Is bitter melon a shade-loving or sun-loving plant?

Does bitter melon prefer shade or sun?

Bitter melon likes the sun and is not shade-tolerant. Its growth has certain requirements for light. When there is insufficient light, the petals of bitter melon will easily fall off prematurely or the fruits will fall off prematurely. Therefore, if you want to grow bitter melon, you need to pay special attention to the issue of light.

Bitter melon basking in the sun

Bitter melon is a short-day plant that has high requirements for light. In the normal sowing season, the light temperature of bitter melon needs to be between 25-30℃, so as to increase its yield and the growth rate of the fruit. Bitter melon can be exposed to the sun and is not afraid of it, but it needs to be moderate. It should not be exposed to the sun in the summer, which will cause the bitter melon to lose a lot of water, causing the plant to wither and fail to bear fruit.  

Growth habits of bitter melon

1. Temperature: Bitter melon is relatively heat-resistant, and its seeds have the highest survival rate when they germinate between 30-35°C. When the temperature is slightly lower and the daylight hours become shorter, the higher the growth temperature, the better the quality of the bitter melon.

2. Water: Bitter melon likes moisture but cannot tolerate waterlogging. Its growth environment requires a humidity of more than 85%. When the weather is dry, it is easy to lack water, which will hinder the growth of the plant and ultimately affect the yield.

3. Soil nutrients: Bitter melon has strong adaptability to soil, and is suitable for both sandy loam and light clay soil. However, bitter melon has relatively high requirements for fertilizer. Adequate fertilizer will help its plant growth and increase the fruiting rate.

Bitter melon growth characteristics

1. Location selection: When planting bitter melon, be sure to choose a relatively open place for planting. At the same time, you need to pay attention to the sun-facing location, which determines the quality and speed of the bitter melon fruit.

2. Sowing season: Bitter melon is generally planted in spring and summer every year. When sowing, the seeds are sown into the soil by spot sowing, and then covered with soil and watered. Note that they need to be watered thoroughly at one time, and then wait for the bitter melon to germinate.