Melon - Bitter
Melon - Bitter is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
A prolific, open-pollinated, traditional variety of bitter melon. The fruit are heavily warted and up to 25 - 30 cm long. Fruit are best picked when young and green.
Product: Melon - Bitter
Product type: SEED ()
Botanical name: Momordica charantia
Syn. Fu kwa, Balsam Pear or Bitter Gourd. A vine with small, fragrant flowers, it produces prolifically but may need hand pollination in cool climates. The fruit weigh up to 20 kg but are best picked at 1.5 kg, bigger fruit is more bitter. The fruit is peeled, rubbed with salt and left for an hour then rinsed and the central spongy pith discarded. Seeds should not be eaten. Used as a cooked vegetable and in pickles and curries. Young leaves and shoots are edible.
Plant type: Tropical annual vine; frost tender
Plant height: 2m, across the ground, or on a trellis
Sow when: Germinates best at 28 - 30°C soil temp.
Temperate: Early spring, needs a long growing season, start indoors
Subtropical: Spring to early autumn
Tropical: Dry season
Germination: 5 - 10 days
Depth: 2.5 cm deep
Position: Full sun
Sow where: Direct into garden bed
Soil type: Well drained, add compost, pH 6.5
Rows: 1.5 m
Details: Soak seeds overnight in warm water before sowing; pinch out the vine tips to encourage branching
Harvest: Up to 5 months
Suitable for hot and humid: Suitable for hot and humid growing conditions
seeds per packet
Momordica charantia
Tropical annual vine; frost tender
Melon - Bitter
A prolific, open-pollinated, traditional variety of bitter melon. The fruit are heavily warted and up to 25 - 30 cm long. Fruit are best picked when young and green.