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Bitter Melon growing in a garden
Annual vegetable

Bitter Melon plant profile

Momordica charantia

An annual vegetable for full sun.

Last updated .

When to plant Bitter Melon

  1. Start seeds indoors

    4 weeks before your last spring frost

Sun
Full sun
Soil pH
6 to 8
Lifecycle
Annual

Watch for these

Also watch for: fruit flies.

Evidence behind this profile

Original extension and institutional publications behind the planting, care, and safety facts on this page.

  1. Momordica charantia (Bitter Melon, Bitter Gourd)

    North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Supports indoor seed-starting timing (direct) and planting season (normalized). Checked 2026-06-18.