How to save bitter melon seeds

How do bitter melon seeds come from?

Bitter melon is a plant of the genus Momordica in the Cucurbitaceae family. It has many branches, and the stems and branches are covered with soft hairs. It has seeds. When the fruit is ripe, there will be more bitter melon seeds inside. There is a thin film on the surface. It is green when it is immature, and then turns red. The bitter melon will automatically crack and the bitter melon seeds will fall off.

Bitter melon seeds

You can keep seeds from bitter melon. You should choose plants that are healthy, free of pests and diseases, have full fruits, regular shapes, and have the characteristics of this variety to keep as seeds.

How to get bitter melon seeds

When the bitter melons that grow well grow to medium size, you can keep them for seeds and take special care of their growth. After the edible period, you can pick the bitter melons, otherwise they will crack. After picking them, handle them with care and place them in a cool place for about three days before removing all the seeds.

Throw away the empty, light-colored, too small, deformed, and incomplete seeds, then rinse them in clean water, remove the pulp, soak them in running water for two hours, scrub the mucus on the surface, and store them after drying.

Bitter Melon Seed Storage

After collecting bitter melon seeds, you need to wash them with clean water to remove the seed pulp, then place them in a well-ventilated place to dry, put them in a cloth bag, and store them in a ventilated and dry place.

Bitter Melon Seed Planting

Bitter melon seedlings in the north are raised in greenhouses in spring from March to April and transplanted in May. In the Yangtze River Basin, seeds are generally sown in March and transplanted in mid-April. In South China, seeds are generally sown from January to March. In summer, seeds are sown in April and May, and in autumn, seeds are sown in July and August. If warming facilities are used, they can also be planted in winter.

Before planting bitter melon, you need to prepare loose and fertile soil. Spring is the best time to do so. Put the seeds in clean water and soak them for a few hours. Then put them in carbendazim for an hour. Take them out and clean them. Then put them in warm water for germination. Finally, plant them in the soil, cover them with soil and then cover them with a film.