Known by various names, Momordica charantia, or bitter melon, is a tropical vegetable in the gourd family. In Asia, it is a popular remedy for various ailments. The unripe fruits are processed into delicious vegetable dishes.
The bitter melons are harvested immature
In Asia, Africa, South America and the Caribbean, the bitter gourd, also known as the bitter gourd or balsam pear, is deliberately cultivated as a crop, while in the southeastern United States it is almost considered a weed.
The right location for the bitter melon
In its tropical homeland, the bitter melon grows in warm, humid places, which you can probably hardly offer it. Therefore, outdoor cultivation is difficult in this country. It is most likely to succeed in a mild area. In the greenhouse, on the other hand, the bitter melon thrives quite well. The soil should be able to hold the required moisture well.
Like all gourds, the bitter melon forms long tendrils and requires a correspondingly large amount of space. You can also pull the plant very decoratively on trellises, similar to snake cucumbers. Grown as a container plant, a climbing aid is essential for the bitter melon.
How should I care for my bitter melon?
The bitter melon is not considered hardy, so it does not belong outdoors before the ice saints. If you have bought seeds, then you should prefer them in the warm apartment or in a heated greenhouse.
Water the bitter melon regularly, it needs a lot of moisture, but the soil should not be too wet. Give the fast-growing plant a little fertilizer about once a week. Special fertilizer for vegetable plants or well-rotted compost is well suited. The fruits are harvested when they are still unripe.
The essentials in brief:
- prefers moist soil
- can be pulled on trellises
- A little difficult to grow outdoors
- can be grown well in the greenhouse
- Flowering time about 5 weeks after sowing
- Harvest time about 1 to 3 weeks after flowering (unripe fruits)
- Fruits are harvested immature
- contains many bitter substances
- is used as a remedy
- possible healing effect: against cancer, fungi and viruses, lowers blood sugar, protects the stomach
- Overdose side effects: abdominal pain, diarrhea, mild blood poisoning
- Pregnant women should not eat bitter melon!
tips
As an outdoor plant, the bitter melon is only suitable to a limited extent. In a mild area you can try cultivation, otherwise greenhouse cultivation is recommended.