Bitter melon seeds

Bitter melon or goya, bitter apple, bitter gourd, bitter squash, balsam-pear / Momordica charantia

The special value of momordica is in its decorative effect. Against the background of green foliage, bright orange fruits with red grains and small light yellow flowers on long stems look unusual.

This exotic climbing vine reaches a length of 2.5 m. While the momordica develops, its leaves, lashes, small ovaries can cause a burn when touched. This property disappears as soon as the first fruits ripen.

Young fruits, 8-10-day-old greens, are used for food, which are salted and pickled like a cucumber. Fresh fruits are slightly bitter, so they should be soaked in cold water before use. The seeds are removed, the peel is removed, the flesh is cut into pieces and cooked according to the usual recipes (such as zucchini). Seasonings, salads are prepared from them, you can stew.

It is desirable to grow on supports, in areas that warm up well. Young fruits are used for food - they are salted and pickled. Fresh fruits are soaked in salt water because they are bitter. Ripe fruits have a very tasty sweetish pulp, which has medicinal properties, improves digestion, and strengthens the heart. But the special value of momordica is in its great decorativeness: carved leaves, yellow flowers, orange fruits - all this can decorate a wall, fence, gazebo.

You can grow not only in greenhouses and greenhouses on the plot, but also on the balcony, and even on the windowsill as a houseplant. Momordica also has medicinal properties: the leaves usually help with coughs, hypertension, and headaches.

Momordica contributes to the treatment of diabetes, as it regulates blood sugar levels. Red berries, unlike the bitter pulp, are sweet, they contain fatty oil rich in carotene. It increases blood hemoglobin and strengthens the human immune system.

Sowing: farming techniques are similar to those for growing pumpkins. When growing through seedlings, sowing in late March - early April. It is advisable to grow it in peat pots so that when planting seedlings do not damage the roots. The seed is planted on the edge to a depth of 1-1.5 cm, watered, sprinkled with soil and slightly compacted. The next watering is done in 2 days.

The temperature of the substrate must be at least +20-22 °C. It is important to keep the soil moist and warm, and spray the seedlings. Plants about 0.4 m high are transplanted into larger pots, and at the end of May they are planted in a permanent place, keeping the root ball. Grows on any soil, but prefers permeable, well aerated, fertile - sandy loam and light clay. Does not tolerate close standing groundwater. Prefers well-lit places.

Care: watering, loosening the soil, regular fertilizing with organic and complex mineral fertilizers (NPK), tying the stem to the support. To set fruits, momordica needs pollination, therefore, at room conditions, you need to transfer pollen from male flowers to female flowers using a cotton swab or brush.

Tags: exotic