Heizi Bitter Gourd is easy to grow in containers. I bought the seeds from My Lestary Seeds and according to their information on their website, "This hybrid bitter gourd produce pale green cone type of fruits with glossy, tubercles and thick meat than the average. The top are much bigger, bitter and thicker. The size is about 6" with wide and flat shoulder, general fruit weight about 400 grams, up to 600 grams or more. Sweet, slightly bitter flavour."
Young bittergourd seedling. Prepare the stakes for the plant to creep on as it gets bigger.
The plant starts to produce the first set of flowers and there are many, at about 45-50 days from date of transplanting the seedlings. This is the male flower.
The female flowers comes very soon after. Notice the undeveloped bitter gourd at the base, the flower has yet to open.
I hand-pollinated all the female flowers. This is about two days after a successful pollination.
The fruit has a rounded top with a pointed end. Cute!
The Heizi Bitter Gourd Plant growing in a container, supported by stakes all around.
A few more from the same plant.
The second plant, it's vines are supported by an old recycle TV aerial.
One of the many harvests.
I have been enjoying bitter gourd melons for a few months now. So far, I have harvested more than 20 fruits and there are a few more which should be ready for harvest in about a week's time. One of the plant was infested by beetles and I have since discarded it and have replaced with a new seedling,. This is one variety that I would grow again. It is easy to grow, and the seeds takes just 3-4 days to germinate.
Happy Gardening !
