Flowers will start appearing in 5-6 weeks and fruition will occur between two to four months. The seeds have to be soaked for 24 hours before the plantation. Also, you can use seeds you get from ripe yellow fruits. The seedlings have to be thinned as soon as you see 4 to 6 leaves on them. You can also plant Bitter gourd in a container. Pick fruit must every 2 to 3 days, picking fruit regularly encourages the development of new fruit plants. Plant Bitter gourd where it receives at least 6 hours of sunshine. Pick the loofah before they're hit by frost, even if they're still green – you'll still be able to peel the loofahs, but it may just be a little bit harder. If you are not growing bitter gourd on a trellis, make sure that you are pruning the growing vine as soon as you see female flowers on the plant. Soaking overnight can speed germination. Cover the growing seedbed with mulch to help retain moisture. You can make use of a watering can for wetting the soil in a gentle manner. The plant should receive a minimum of 6 hours of bright sunlight every day until the seeds germinate. In this article we also discussed below topics; Bitter gourd is popularly known is a vegetable that is an excellent source of Vitamin C and Vitamin K.  Bitter gourd is a climber plant, and hence you want to have trellis arrangement for it to grow. You can consider planting the seeds in shade as long as the vines are reaching the sun once they start growing. Growing bitter gourd or bitter melon is commercially viable and profitable. If necessary, you can soak the Bitter gourd seeds overnight in water before sowing to speed up germination. Plant bitter melon where it receives at least 6 hours of sunshine. That’s all folks about growing Kakarakaya in the home garden or outdoor garden. Bitter gourd seeds can be purchased online or in garden shops. Store seeds in a cool, dry spot. The plant roots are not affected. Growing Ivy Gourd in Pots. Bitter melon or Bitter gourd seeds germinate best when sown very fresh. The bitter gourd will love to grow in the soil which is sandy and soft, so make sure you are mixing some amount of need if required. Pick young, smaller melons that are bright green and blemish-free. Within 6 to 8 weeks after the germination, you’ll see the blossoms, and in the next 2-3 weeks, fruits will appear and are ready to be picked. The sprouts started in 5 days and then waited for 3 more days before transplanting the sprouts into a container. Description: Bitter melon is a vining plant. Soil should be fertile, but well-drained, with a pH level of 5.5 to 6.7. Ridge gourd fruits grow very fast even when you grow ridge gourd in pots. If you see that all the seedlings are of the same size, you can either thin them in a random way or you can wait for one more day or two to check which one is growing larger. After pollination they are ready to pick in approximately 8-12 days. Usually these pear-shaped fruits have a light green skin with subtle streaks of yellow. Gourd varieties like Ridge gourd, Bitter gourd and Snake gourd are some of the popular vegetables which can be very easily grown in the home garden. The soil has to be watered until the top half-inch has become damp. It tolerates a wide range of soils, but prefers permeable, sandy loam soil that is rich in organic matter. Fruit from the bitter melon vine can be harvested anytime during the growth period but generally when full sized, still green and about two weeks after anthesis, or the period of time between the opening of blooms and formation of fruit. Check your Bitter gourd plants for signs of powdery mildew, downy mildew, rust, watermelon mosaic virus, bacterial wilt, and the cucumber mosaic virus. Make use of harsh chemicals if the infestation will cause damage to your plant. Bitter melon starts to fruit quickly in 2 months. Spray fungicides on the bitter gourd for the prevention of disease. You can pick your gourd about 2-3 days after the fruit has stopped growing. You will be able to harvest bitter gourd about 3 to 4 months after plantation and about 1 week to 10 days after flowering when the fruits are at a length of 4 to 6 inches. You can also consider growing bitter gourd in a greenhouse for the prevention of damage caused by frost. Here’s what you’ll need: loofah gourd seeds; seeding heat mat (optional, but will help a LOT!) Now back to farming, gardening profession as a plant Breeder, Gardener and Writer. Also, as it is a tall vine, you will want to support it. Some people nick the seed coating at the thinner end of the seed with a pair of nail clippers then sow the Bitter gourd seed to help seeds germinate faster. Transplantation of seedlings can be done after 2 to 3 weeks once the plantation is done in pots. Pollination can be a problem during the wet season because bees are less active during overcast conditions. 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