How to Grow Bitter Melon? A Detailed Guide to Growing the King of Gourds

Bitter melon is also called liang gua, jin lizhi, lai gua and so on. It is widely cultivated in China and is an excellent choice for clearing heat and reducing internal fire; eating it in summer is very beneficial to the body. So, what growing methods are there for bitter melon? Let's find out together!

1. Seed selection and soil preparation

Choose excellent varieties that bear large fruits and have good resistance. Bitter melon is not very demanding about soil, so it is also often grown on balconies; just a little soil and some fertilizer will let it bear fruit. If growing outdoors, when preparing the soil you need to rework the entire soil layer as much as possible, spread a layer of quicklime to disinfect it, and finally spread a thick layer of decomposed farmyard manure and turn the soil over once more.

2. Sowing and raising seedlings

Bitter melon seeds are relatively hard, so if sown directly the germination rate will not be very high and the process will be fairly slow. Therefore, we usually soak the seeds in water for three to four days, then take them out, drain off the water, wrap them in cotton cloth, and place them at a temperature of 25 degrees to promote germination. After about five days they can be sown. When sowing, we generally dig holes and sow, that is, at a spacing of 30 cm between each plant and 40 cm between each row, evenly put in three seeds, then cover them with thin soil, usually about three to four cm thick, and finally water once and wait for the seedlings to emerge.

3. Field management

The most important part of field management is fertilizer and water management. Throughout the entire growth process of bitter melon, fruiting happens in batches, so it needs a large amount of nutrients and water. Generally, when the bitter melon seedlings emerge three to four cm above the soil, they need one watering. When the seedlings grow to 20 to 30 cm, some urea should be applied as a seedling-promoting fertilizer. At the same time, during this period the melon field also needs trellising so that the vines grow along the frame, which can increase the fruiting rate. When bitter melon flowers for the first time, we need to water and fertilize at the same time, generally using phosphate fertilizer and potassium fertilizer. When it begins to bear fruit, it needs multiple waterings. Finally, after each harvest, fertilizer must be applied to ensure the fruiting rate of the next round.

4. Pest and disease control

The most common diseases of bitter melon are damping-off disease and powdery mildew. Generally, Duolingjun and Baijunqing solutions are used for spraying, once every ten days, and after about two or three times it recovers. However, within fifteen days of harvesting bitter melon, no pesticide may be sprayed. Because its branches, leaves, flowers and fruits all have a bitter taste, bitter melon suffers relatively few pests, but aphids sometimes appear and can be killed by spraying Bordeaux mixture or trichlorfon solution.

5. Timely harvesting

Bitter melon should not be harvested too late; it can be harvested as early as possible, because bitter melon harvested early has a milder bitterness and the fruit is also more tender, so it tastes much better. Harvesting is generally done when the bitter melon has just slightly light yellow-green color. Bitter melon harvested too late turns orange, and rotten fruits may appear, or even become unfit to eat.

The above is the growing method for bitter melon compiled for you by the Tuliu.com editor. We hope it can help you!