As a rich source of
antioxidants, flavonoids, and other polyphenol compounds, bitter gourd may help
to reduce your risks for several health issues. Bitter gourd is packed with
polyphenols. These compounds are known for their ability to lower inflammation
in the body.
But many dislike it because of its
bitter taste. Yet this bitter but nutritious gourd is a favorite in various
regional Indian cuisines. Not only bitter gourds are easy to grow from
seeds, their prolific fruiting through summer will ensure your veggie basket
never runs out of them. Growing it in your backyard or your garden is no big
task.
Sow seeds about ½ inch deep in
loamy well-draining soil that has been prepared with aged manure or compost.
Bitter gourd seeds can also be soaked overnight to speed up the germination.
Plant the soaked seeds directly in the garden and cover them with soil.
Bitter gourd is a direct sown
vegetable but polythene bag nursery is more advantageous to get early marketing
and to avoid more gap filling.
For pre-germination, the bitter
gourd seeds should be soaked in water for 24 hours. Then soaked seeds are to be
mixed with double the volume of moist sand and the seed should be fully covered
by the sand and kept for three days. During this period moisture of sand should
be maintained.
Bitter Gourds require full
sunlight so keep your pots/container accordingly. Water every day in summer.
Do not overwater. The vines will start flowering at the end of 5 - 6 weeks and
fruit in 70 - 75 days from sowing.
Keep the soil moist all the time.
You can plant 4-5 seeds in a 15-liter pot. Keep 1-2 plants in a 15-liter
pot and remove the others when seedlings have developed at least four true
leaves. Young bitter gourd plants are sometimes susceptible to cutworms.
All you have to do is use good
soil, water them daily, and keep them in a place where they will get plenty of
sunlight….. And they will surely reward you with good yield. Growing
bitter gourds in pots is that easy.
Environmental factors such as
temperature, sunlight exposure, and humidity can influence the ripening process
and the color change of bitter gourd. Higher temperatures and increased
sunlight exposure can accelerate ripening and lead to a faster transition from
green to yellow.
Overwatering can cause the seed to
rot or hamper seed germination. The bitter gourd is a delicate vine and
watering has to be at the base of the plant in a gentle manner. Water when top
soil is dry and ensure the soil stays moist, but not soggy.
Bitter gourd being a weak
climber needs support for its growth. The plants trailed on the support
(bower) continue to yield for 6-7 months as against 3-4 months when trailed on
the ground without support. Such vines are less susceptible to pests and
diseases as they do not come in direct contact with the soil.
Bitter gourd climber requires the support of a
trellis. The plant should be grown in full sunlight. This climber needs plenty
of watering, that's why it grows very well in monsoon season. You should
protect your plant from powdery mildew when the plant is young by spraying
fungicides
Karela or bitter gourd is a warm-season crop.
So, five to eight hours of direct sunlight are important for this
plant. It can also grow in partial shade with good light and air
circulation. They do not demand much attention and are fuss-free.
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