How to Grow Bitter Melon

Grow bitter melons where daytime temperatures average between 75 and 80°F (24-31°C). Plant bitter melons in late spring or early summer. Sow seed outdoors or set out transplants no sooner than two to three weeks after all danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed to at least 60 to 65°F (15-18°C).

Is Bitter melon easy to grow?
Does bitter gourd need sun or shade?
How many days does bitter gourd take to grow?
What does Bitter melon taste like?
How do you fertilize bitter gourd?
How do you take care of a bitter melon plant?
Can bitter gourd grow in shade?
Is Bitter melon bad for kidneys?
Is Bitter melon annual or perennial?
Is Bitter melon poisonous?

Is Bitter melon easy to grow?

Growing bitter gourd (bitter melon) in pots is easy. Similar to squashes, cucumbers, and melons. You'll need a 12-16 inches deep pot and a sturdy trellis. However, the bitter melon vine can grow more than 5 m (16 feet) long.

Does bitter gourd need sun or shade?

Soil, Planting, and Care

Like other members of the squash family, bitter melon produces vines that grow 13 to 16 feet long. Plant bitter melon where it receives at least 6 hours of sunshine. In Southern regions, it's okay to site seedlings in a spot with light shade, as long as vines can ramble into full-sun areas.

How many days does bitter gourd take to grow?

Harvesting. he crop of bitter gourd takes about 55-60 days from seed sowing to reach first harvest. Further pickings should be done at an interval of 2-3 days as bitter gourd fruits mature very fast and turn red.

What does Bitter melon taste like?

Bitter melon has a crunchy husk, like a green pepper, and a watery texture, like a cucumber. But it's weedy, alkaline taste is unlike any other like fruit or vegetable. Even to my trained taste buds, bitter melon is nearly inedible raw.

How do you fertilize bitter gourd?

Fertilizer Application

Apply 10 to 20 tons organic fertilizer per hectare or decomposed animal manure or compost before field preparation to supplement inorganic fertilizer. At planting, apply complete fertilizer (14-14-14) at the rate of 20 grams or two tbsp per hill.

How do you take care of a bitter melon plant?

Site: Bitter melons grow best in hot and humid climates. Choose a warm, sunny location—at least 6 hours each day–to plant. Plant bitter melons in compost-rich, well-drained soil with a pH ranging from 5.5 to 6.7. Prepare growing beds in advance of planting by adding aged compost and aged manure.

Can bitter gourd grow in shade?

Bitter gourd is a summer vegetables. But in extreme heat conditions it is better to grow them under partial shade. At very high temperatures the fruits tend to get 'cooked' in the sun; they become soft and dry.

Is Bitter melon bad for kidneys?

charantia fruit extract (Bitter melon) as single dose has not any significant adverse effects on renal function and structure. Longer-term consumption for 7 days can cause some complications in kidney tissue and its function.

Is Bitter melon annual or perennial?

Sometimes called balsam pear, bitter melon (Momordica charantia) is an ornamental tropical vine grown for its spiny fruit and lobed leaves. It is most widely grown as an annual, but it is truly perennial within U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 and 11.

Is Bitter melon poisonous?

Ingestion of the seeds of bitter melon can cause toxicity to red blood cells, which includes headache, fever, abdominal pain, and coma.