Planting guide
When to plant bitter melon
Warty, climbing melon that is a staple of Asian cooking; sweet when grown well in warmth. In Melbourne it goes in Sep–Mar.
- Start as
- Seed, sown in place or Seedling
- Ready in
- 9–13 wks
- Spacing
- 60 cm
- Depth
- 2 cm
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hours)
- Water
- Regular
- Effort
- Some care
- Frost-tender
- Yes, plant after the last frost
When it goes in
● means bitter melon can go in that month, ○ means wait. Worked out from each town's climate zone and season, the way planting guides do it. Pick your town for the full list for that month.
| Town | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Melbourne | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Brisbane | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Perth | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Adelaide | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Gold Coast | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Newcastle | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Sunshine Coast | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Canberra | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● |
| Central Coast | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Geelong | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Wollongong | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Hobart | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● |
| Townsville | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Cairns | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Toowoomba | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Darwin | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Ballarat | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● |
| Mandurah | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Bendigo | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Launceston | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● |
| Mackay | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Rockhampton | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Coffs Harbour | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Blue Mountains | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● |
| Bunbury | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Bundaberg | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Alice Springs | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Mildura | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Port Macquarie | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Town | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Wellington | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Christchurch | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● |
| London | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Manchester | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Edinburgh | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Dublin | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| New York City | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Los Angeles | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Chicago | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Seattle | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Austin | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Toronto | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Vancouver | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Cape Town | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Johannesburg | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Singapore | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Mumbai | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Paris | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Berlin | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
How to plant bitter melon
- Soak seed overnight; sow 2 cm deep when the soil is warm.
- Grow up a trellis.
- Water steadily.
- Pick while green and glossy.
Bitter melon varieties
Classic varieties are the reliable, widely grown ones. Adventurous ones are heirlooms, odd colours and rarities.
- Futo Spindle Classicheat-tolerant · 9–12 wksPale-green, long and bumpy
- Dark Jade Classicheat-tolerant · 9–12 wksDark green, hybrid
- Japanese Long Adventurousheat-tolerant · 9–12 wksLong green fruits
- Canton Green Adventurousheat-tolerant · 9–12 wksFat, glossy fruits
- Indian Magara Classichybrid · 9–13 wks
- Jounpuri Classicheirloom · 9–13 wks
- Malabar Long Classichybrid · 9–13 wks
- Thai Classic9–13 wks
Where to buy seeds
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Shops shown are for Australia. The chooser picks shops for your country.
Good companions
Okra, Basil, Marigold
Bitter melon by month
Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec
More to plant
Not sure bitter melon is right for your space? Answer a few taps and see everything that can go in this week.
Find what else you can plant now