Bitter melon

Bitter melon, also known as bitter gourd, a huge favourite in Asian and Southeast Asian dishes. It's a vining plant (needs a trellis for support) that grows up to 16 feet long. The fruit resembles a wrinkly cucumber. 

It's a member of the Cucurbitaceae family (example squash, cucumbers). Each plant can produce up to 12 fruits. It has yellow flowers (male and female).

Choose a warm, sunny location (at least 6 hours a day).
Plant in well draining soil, compost-rich.
Water regularly.  Although, the roots don’t want to be drenched in pools of water.
It loves hot and humid weather to mature. In New Zealand's cooler regions, it is best grown in greenhouses.

Do not grow with herbs.

Pinch top parts of the trellised vines as they grow to enable more flowering and fruiting. Trellised bitter melon plants are more likely to produce more fruit.

They can be grown in pots (at least 20 liters) - bigger is better. Container needs to have drainage.

In the good conditions, bitter melon plants take about 60 days to reach harvest from seed. From seedling, it may take approximately 30-60 days (first harvest).   Generally though, harvest is within 12-16 weeks or when the fruit is about 4-6 inches long.

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