Product Description
Bitter gourd is a tropical vine that comes from the gourd family that includes cucumber and pumpkin. The organic Indian variety has rough ragged spikes on the rind and is narrow with a pointed edge. Bitter gourd is cultivated around the world for food for a variety of health benefits, which includes cholesterol control, decreasing blood sugar level, aiding in immunity, growth and development and increasing vision.
Benefits/Uses of Green Short Bitter Gourd Seeds
- 1 cup of bitter gourd (94 grams) has 93% vitamin C, 44% vitamin A, 17% folate and 8% potassium.
- Vitamin C is essential to improve immunity, regulate bone formation and fasten wound healing.
- Potassium, zinc and folate in bitter gourds facilitate growth and development.
- Taking 20 grams of bitter gourd could decrease blood sugar levels and increase blood haemoglobin.
- Recent researches suggest that bitter gourd has the potential to fight breast, colon and stomach cancer.
- Help decrease cholesterol levels thereby increase heart health.
Specifications of Green Short Bitter Gourd Seeds
|
Common name |
Bitter Gourd/ Bitter melon/ Karela |
|
Temperature |
20 degree celsius |
|
Water |
Sufficient water to keep soil moist not soggy |
|
Sunlight |
5 to 8 hours of sun |
|
Soil |
Well-drained, slightly loose, sandy loamy soil |
|
Fertilizer |
Natural compost or organic manure |
|
Germination |
3-4 weeks |
|
Harvest season |
2.5 to 3 months after seed sowing |
|
pH |
6-7 |
|
No. of seeds |
5 |
Sowing and Caring
- Use a comfortable Grow bag like Seed2Plant HDPE round grow bags to plant.
- Use organically enriched potting mix like the one we have to pot the seeds. Leave one inch gap from the top of the grow bag.
- Keep the soil slightly loose for the roots to breathe.
- Water appropriately such that the soil is moist and not soggy.
- Place the pot in a location that receives warm sunlight for at least 6 hours a day.
- The seeds will germinate in 2-3 weeks. Since bitter gourd is a vine plant, it can grow up to 5-6 inches. When the vines start growing use a support net/ trellis like the Seed2Plant support net to enable faster climbing of vines.
- Pruning of dead leaves will stimulate growth.
- If the bitter gourd has more flowers and lesser fruits, pollination is recommended to stimulate fruiting. A soft cotton brush can be used gently to pollinate the plant.
Harvest
- Harvest can begin 2-4 months after planting the seeds and should be harvested before the fruit turns yellow.
- The optimal size of the gourd will be 2-4 inches during harvest.
- Mature gourds are light green. The fruits can be picked every 2-3 days.
- The fruit can be stored for food in refrigerators for up to 1 week.
- The longer the gourd stays in the vine, the bitter it will get.
Common Problems
- Bitter gourds are prone to pest attacks like spider mites, aphids and fruit flies.
- Common diseases that affect the plant include the mosaic virus, powdery mildew, downy mildew and cucurbit disease.
Precautions
- Adding nitrogen-rich organic manure like the Seed2Plant Azospirillum Nitrogen-fixing biofertilizer to the soil will stimulate the growth of the gourd.
- Application (foliar spraying) of neem oil like Seed2Plant Water-soluble neem oil will prevent pest and fungal attacks.
- Using potassium-rich organic fertilizers like the Seed2Plant A2 Desi Cow Panchagavya will stimulate faster fruiting and flowering.
- Reaping the fruit in paper bags is recommended to prevent attacks from fruit flies after reaping.
No. of Green Short Bitter Gourd Seeds - 5