Hiya,
This is the first year i've grown pepino. The problem is the flower keep dropping off. Has anyone tried this? Living in England i have a short season so i'm running out of time if it doesn't set fruit soon.
The water isn't the problem as it stays moist at all times. And it has plenty of room to grow.
Do they need pollination partners?
Any ideas????
Pepino drop
I take it this is something other than cucumbers?
Hiya, Yeah this is Solanum muricatum. Its grows very simliar to the tomato being a solanum.
There is very little on the internet about these.
If it's like tomatoes, it may need more heat than you get in order to do well, I know here in CA people living near the coast have trouble growing tomatoes because it doesn't get hot enough for them, but inland a bit they do great. Of course I don't know anything specifically about your part of the UK, I'm just going off my general impression that it doesn't get too hot over there in the summer.
Hi Ecrane,
Thanks for the note. The plants are looking really healthy its just the flowers won't set.
The area i live in has quite a few tomato growers. These are grown under glass.
Also i read somewhere that Pepino will take short cold spells. (it didn't say how cold.)
I'll post a picture ASAP.
Mike
Here is a piccy
Tomatoes can take short cold spells too, and they can grow and look great and healthy under cool conditions, but if they don't get enough days with enough heat, they won't set much fruit. I'm not familiar with your plant, but just having the ability to survive a few cold spells doesn't mean that it's going to produce fruit well under consistently fairly chilly conditions. If people in your area are only successful with tomatoes if they grow them under glass, you may need to do the same thing with your pepino if you want fruit.
Hiya,
I grow them in the same greenhouse as capsicum, naranjilla's etc. So i know temperature isn't the problem. Tomato's can grow outside here in pots or bags.
I think its something to do with pollination, just recently i've started trying to hand pollinate.
Hi Mike
Try this info:
http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/pepino.html
Could have something to do with night time temps....
Yours looks like a very healthy plant!
Lizzy
Hi,
Now night time temps makes sense, Although its not news i wanted to hear!
How did you find that site? I've been searching for weeks.
Think there is no point me trying to grow them my season isnt long enough at that temperature at night.
Thanks again
Mike
Mike I can't remember how I found it - but DG usually throws out a lot of usefull info!! I'm sorry about your situation and I wish I could take your baby off your hands LOL
did you keep enough seeds back for next year?
Hey thats spooky how did you know i have a baby?
I was hoping for fruit to get next years seeds.
Oooops - I didn't mean THAT baby!
Anyway = I doubt I could do any better here - it went down to 18 degs on our porch last night!!!
Hehehe. They grow from cuttings realy easy so i might keep taking cuttings in the house over winter and then in spring i can plant them in the green house again. Then just maybe i might have fruit next summer.
If you like tropical fruit what do you think of this picture?
Do you swap seeds Bizzy? I have quite a few if your interested.
Mike
Oh yes, indeed I do Mike!!!!!
I don't know what that plant is but it is quite gorgeous. It looks like a cross between a Brug and a Dat.. Is it edible?
I have only just begun to collect seeds of unusual plants - particularly fruit and veg. We have only been in Spain two years and have taken our time getting to know our garden. Next year I will have lots of things to trade. This year I will have some seeds but smaller quanitites. But I would love to do a trade or two.
Your idea of taking cuttings is a brilliant solution to getting going early in the spring. Pure genius man!!!!
The plant in the picture is a Naranjilla (spelling?) Its a tropical fruit. They are even better in real life. Again no seeds yet but its starting to flower so we will see.
Dmail me and i'll send you my list.
It had to be a nightshade. It is very beautiful and I covet your plant.
I have dmailed you.
http://www.produceoasis.com/Items_folder/Fruits/Pepino.html they are a type of melon i grew theam a few years back i did not care for the taste Regards Paul PS. they like a lot of heat
No, really , this is no type of melon but Solanum muricatum, one of the nightshade family.
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/articles/Naranjilla-cocona.html
Hi,
yep you are both right but the melon bit is the common name, but both plants are the solanum family.
so technically not a Melon. but in my job all my customers use comon names. Drives me insane! if i have one more person ask me for a japonica i'll hit them with something spikey!
deep breaths... deep breaths
or broad and heavy! ;)
I save my heavy breathing for making dirty phone calls! heheh
i dont think you will like the taste mike. heyMike got any japonica LOL
I would do my heavy breathing but i can't remmember the code for spain! hehhehe