Momordica charantia
Bitter melon
Common names: Bitter cucumber, Balsam pear
At a glance
- Light
- Full sun
- Spacing
- 60 cm, rows 100 cm
- Lifespan
- Annual
- Sowing
- Mar–Apr
- Harvest
- Jul–Sep
- Hardiness
- Cold damage below 10 °C
- Water need
- High
Photo: Francisco Manuel Blanco (O.S.A.) · Public Domain · Source
This description was machine-translated.
Description
The bitter melon, botanically Momordica charantia, is a climbing vine from the Cucurbitaceae family that originates in tropical Asia. It produces pungent, elongated fruits with a pronounced bitter taste that is valued in Asian cuisine. The plant is heat‑loving and, in temperate regions, is successfully cultivated only in a greenhouse or a protected, sunny spot as a summer crop. Unripe green fruits are only tolerable raw in small amounts; for consumption they are usually blanched to reduce bitterness. Children and pets should exercise caution, as ripe orange fruits with seeds can cause nausea when consumed in larger quantities.
Care instructions
Sow the bitter melon at the end of March to mid‑April (weeks 13 to 15) in a warm room, with germination temperatures above 20 °C. Transplant seedlings after the frost dates, mid‑May (week 20), into a greenhouse or a protected, full‑sun outdoor location. Provide a sturdy trellis or support, as the plant climbs several meters quickly. Keep the soil evenly moist and fertilize regularly with mature compost during the growing period. Harvest fruits while they are green and still firm, before they turn orange, to maintain a mild flavor suitable for cooking.
The care notes were machine-translated from German.
Garden year
SowingMar–Apr
HarvestJul–Sep
Germination
- Soil temperature
- from 18 °C, ideally 28 °C
- Days to sprout
- 7 to 14 days
- Light
- Sprouts in light or dark
- Sowing depth
- 1.5 cm
- How to start
- Start indoors, then plant out
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
humus-rich, nutrient-rich, well-drained, moist
The bitter melon likes loose, humus-rich soil that lets water through well and still stays evenly moist. Heavy, waterlogged soil quickly leads to root rot, so a portion of compost at planting helps for good structure. A warm, sheltered spot with humus-rich soil produces the best vines.
As a member of the gourd family, the bitter melon should only return to the same bed after four years at the earliest, to avoid soil fatigue and fungal pressure.
Feeding
Heavy feeder
Months
May–Aug
As a heavy feeder, the bitter melon appreciates regular doses of compost or well-rotted manure during the growing and harvest season. A mulch layer of organic material retains moisture and supplies nutrients on the side. A portion of compost or nettle liquid feed every two to three weeks supports vigorous vine growth and fruit set.
Overwintering
In Central Europe the bitter melon is frost-tender and will not survive a winter outdoors. It is grown as an annual and cleared away after the last harvest in autumn. In a greenhouse with enough warmth the crop can theoretically be extended, but in practice a fresh sowing the following year is worthwhile for hobby gardeners.
Propagation
Methods
- From seed
Propagation is by seed, which is started from March in seed pots at warm temperatures. Lightly nicking the hard seed coat before sowing noticeably speeds up germination. After the last frosts in mid-May · week 20, the young plants can move to a warm, sheltered spot outdoors or into the greenhouse. Plan a climbing support from the start, because the shoots grow upwards quickly.
Companion planting
Good neighbors
legume family (Fabaceae)
Beans and peas enrich the soil with nitrogen, which cucurbits, as heavy feeders, can make good use of.
For example PeaBush beanPole beanBroad beanSnow peaWrinkled pea and 36 more species in the catalogue
Source: classic companion planting (DACH-Gartenpraxis)
Rather not
nightshade family (Solanaceae)
You should avoid planting potato and cucumber together because they share disease pathogens such as leaf and brown rot and stand in each other's way as strong feeders.
For example PotatoTomatoSweet pepperCocktail tomatoEggplantCape gooseberry and 14 more species in the catalogue
Source: basic crop-rotation rule
Companion planting is partly traditional gardening lore. Where the reason is known, it is given.
Some of these explanations were machine-translated.
For your garden
Grow Bitter melon yourself
Gartenkern tells you when frost is coming, when to sow and when to harvest, for your location.
Free, no time limit
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