Giant Katsura Pickling Melon is our pick for Unusual Edible for May 2018
Why?
Because ‘salt-pressed pickles’, that’s why.

Giant Katsura Melon grows on a vine and you can expect fruit 5″ in diameter and 14″ long give or take.  You might need to hand pollinate the flowers for heavy production.  The fruit tastes like cucumbers and can be eaten raw in salads or prepared using the Japanese pickle press technique as a pickle of delicious quality.    It’s surprisingly easy to grow here in the cool East Bay climate and I am surprised most gardeners seem unaware of this Asian delicacy.  Lends itself to growing on trellis or arbors and with a little finagling I get you could run it up a fence with a couple nails and a little fishing line.

4″ pot $3.99 while supplies last