Painted Serpent Cucumber (72 Days)

The Painted Serpent Cucumber is a mild, delicious fruit that is not a true cucumber but a melon that originated in Armenia. Light green fruits have darker striped ribs, curling into snakelike shapes. Grows 2-4’ long, but best picked at 15”. Produces on a long vine.    20 seeds PLANTING Cucumis melo Germination: 4-10 days Germination Temperature: Optimum soil temperatures 70-85ºF Seed Sowing Depth: 1/2-1" deep Sowing Indoors: 3-4 weeks before last frost. Provide 70-85ºF soil temperature. Sow 2-3 seeds per cell/pot. Sowing into individual biodegradable peat/cow pots reduces root damage when transplanting. Transplant 36-48" apart after last frost.  Sowing Outdoors: Sow after last frost when soil temperature is over 70ºF. Sow a few seeds every 36-48".  Harvest: Check and pick every day to keep the harvest flowing. Tips: The Painted Serpent Cucumber should be planted in fertile soil, amended with compost or well rotted manure and kept well watered. Trellising the vines allows for good air circulation, takes up less space and provides shade for heat sensitive crops like lettuce. They benefit from growing on black plastic and by using row covers for weed, insect control, and more rapid growth.