How to Grow Coccinia Cordifolia

Start coccinia cordifolia indoors four to six weeks before the date of the last frost. Coccinia cordifolia is a fast-growing plant, but in most United States zones it will need a longer growing season. Fill 2-inch pots with a good seed starter mix and insert two to three seeds, 1/2- to 1-inch deep in the soil.

Place the pots in a warm location at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ivy gourd is a sub-tropical plant that needs warmth to germinate. Keep the pots well watered until evenly moist but not soggy. Once they have germinated, thin out the seedlings to just the best ones.

Prepare a garden bed in a sunny location after the last frost. Rake out debris and weed the bed. Use a tiller to work in 5 inches of compost to enrich the soil.

Harden the seedlings by exposing them to gradually longer periods outdoors for a week. Plant the seedlings in the prepared bed at the same depth they were growing in pots. Water them well until puddles form on the surface of the soil. Insert stakes deeply into the soil within 3 inches of the plants. Use plant ties to begin to train the vines up the stakes.

Spread 3 inches of mulch to conserve moisture and repel weeds. Leave a 1/2-inch space around the stems of the ivy gourd plants free of mulch. This will allow air circulation and prevent rot. Provide at least 1 to 2 inches of water weekly. Keep training the vines on the stakes and keep weeds out of the bed.

Harvest coccinia cordifolia fruit when it's young and small. You can also use the leaves as cooked greens and the shoots of the plant as a vegetable. The larger fruit are often pickled or preserved in a traditional Indian side dish.