Bitter melon

Requirements for Bitter melon growing and care:

Trellising, mulch

What is the best way to start growing?
Plant / Seedling / Seed

Is it necessary to graft or use vegetative reproduction?
No

Difficulties or problems when growing:
Rot problems

Planting season:
Spring to summer

Pests and diseases:
Powdery mildew, aphids, moth, virus

Pruning season:
All season

How to prune:
Infected braches

Size of the plant?
1-3 m, 40-120 inches

Growth speed in optimal condition:
Fast growing

Water requirement:
Average amount of water

Light conditions in optimal condition for growing:
Full Sun

Is it possible to grow indoor as houseplant?
No

Growing is also possible in a planter /flowerpot / containers:
Yes

How to grow in containers:
Planting in containers need to be at least 10-20L (2.5-5 gallons), well-drained soil, the plant not react well to overwater, need to make enough holes in the container for good drainage also choosing soil for container important and need to be soil well ventilated, can be potting mix or peat soil with perlite, when use bottom for the pot need that it will dry in the same day.

Blooming information

Bloom season:
Spring / Summer

General information about the flower
Yellow with five petals, there is male and female flower on the same plant

Pollination is done by:
Bees, flies +

Edible Fruit

Fruit harvest season:
Summer / Autumn

Fruits pests or diseases:
Beetle

What can be done with big quantities of Bitter melon fruits?
Cooked, stuffed

Work requirements on the fruit:
Pick on time

How long does it take to bear fruit?
60-80 days

How to grow Bitter melon from seed

Sowing requirement:
Easy to sow no special treatment, sowing temperature 15-40C (65-104F) but better to sow in 21-25C (70-77F)

Saving seeds until sowing:
Room temperature, dry place

Sowing season:
Spring (but in warm weather possible in the summer) and in cold climate start in the winter indoor

How to plant:
Better to plant it in light soil that will be well ventilated and keep the moist like vermiculite

Planting spacing – How far apart to plant:
Depend if trellising 40*50cm (16*20 inches) when crawling 1*1.25m (40-50 inches), sowing to transplanting 5*5cm (2*2 inches)

Depth of Sowing:
1-2cm (0.5-1 inch) from the top

Conditions for seeds germinate:
Moist soil, full sun

Watering requires for Seeds:
Average amount of water, don’t let it dry

Germination time:
5-20 days

Condition of seedling:
Warm weather, big amount of water, full sun, place to trellising

Scientific name:

Momordica charantia

Alternative names: Bitter apple, Bitter gourd, Karela, bitter squash; balsam-pear