The Kuska plant, famous for its weight loss benefits, gives off miniature watermelon visuals with a cucumber-like taste that you can easily buy from online stores.
Scroll down to learn more about the Kuska plant and why it is becoming famous after what the late Dr. Sebi said on TikTok.
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What Is Kuska Plant?
The Kuska plant (Melothria scabra) is a hybrid variety of cucumber added to the Cucurbitaceae family.
With hybrid variety, it does not mean the Kuska is genetically modified. Instead, it has been in the food world for centuries, mainly in Mexico.
You can identify the Kuska plant from its fruit. It has the size of a grape, the look of a watermelon, and the taste of lemon and cucumber.
For this, the Kuska plant famously goes by Cucamelon, with other common names being Mexican miniature Watermelon, Mouse melon, and Mexican sour gherkins.
Moreover, people consume Kuska fruit to savor the mild, sour taste similar to fresh or pickled olives.
Meanwhile, the Kuska fruit is low in calories, high in fiber, and has anti-inflammatory properties. So you can say the Kuska plant is a package of medicinal benefits.
Where Can I Buy Kuska Plant?
If you are looking for the famous South Asian dish Kuska Rice, you might have to surf YouTube. However, if your choice is the Kuska plant, scroll down.
The Kuska plant was new when it was first introduced in 2013 but has now received recognition from reputable sites.
Some online retailers you can visit for Kuska plant or its seed for sale are as follows.
| Places to Buy | Product |
|---|---|
| Amazon | Seeds |
| Etsy | Seedlings |
| Walmart | Seeds |
| eBay | Seeds |
| eBay | Seedlings |
| Parkseed | Seeds |
Also, local nurseries have started breeding the Cucamelon and storing the herbal supplements related to the Kuska. So you can also check with them before buying online.
How To Care For Kuska Plant?
Although the Kuska plant has recently surfaced in the culinary world, people have brought various ways to germinate and grow it.
Mostly, they use tubs, pots, or grow bags to start the seeds in April. Meanwhile, they provide the Kuska with the required growing conditions to receive a mature plant in about three months.
Here are some of the optimum care needs of the Kuska plant.
- Provide at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight and partial shade during heated afternoon days.
- Avoid watering the Cucamelon at night and supply at least an inch of water weekly.
- Maintain an optimum temperature between 65ºF and 75ºF. Also, do not let it drop below 50ºF.
- Ensure the humidity is in the range of 60-80%. If not, you can install a humidifier or use the pebble tray method.
- Moreover, the Kuska plant loves well-draining, slightly acidic soil (6.1-6.8 pH) rich in organic matter.
- Fertilize the seedling after 3 to 4 weeks of germination with a balanced fertilizer diluted at 1/4th strength.
- Meanwhile, use balanced fertilizer once in mid-summer for fruiting.
- Also, pinch off the tip of vines in spring and early summer to promote new growth.
- Spray neem oil and insecticidal soap once a year during the active season to control pests.
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Exotic Plant That Shook The Market!
The Kuska is pest and disease-resistant and drought-tolerant. Also, they are rich in alkaloids that have various antioxidant and anti-microbial properties.
Meanwhile, after taking the harvest of the first year, you can scrape off seeds from the fruit and germinate new ones using it.
Or else you can go for reputable sources to buy healthy and viable seeds.
