How to Grow Chinese Bitter Melon

Prepare a spot in the vegetable garden by improving the soil with the addition of compost and peat moss, placed directly on the surface. Add at least 1 inch of each of these soil amendments, then turn the soil over by digging with a shovel or tilling with a rototiller. Rake the surface of the growing bed smooth.

Erect a trellis at least 6 feet high and 4 feet wide. If you build the trellis wider than that, install a post every 4 feet along the length of the row, to support the weight of the developing fruits.

Plant seeds of Chinese bitter melon in very late spring or early summer, when all danger of frost is passed and the soil is completely warmed up. Sow bitter melon like cucumbers and other cucurbits: Plant the seeds laying on their sides, 1/2 inch deep and approximately 6 inches apart. Firm the soil over lightly over the row of seeds.

Water the newly planted seeds with a hose nozzle sprayer. Check the seed bed frequently, and mist with the nozzle sprayer as necessary so the seed bed stays moist, but not soaking wet.

Thin the seedlings so they stand about 24 inches apart when they have two sets of true leaves.

Tie the vines to the supporting trellis as soon as they are long enough to reach it. Use strips of raffia or twist ties. Once the vines are climbing on the trellis, they'll continue climbing as they grow larger, without any help from you.

Harvest the fruits for culinary purposes while they are still bright green, for the best flavor and texture.

Allow the bitter melon fruits to ripen to a deep, dark orange color if you want to collect seeds for next year's crop. If you plan to gather seeds, do not grow other members of the cucurbit family (cucumbers, melons, gourds and squashes) within 100 yards of bitter melon since these plants hybridize quite easily when planted close together.