melathria scabra

What is that you say?

They are among other things, called cucamelons, or mouse melons and I hope to grow them next year.  The size of a grape and tasting like a cucumber with a squeeze of tangy lime.

But in the meantime, I am hungrily awaiting my cucumbers, hoping they don't up and die on me.  I've learned all kinds of things about the way they vine this year, first intuitively, finding their little tendrils, and helping them climb.  And, then I did a little research, which made me love them even more, and their sensitive little tendril leaves that they send out into the air, looking for a connection.  

A fun fact about cucumbers:

" Cucumber tendrils are literally touch sensitive. When the tendril comes in contact with what feels to be a solid object, it will slowly and tightly wrap around it. Cucumber tendrils are made up of specialized cells that react chemically and then electrically (much like our own sense of touch) to being touched. This behavior was first scientifically noted by the ever famous Charles Darwin."