Where to buy Bitter Mellon, Bitter Gourd or Karella (Karela) Seeds?

One of the reader wanted to know where to buy the bitter gourd seeds.  Jawahar Bitter Gourd seed packet are available on internet and these are Indian variety. As per web site, these are Long, green variety, quite bitter and with anti diabetic properties.  Bitter gourd are hard to sprout specially in colder climates.  I was lucky one vine was successful out of 10 seeds.   I bought it from local Korean store.  I grew the seedling inside.  There is another kind of variety of bitter gourd Solok Bitter Gourd.


Try to grow Bitter Melon, Bitter Gourd (Momordica Charanti, Bitter Melon, Karela.

Home Grown Vegetables. It is total bliss.

Sharing another picture of sample of home grown vegetables.  This is part of last harvest.  Winter is setting in.  There are still few vegtables on plants.  They may end up in compost.  There is full tray of hot peppers sitting behind.

Home grown vegetables.

Home grown vegetables.

Sample of home grown vegetables.  Growing your own vegetables is total bliss.

Try to grow Bitter Melon, Bitter Gourd (Momordica Charanti)

This year we tried to grow bitter gourd ( also known as bitter melon, karela or karella in India, goya in Japan).  It is hard to grow in cold climates.  We tried to grow bitter gourd from couple of seeds and only one vine survived.  We got couple of bitter gourds.  We are still keeping one on the vine for seeds.   As the weather has turned cold the vine is almost dying.

One bitter gourd left to make seeds

Bitter Melon is sort of a bitter vegetable as the name implies.  It is acquired taste.  You can find lot of recipes for Bitter Melon on the internet.

Bitter Melon are easy to grow.  Before you attempt to grow there are few points to be considered.  It needs warm temperature and lot of sunlight.  Although recommended USA hardy zone is 10-11 but it can be grown in cooler zones during summer.  Our hardy zone is 7 and we grow them from June to September.

Check out posting: Where to buy Bitter Mellon, Bitter Gourd or Karella (Karela) Seeds?

Sow them in late spring when the chance of frosting is over.  As seeds are hard it is better to soak them in warm water for about 48 hours before sowing.  It needs well drained soil.  

Other resources : Suggested Cultural Practices for Bitter Gourd by AVRDC

Vegetable garden needs lot of sun.

Sharing picture of last year vegetable garden. Most of the vegetables loves sunlight.  Make sure your vegetable garden gets enough sunlight.  That is the first thing for a successful garden.  Chose the spot which is brightest and gets maximum light.  In case you do not have that spot then try containers and pots.  Keep them in sunny spot on patio or deck.  If you have no sunny spot you can try some leafy vegetables but your choice is limited.  There are some herbs which can grow in shade.

Hot chilli plant doing very well in a container.  It did get lot of sunlight.

Tomato plant lbasking in the sun.

Some bell peppers with green beans in the back ground.

How good is AeroGrow AeroGarden® Kitchen Garden?

I did read lot about this product. Does any body have first hand experience? 

The AeroGarden Kitchen Garden is the first consumer product to incorporate Aeroponic, the world's highest crop yielding. Aeroponic technology creates a near perfect rainforest growing environment; just add water and nutrients. No green thumb needed; a built in timer alerts you to add water and nutrients. The micro-processor adjusts nutrient. Delivery, light cycles and water flow.

Energy efficient lighting system grows plants anywhere in the home at any time of year
Dirt-free, pre-seeded pods act as miniature greenhouses for ultra-fast seed germination.

Aerogarden Current Prices

Search Amazon.com for aerogarden:

Amazon.com Product Description
Enjoy fresh greens at every meal no matter what the season. With AeroGrow's AeroGarden garden kit, it's easy to cultivate lettuce, cherry tomatoes, herbs, chili peppers, edible flowers, and more in an energy-efficient, organic-based environment right in the kitchen. This compact chef's tool includes everything the indoor farmer needs: a preseeded bio-dome grow pod, two daylight-spectrum bulbs, nutrients, and a helpful tending and harvesting guide complete with recipes. Just follow the simple instructions to set up, and the growing process starts immediately, with germination occurring within 24 hours and a mature plant that is ready five times faster than if grown in soil. The AeroGarden system monitors itself to create ideal growing conditions for each plant and alerts you when it's time to add more water and nutrients. No dirt or natural light is needed, so even low-light spaces are suitable. Plug kits for many kinds of plants are available from AeroGrow.
Seven Reasons Gardeners Love the AeroGarden
1. Garden all year round
• Extends the growing season to 365 days a year
• No weeds, no pesticides, no mess
• No land? No problem. Perfect for gardeners in condos, high-rises, and apartments.

2. Fresh homegrown herbs and vegetables, right in the kitchen
• Garden-fresh food available all year round, "right off the plant and into the pot"
• Grow a wide variety of salad greens, tomatoes, herbs, chili peppers, flowers, and more

3. Revolutionary aeroponic technology--plants grow in air and water, not dirt
• NASA-proven space age technology; plants grow five times faster than in dirt
• Grows hundreds of dollars of herbs and vegetables every year
• Guaranteed harvests in 28 days (herbs and salad greens)


4. Plug-and-grow simple--100 percent success guaranteed
• Grow lights included to ensure healthy growth without a sunny window
• Preseeded bio-dome grow pods ensure 100 percent germination, often within 24 hours
• Microprocessor automatically adjusts nutrient delivery, light cycles, and water flow for specific plant types for healthier growth
• Reminds you when to add water and nutrients

5. Easy, no-mess seed starting for transplanting into outdoor gardens
• Grow indoors to maturity and harvest or use as a seed starter for outdoor gardens for a head start on the growing season
• Seeds germinate quickly and establish healthy root systems for transplant
• Oxygen-rich growing chamber is ideal for propagation and rooting of plant cuttings for cloning plants of your choice

6. Convenient, no-mess, hassle-free growing
• Plant in minutes, sprout in days, harvest continuously for months
• Low maintenance--healthy, vibrant gardens in less than 10 minutes a month

7. Organic-based, timed-release nutrient tablets for healthier plants
• Perfect nutrition and pH balance with more than 60 macronutrients and micronutrients for optimal plant health and abundant harvests



As I was going through reviews on the web, some have reported weak stems and plants falling or drooping.  As it happens to lot of indoor plants.  There is also complaint of bright light.  There are reports of pump problems because of corrosion.  I like the product as described but I want to get feedback before I invest.  There are different sizes and models are available and waht is your take on sizes.


Check out AeroGrow AeroGarden® Kitchen Garden.