Detailed Explanation of the Latest Method for Germinating Bitter Melon Seeds

Bitter melon is a cultivated species of the annual climbing herbaceous plant in the Cucurbitaceae family, also known as liang gua and lai putao. It originated in the tropical regions of Asia and is a warm-loving, heat-tolerant vegetable; its seeds require a temperature of around 30°C to germinate. Bitter melon seeds have a thick, hard coat and poor water permeability, so germination is relatively difficult. When planting, to achieve complete seedlings and strong seedlings, artificial germination and seedling raising should be carried out. The method for germinating bitter melon seeds mainly includes the following steps:

Rinse the seeds clean with clear water, then soak them in clear water for 12-16 hours.

Nip a small opening at the seed hilum to facilitate water absorption during germination and the emergence of the radicle (what people commonly call the sprout). Note that no matter what measure is used to nip a small opening at the seed hilum, the kernel inside must not be damaged.

Wrap the seeds in a clean, moist towel and place them at a temperature of around 30°C to germinate; after 2-3 days the radicle will emerge. Before sprouting, rinse both the towel and the seeds thoroughly with clear water once a day to keep the seeds clean.

Once the seeds have sprouted, they can be sown. Because individual seeds sprout at different times, if conditions permit, the seeds that sprout first can be picked out, wrapped well in a clean moist towel, and stored at low temperature in the refrigerator's cold storage compartment until the vast majority of the seeds have sprouted, then sown together.