FREE: Rare Heirloom Chilacayote (Shark Fin Melon) Seeds

The listing, Rare Heirloom Chilacayote (Shark Fin Melon) Seeds has ended.

DESCRIPTION: In warm climates this squash can be grown like a perennial, but is usually cultivated as an annual vegetable. The fruits have a snowy white pulp and black seeds. When cooked the flesh separates into strings like a spaghetti squash earning it the nickname ‘shark fin melon’ in Asia, as its texture is reminiscent of the stringy cartilage. Fruits can be harvested at any stage. Use like zucchini when young and try it in stews, candied, or pickled when fully ripe. Young shoots are also edible. The protein-rich seeds are edible raw or cooked; try them roasted! Very prolific, single vines can support fifty to a hundred 8 - 15 lb melons! 12 seeds. 110 Days to maturity.
^^^^ In the 4th photo, I had a single vine I let run wild last year that produce 40 melons, over 350 lbs! The 50 some odd blossoms are from a single morning's harvest from the same vine ^^^^

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DIRECT SEEDING:
Sow the seeds outside in May. Plant likes fertile soils, but is very resistant to poor and dry soils. A very fast growing plant that produces many fruit and flowers regularly. Thin flowers and trim side vines to control growth. Thinned flowers are great stuffed with cheese and pan fried! Vines can grow 1-3 feet per day during peak growing season.

HARVEST:
Melons are ready to harvest when the rinds are hard and dull. If a light frost kills the vines, cut the fruits from the vines with 3-4" of stem attached before they are damaged by heavy frost.

STORAGE:
Melons can be stored for many months up to a year or more in cool dry conditions. In some countries, the renowned shelf-life has earned it the moniker the '7 year melon!'