Seeds Specifications
| Common Name | Bitter gourd, Bitter melon, Bitter cucumber, Karela (Hindi), Balsam pear, Balsam apple |
| Height | Bitter melon produces vines that grow 13 to 16 feet long. |
| Flower Colour | Yellow |
| Bloom Time | Year round |
| Difficulty Level | Easy to grow |
Planting and care
- Watering should b done when the soil feels dry
- Once fully dried, the fruit will open and you can collect the white or brown colour seeds for further sowing
Bitter Gourd care
- Raised the beds of 120cm width (120 cm) Seeds are sown at 2 x 1
- 5 m spacing
- Irrigation is done in the beds
- Seeds are soak in water over night before sowing for better germination
| Sunlight | Partial to full sun |
| Watering | Keep soil consistently moist. Like other squash or melons, bitter melon fruits develop best when soil moisture remains even. |
| Soil | Soil should be fertile, but well-drained, with a pH of 5.5 to 6.7 |
| Temperature | 15 to 30°C |
| Fertilizer | Apply any organic fertilizer. |
| Harvest Season | Tender and young fruits are harvested. |
Bitter Gourd special feature
Bitter gourd is cultivated extensively throughout India.
Bitter Gourd uses
Medicinal Use:
- Bitter gourd lowers blood glucose levels
- Bitter gourd lowers dietary carbohydrate digestion
- Bitter
gourd reduces the amount of glucose that is released into the blood by
inhibiting the enzymes that break down disaccharides to two
monosaccharides
- Bitter gourd plant insulin discovered and reverses insulin resistance
- Bitter gourd helps weight loss
Culinary Use:
- To prepare bitter melon, slice the fruit open and remove seeds and pith, do not peel
- Beginners to bitter melon may parboil the fruit to lessen bitterness, although aficionados say this changes the texture too much
- Typically bitter melon is stuffed, pickled, or curried and served with meat or in soup
- The fruit pairs well with other strong flavours, like garlic, Chinese black beans, chilli peppers, or coconut milk
