African horned cucumber Kiwano - 20 seeds AB - La ferme Sainte Marthe

Kiwano African Horned Cucumber: a delicious curiosity

The African Horned Cucumber, also known as Métulon or Kiwano, is a real rarity in the garden!

Its juicy, delicate flesh offers a mild, bitter-free flavor, with subtle notes of kiwi or banana, depending on the fruit's stage of ripeness. Ideal for eating raw, natureor added to a fruit salad. It also goes perfectly with fish and a dash of lime juice, and can even be used in certain cocktails.

Successful cultivation of the Kiwano African horned cucumber

For best results, we recommend sowing the seeds in warm pots at a minimum temperature of 20°C, between March and May. Once the plants have three leaves and the risk of frost has passed, they can be transplanted into the ground. Be sure to choose a warm, sunny spot, with adequate spacing between plants.

Care and harvesting

Once planted, African horned cucumbers require regular, but not excessive, watering at the base, as well as mulching to preserve soil moisture. Fruits are generally harvested in late August or early September, when they have reached a yellow/orange color. They can be stored for several weeks at room temperature, in a well-ventilated room.

Growing tips

Most cucumber varieties tend to take up a lot of space in the garden, due to their long stems. However, they can be climbed on a support, such as a wire mesh, to save space and make harvesting easier. The cucumber tendrils will help to secure them naturally to the support.

Further information

Packaging: Bag of 20 seeds
Type Reproducible seeds
Label: Organic agriculture
Plant habit: Climbing
Soil: drained
Germination temperature: 22 to 25°C
Sowing depth: equal to the size of the seed, on the edge, pointing upwards.
Seed emergence: 5 to 10 days
Sowing technique: in stacks of 3 to 4 seeds
Sowing container: in cups