Bitter melon (also known as Momordica charantia or bitter gourd) is a plant that gets its name from its taste. As a fruit that has properties of a vegetable, bitter melon contains vitamins A and C as well as iron. It has been recognized by many cultures as having medicinal value.In Chinese cuisine,bitter melon is valued for its bitter flavor, typically in stir-fries with pork, soups, Dim Sum and herbal tea.

 

Sow

Sow bitter melon seeds directly in the selected planting location's warm soil when all danger of frost has passed. Create holes about 3/4 inch deep and spaced 20 inches apart in the soil. Drop seeds in each hole, and cover the holes with a loose layer of soil. Water the planting site well. The seeds should germinate in about one week.

 

Grow

Select a warm, sunny planting location with soil that drains well.Bitter melon grows best in rich, sandy or loamy soil with an average pH level of about 6.5 but adapts to soil with a pH level as high as 8.

Wait until each bitter melon seedling has four leaves, and then remove some of the young plants so that only one plant grows from where each planting hole was located.

Install a trellis or other support structure beside your bitter melon vines. The vines will climb on and be supported by a trellis. An alternative is to insert bamboo poles, metal pipes or wood stakes in the soil by each plant, and connect those structures to each other with string or wire, which will support the climbing vines.

 

Harvest

Days to Maturity: 38-40 Days.Generally taste best when harvested when they reach a length of 12-15 inches, or 3-3.5 inches in diameter.The fruit is most often eaten green, or as it is beginning to turn yellow. At this stage, the fruit’s flesh is crunchy and watery in texture.