Species Name: Benincasa hispida

Common Names: Winter Melon, Wax Gourd, White Gourd, Winter Gourd, Ash Gourd, Tallow Gourd, Flour Gourd, Chinese Preserving Melon

Family: Cucurbitaceae

Origin

Winter melon is native to South and Southeast Asia.

Culinary Uses

Winter melons produce large green, waxy fruit that are usually eaten as a vegetable.  The flesh on its own is mildly sweet but fairly bland, it's best sliced or diced and added to Asian soups and curries where it can take on the flavour of the dish.  Young shoots and leaves can also be cooked and eaten as a green vegetable.  The waxy coating on mature Winter melon fruits protect them from decay, once harvested they have a long shelf of up to one year if stored in a cool, dry and dark location.  Winter melons harvested young will be hairier and less waxy than mature fruits and will not keep as well.  Winter melons should be picked with their stalk intact or they may be quick to rot starting at the wound left where the stem attached to the fruit.

Growing Tips

Winter melons will produce best when planted in a full sun location.  Gardeners in warmer climates may choose to grow Winter melon in a lightly shaded location to reduce heat stress on plants during the hottest parts of the day.  Winter melon plants grow best in a free-draining, fertile soil rich in organic matter.  If your garden soil is sandy, heavy with clay or lacking in organic matter placing down a layer of compost or well-rotted manure prior to planting Winter melons will be beneficial.  Top dress around Winter melon plants with a complete organic fertiliser if growth is slow or at the first sign of leaf yellowing or any nutrient deficiencies.  Water Winter melon plants regularly and apply mulch around them to help retain soil moisture.  Winter melon vines grow large and are very heavy when fully laden with fruit so be sure to provide them with a sturdy trellis to grow on.  Trellising Winter melons also allows airflow around the leaves which helps to reduce fungal diseases and keeps the fruit off the ground where they may otherwise fall victim to pests.  If fruit set is poor it's likely that insect pollinators are absent, Winter melon plants have separate male and female flowers and can be successfully hand pollinated by transferring pollen from the male flowers to the female flowers with a fine paintbrush.

When to Sow

In temperate regions of Australia sow Winter melon seeds from mid Spring to early Summer.  In subtropical and tropical regions of Australia sow Winter melon seeds from early Spring to early Summer.  

How to Sow

Winter melon seeds have a seed coat that is resistant to water so they need to be be soaked prior to sowing.  The best way to do this is to pour just boiled water over the seeds and allow them to re-hydrate overnight before sowing them the following day.  Sow Winter melon seeds 2.5cm deep spacing plants about 50cm apart to avoid overcrowding and allow sufficient airflow between plants.  Winter melon plants spaced too closely together will be stunted due to competition for soil nutrients and be more susceptible to powdery mildew and other fungal diseases.

Germination Time

Winter melon seeds will generally germinate between 7 and 14 day after sowing, although sometimes germination will be erratic and they can take longer.

Time to Harvest

Winter melon vines take a long time to to grow to maturity and start producing fruit.  Expect to begin harvesting Winter melon fruits 14 to 16 weeks after sowing the seeds.