was generally pretty good. I am very grateful for a couple I met at the Solano Community College Agrictulture Club who let me utilize a space in their yard for planting. I had to replant due to cooler spring weather that extended until at least mid-May. I was probably only able to get the plants established in early June. Then I experienced some major losses due to slugs and snails. Eventually in mid-June, with most of the plants covered in fine netting, I was able to get a good stand of seedlings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The plants grew well and watching them grow was pretty fun. The small immature fruits are both interesting to look at and very fine-textured. As they grew, I observed variations in the fruit color and profile, though the majority of the vines produced nice cylindrical fruit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Problems arose later in the season after I had added some free city compost. Despite its beauty, the city compost did not improve plant growth. Instead, the plants began to change color and develop little spots. Eventually, these spots turned out to somehow be correlated with spider mites. Once I identified the spider mites, I vigorously sprayed the leaves. With the end of the season so close and the fruit fully set, I decided not to invest in any other natural solutions to the infestation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After harvesting the fruit and saving them for seed, my germination was not high enough to warrant offering these seeds to anyone, so I will just have to grow them again. My general hope for the Timun Krai is that it will be a very suitable variety to grow in the Southeastern United States. I’m also interested to see how this variety does in the climate and also if it has any resistance to the pickleworm.

My favorite Mezzo Lungo Barese and Polignano

After growing out an unknown carosello cucumber variety, I decided to try out a Mezzo Lungo Polignano carosello variety in the 1-yard grape bin. This variety was one that I had tried out previously in 2021. In fact, I labeled the specific population, which was provided to me by an Italian gentleman named Angelo, for a future Mezzo Lungo Polignano trial.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The context for the Mezzo Lungo Polignano name is this: In southern Italy, melons have been grown immature as cucumbers for thousands of years. Though these cucumber-melons are called by many different names, to the outside world they are known as “carosello”. A specific town or village will often grow their own specific carosello cucumber variety. In order to distinguish the variety from a carosello in another area, the name of a specific variety may include a specific trait of the cucumber, but almost always include the origin of the variety. ‘Mezzo Lungo’ means ‘half long’. That part of the variety name may have originated from being compared with length of the local ‘Tortarello’ or local snake melon. There is a Mezzo Lungo from Barese, which tends to be slightly longer and a Mezzo Lungo from Polignano, which tends to be a bit shorter. Both are known to be very fuzzy, crisp cylindrical cucumber varieties.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fuzzy fruit is the primary reason why I had made a note to grow the specific population of Mezzo Lungo from Angelo again. This population, which was named variety #3, sprouted well. In order to give the unknown variety more time to mature, I started the Mezzo Lungo Polignano seedlings in ten inch hydroponic baskets until they were large enough to require planting into the garden. They grew very well and matured quickly. They began setting fruit in early August and by late August, the fruit varied from being ready for fresh-eating to ripe for seed-saving. Unfortunately, there was a bit of variation in fruit color and length. But the color variation was rare and I eliminated as much of that fruit as I could. On the positive side, the fuzziness was quite thick and pronounced, the fruit was crisp, but much juicier than any other Mezzo Lungo varieties that I have tried. For a Mezzo Lungo, the flavor was quite good too. As a result, I decided that this population will become the foundation for my future Mezzo Lungo Polignano (short) and Mezzo Lungo Barese (long) carosello varieties.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Despite all of my faults and mistakes, I am grateful that I can try out different carosello varieties. Even different populations of the same variety – provided to me by various growers and seed companies – enable me to determine what fruit would be most desirable for market growers. Though there are many wonderful and unique indigenous and heirloom vegetable varieties, very few will continue to be grown or shared if they do not perform well or taste good.