Bitter Gourd

तीतो करेला (Tito Karela)

📖 Momordica charantia L.

Verified Agricultural Data (NARC) Vegetables 📅 Falgun (फागुन) – Bhadra (भाद्र) 🌡️ 20–35°C ⚗️ pH 6.0–6.7 ⏱️ 55-70 days

Growing Season & Schedule

🌱

Recommended Growing Window: Falgun (फागुन) – Bhadra (भाद्र)

Bitter gourd matures in 55 to 65 days after sowing seeds. Requires warm temperatures (24-32°C) and sturdy trellising/mandap for optimum vine spread and straight fruit development.

Description & Overview

Popular warm-season cucurbit vine widely cultivated across Nepal from the Terai up to 1,500m. Prized in traditional culinary dishes for its distinct pleasant bitterness, rich vitamin C, and dietary phytonutrients.

Details & Agronomic Insights

🌟 Positive Attributes & Health Benefits

Renowned for charantin and polypeptide-p, which naturally lower blood glucose levels. High in dietary fiber, folate, Vitamin C, and helps cleanse liver function.

⚠️ Precautions & Adverse Notes

May cause hypoglycemia when combined with diabetes medication. Pregnant women should avoid large medicinal doses.

🐛 Major Diseases & Pests

Downy Mildew (Pseudoperonospora cubensis), Powdery Mildew, Fruit Fly (Bactrocera cucurbitae), and Fusarium Wilt.

💊 Disease & Pest Solutions

Install Cue-lure pheromone traps (10-12 traps/ha) to trap male fruit flies.
Spray Metalaxyl + Mancozeb (2 g/L) if downy mildew spots appear on leaves.
Bag young fruits using paper bags or perforated plastic bags to safeguard against fruit flies.

🧪 Fertilizer & Nutrition Recommendations

Apply 15-20 tons FYM/ha. NPK recommendation: 60:40:40 kg/ha. Apply 20 kg Nitrogen per hectare as side dressing during flowering and vine climbing stage.

Planting & Cultivation Guide

🌱 Planting Method Direct Seeding

📏 Seed Depth 2.5 cm

↔️ Seed Spacing 60.0 cm

📐 Row Spacing 120.0 cm

🪱 Soil Type Well-drained sandy loam with good organic manure and trellising support

💧 Water Requirement Medium (450-600 mm, regular watering during flowering and fruit development)

☀️ Sunlight Full Sun (6-8 hours direct)

🧪 NPK Dose 80:50:50 NPK kg/ha + 12 t/ha FYM

Climate & Altitude Requirements

⛰️ Altitude Range 100–1600 m

🗺️ Suitable Regions Terai, Inner Terai, Mid-Hills

🌡️ Temperature Range 20–35°C

⚗️ Optimal pH 6.0–6.7

Harvest Information & Yield

⏱️ Maturity Days 55-70 days

📦 Expected Yield 12 - 20 t/ha (varieties: Palee, Green Wonder, Coimbatore Long)

🔍 Harvest Indicators:

Fruits reach full mature size while dark or light green, firm, and before turning orange/yellow

Crop Photo Gallery

तीतो करेला (Tito Karela) (Primary Photo)

Bitter Gourd — Field View #2

Bitter Gourd — Cultivar View

Seasonal Calendar — रोप्ने पात्रो

Activity / कार्य	Start Month (BS)	End Month (BS)	Region / क्षेत्र	Gregorian Window
🌾 Harvesting	जेठ (Jestha)	भाद्र (Bhadra)	All Nepal	May - August
🪴 Nursery	माघ (Magh)	माघ (Magh)	Terai (तराई)	January - February
🌱 Sowing	फागुन (Falgun)	चैत (Chaitra)	All Nepal	February - March

Quick Reference

Verified

🌱 Method Direct Seeding

📅 Season Falgun (फागुन) – Bhadra (भाद्र)

⏱️ Matures 55-70 days

💧 Water Medium (450-600 mm, regular watering during flowering and fruit development)

☀️ Sunlight Full Sun (6-8 hours direct)

🪱 Soil Well-drained sandy loam with good organic manure and trellising support

🗺️ Regions Terai, Inner Terai, Mid-Hills

🌡️ Temp 20–35°C

⚗️ pH 6.0–6.7

📏 Depth 2.5 cm

📦 Yield 12 - 20 t/ha (varieties: Palee, Green Wonder, Coimbatore Long)

📅 Planting Calendar 🩺 Plant Doctor AI

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