Damon Mcknight
Bitter melon, a favourite in Asian and Southeast Asian cooking, is a climbing or sprawling vine with deeply lobed leaves. It is a subtropical plant native to tropical and subtropical Africa and Asia and is widely grown for its edible fruit, which is often used in cooking for its distinctive bitter flavour. This annual plant can be grown in Australia in a pot or in the ground, but it requires warm to hot and humid weather to mature.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Botanical variety | M. charantia var. muricata (syn. var. abbreviata) and M. charantia var. charantia |
| Climate | Subtropical |
| Sunlight | At least 6 hours of full sun each day |
| Soil | Well-drained, rich in organic matter and compost |
| Soil temperature | 25-32°C |
| Soil pH | 5.5 to 6.7 |
| Soil moisture | Moist but not wet or dry |
| Sowing depth | 15mm |
| Sowing spacing | 45-60cm apart, with rows 130-160cm apart |
| Germination time | 10-15 days |
| Growth pattern | Climbing or sprawling vine |
| Growth support | Trellis, fence, or allowed to sprawl on the ground |
| Harvest time | Approximately 75 days |
| Common pests | Spotted and striped cucumber beetles, fruit flies |
| Common diseases | Downy mildew, Fusarium wilt, bacterial wilt disease, fruit rot |
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What You'll Learn
Soil preparation and planting
Soil preparation is key to successfully growing bitter melon. Bitter melon plants need well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter. Before planting, prepare the soil by removing all weeds, digging it over to loosen it, and adding aged animal manure or compost. Keep the area free of weeds until you are ready to plant.
Bitter melon seeds have a hard outer coating, so to improve the speed and success of germination, you can scarify the seeds before planting. This involves intentionally damaging the seed's outer shell to allow water to reach the embryo. Use a sharp knife to make a shallow cut in the seed's shell or gently wear away a section of the husk with fine sandpaper or a nail file.
Bitter melon seeds grow best when sown directly into the garden. Plant the seeds 15mm deep and 45-60cm apart, with rows 130-160cm apart. If growing on a trellis, you can reduce the spacing to 30cm. The final growing spot should be in full sun, receiving at least 6 hours of sunlight each day, with rich soil.
Bitter melon is a subtropical plant and requires warm to hot and humid weather to mature. Grow bitter melons where daytime temperatures average between 24-31°C and plant in late spring or early summer. The soil temperature should be at least 15-18°C before planting.
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Climate and temperature
Bitter melon is a subtropical plant native to tropical and subtropical Africa and Asia. It requires at least three to four months of warm to hot and humid weather to mature. Daytime temperatures should ideally average between 75 and 80°F (24-31°C). It is a warm-season crop and grows best in tropical and subtropical heat and humidity.
Bitter melon is sensitive to frost and should not be transplanted or sown outside until all danger of frost has passed. In cooler areas, sow seeds indoors and use a heat mat to achieve the desired soil temperature of 25-28°C. Once the weather is reliably warm, you can harden off the seedlings before transplanting them to their final location.
The final growing spot should be in full sun, receiving at least 6 hours of sunlight each day. The soil should be rich and well-drained, with a pH ranging from 5.5 to 6.7. While bitter melon can tolerate sandy or silt loam soil, good drainage is essential.
To prevent the fruit from rotting due to contact with the earth, it is recommended to grow bitter melon against a strong trellis or fence up to 1.8 meters in height. This also helps reduce diseases and makes harvesting easier. If growing on the ground, allow at least 2 square meters per plant and use straw or plastic mulch to prevent the fruit from touching the moist soil.
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Trellising and support
Bitter melon is a climbing vine that can sprawl along the ground or be grown up a strong trellis. If you want to grow bitter melon on a trellis, you should place a trellis that is at least 6 feet (1.8 meters) high and wide next to each plant. It is important to have the support in place before you sow the seeds or transplant seedlings to avoid disturbing the plant's roots later. The vines might need to be tied to their support at first, but they will soon start to grow on their own.
If you choose to grow bitter melon on the ground, you will need to allow at least 2 square metres per plant. For vines grown on the ground, it is recommended to use straw or plastic mulch to prevent the fruit from resting on the moist soil, where they might rot.
Fruit grown on a trellis will grow longer and straighter than those grown on the ground. Growing bitter melon on a trellis can also reduce diseases and make harvesting easier. When the vine reaches the top of its trellis, prune or pinch away all lateral branches from the soil up to the 10th node. This will stimulate the upper branches to grow and produce more flowers and fruit.
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Watering and fertilising
Watering your bitter melon plants regularly is essential for fruit development and growth. The soil should be kept moist but never wet or dry. Water when the soil is dry about 5 cm below the surface. Water deeply in the early morning or late afternoon. Avoid watering the leaves of the plants to prevent fungal diseases. If growing your bitter melon on the ground, use straw or plastic mulch to prevent the fruit from resting on moist soil, which may cause it to rot.
Bitter melon plants need well-drained soil. Prepare the soil by weeding it thoroughly, digging it over to loosen it, and adding aged animal manure or compost. Keep the area free of weeds until planting. If your soil is well-prepared, no extra fertiliser should be necessary. However, you can add a slow-release organic fertiliser such as 5-10-10 around the plants early in the season. Side-dress plants with aged compost during the growing season to add nutrients and help retain moisture in the soil. To give your plants a boost, water them with compost or comfrey tea every third week during the growing season.
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Common pests and diseases
Bitter melon is susceptible to a range of pests and diseases. Young seedlings will need protection from pests, pets and weather until they are established. The plant is sensitive to frost, so it is important not to transplant seedlings or sow seeds outside until the danger of frost has passed.
Bitter melon plants may also need watering during the growing season, but it is important to water at soil level to avoid fungal diseases. If the soil was well-prepared, no extra fertiliser should be necessary.
Bitter melon plants are susceptible to most of the same diseases that affect squash and cucumbers, including fungal infections such as powdery mildew, downy mildew, rust, and rots. Downy mildew can appear in conditions of high humidity and low airflow, so it is important to ensure plants are properly spaced and watered at soil level with as little splashing as possible. Trellising can increase air circulation around vines and help to reduce fungal diseases.
Bacterial wilt disease is another common issue, often carried by spotted and striped cucumber beetles. Infected vines do not recover, so it is important to spray adult beetles with rotenone or a pyrethrum-based insecticide. Aphids are another common pest, which can cause leaves to wilt or become discoloured. They can be managed by spraying with a garden hose, applying a soap or alcohol spray, or encouraging predatory insects to your garden.
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Frequently asked questions
Bitter melon is a subtropical plant native to tropical and subtropical Africa and Asia. It requires warm to hot and humid weather to mature, with daytime temperatures averaging between 75 and 80°F (24-31°C). It is best to plant bitter melon in late spring or early summer, in a location that receives at least 6 hours of full sun each day.
Bitter melon grows best in compost-rich, well-drained soil with a pH ranging from 5.5 to 6.7. The soil should be kept moist but not wet or dry, and it should be prepared in advance by weeding, loosening it, and adding aged compost and manure.
Bitter melon seeds should be sown directly into the garden or a pot, about 15mm deep and spaced about 30-45cm apart. The seeds have a hard outer coating, so scarification is recommended to improve germination speed and success. This can be done by nicking the seed with a knife or gently wearing away a section of the husk with sandpaper or a nail file.
Bitter melon plants may need additional watering during the growing season, especially in dry conditions. Water when the soil is dry about 5cm below the surface, and avoid watering the leaves to prevent fungal diseases. The plants can be grown on the ground or trained to grow up a strong trellis or fence, which can help prevent fruit rot and make harvesting easier.
Bitter melon is typically ready to harvest in approximately 75 days. The fruit is ready to harvest when the skin is glossy and it is large enough to eat. Harvest when the fruit is still tender and young, as older fruit can become too bitter and unpalatable.
