When should I plant Bitter Melon?

Sow seed indoors 4–3 weeks before your last spring frost. Move seedlings into the garden 2–4 weeks after your last spring frost. Sow seed straight into the ground 3–4 weeks after your last spring frost.

How far apart do I plant Bitter Melon?

Space Bitter Melon about 18″ apart. It grows best in full sun.

What grows well with Bitter Melon?

Good companions for Bitter Melon include Bush Bean, Sweet Corn, Okra.

What zones does Bitter Melon grow in?

Bitter Melon is suited to USDA zones 7–11 and takes ~90 days to harvest.

How to grow Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia)

The knobbly, bracingly bitter gourd of South and East Asian kitchens - a heat-lover that climbs with abandon.

Quick tip

Loves heat and humidity; trellis it and harvest young while the warty fruits are still pale green.

☀️ Full sun↔ 18″ apartZones 7–11⏳ ~90d

When to plant Bitter Melon

Start indoorsSow seed indoors 4–3 weeks before your last spring frost.
Transplant outMove seedlings into the garden 2–4 weeks after your last spring frost.
Direct sowSow seed straight into the ground 3–4 weeks after your last spring frost.

At a glance

Botanical name

Momordica charantia

Companion planting

Plant near

🌱 A heat-loving climber that shares the beans-and-corn trellis; beans feed its hunger for nitrogen.

Plan Bitter Melon for your zone →