[Zeedman]

Originally Posted by tarpalsfan

I don't know why, as I can grow other gourds just fine, but Cucuzzi doesn't well here. Edible Snake does great here. I also like Tambuli gourds.

I'm surprised cucuzzi does poorly there, especially if you grow other hard-shelled gourds.

Spitting cucumbers! How cool! I saw them on t.v. before.

There are spitting cucumbers, and there are exploding cucumbers... mine are the ones that look like a fat question mark with soft spines. It is important not to confuse C. explodens (which is edible) with Ecballium elaterium (which is poisonous). C. explodens has vigorous, ivy-like climbing vines.

I saw Fig Leaved gourd seed in the Sand Hill Preservation Center. My mind is saying maybe...then where are you gonna put it!

You are fortunate to have a climate to its liking, since it is a perennial where the ground does not freeze. MONSTROUS vines, though... easily 20-25' long, and they will climb over anything that they encounter. I grew it here, but the vines are photo-period sensitive, and will not bloom until days approach 12 hours in length; so no ripe squash here.

Chayote squash is another perennial that would probably do well in your climate. I grew it when I lived in California, it was probably the most interesting & rewarding vegetable I ever grew.

About your bitter melon. I am trying the Abashi because it is supposed to be a 'mild' bitter melon. My favorite was Green Skin though. I grow it every other year, even if I didn't eat the gourds, I'd for the vine and lovely little yellow flowers!

I mainly grow trellises of BM & other gourds between rows of different beans (as part of my isolation strategy) and as wind breaks. I do like the sweet scent of the flowers, though... and the local bees really love them. DW eats some of the melons to help with diabetes. We like the milder ones also, although I grow a small, very bitter variety that some of our Filipino friends like to pickle.

I had to look several times to find Baker Creek's bitter melon listings... didn't expect to find them listed under "melons". Big Top looks like one of the Chinese varieties I've been trying to de-hybridize - if similar, it is one of the mildest that I've tried. Some of mine reached 2 pounds last year. Taiwan White looks interesting, I'll probably order some before it runs out, and may even grow it this year. Been looking for a white variety for some time, and have only found hybrids... if it is as mild & as large as they say, it could become one of my regulars.

I read that you aren't supposed to eat it raw, do you know why not? (I do, cooked too)

There is a lot of conflicting information out there concerning raw BM. Some claim it is poisonous raw, other claim to juice it raw. One of our friends told us that the top-shaped BM was so mild, she enjoyed eating raw. We only eat it cooked or pickled. There is just as much conflicting info about the sweet red gel that surrounds the ripe seeds.