Gourd Seeds - Bitter Tai Guo Hybrid
50-55 days maturity from Transplanting. Momordica charantia ’Tai Guo’. Tai Guo Bitter Gourd Seeds. Non-GMO, warm-season, annual, hybrid. The Tai Guo gourd is a classic bitter gourd popular in Chinese cooking. It is vigorous, prolific, and delicious. This open-pollinated plant creates large, cylindrical, and shiny green fruits that grow up to 3 inches wide and 11 inches long. The typical fruit weighs a little more than a pound. Approx 195 seeds / oz.
Bitter Gourd Seeds - Tai Guo - Hybrid
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Other Common Names: African cucumber, alligator pear, peria katak, amargoso, ampalaya, Tai Guo, balsam pear, bitter cucumber, karella, bitter melon, dau peria, foo gwa yip, fu gua, fu kwa, jin li zhi, karawila, karela, niga uri, palia, pare, pare pahit, fwa kwa, paria, peria, phakha, reishi, daun peria katak, ssunoi, or tsuru reishi.
How to Grow Tai Guo Bitter Gourd
Plant outside after the last frost date has past. Bitter gourd seeds require temperatures of at least 65 degrees F to sprout. For the most pleasing results, wait until it is consistently warm before directly sowing the seeds outdoors. For improved germination rates, pre-germinate seeds indoors by soaking them in water for one day and then wrapping the seeds in a damp towel and keeping them between 75-85 degrees F until they sprout. For more detailed information, read our article about sprouting hard gourd seeds linked below.
Maintain moisture in the soil throughout the growing season. Fertilizers or compost may boost yields. Train the vines to climb vertical supports. Hand pollination is required to produce fruit. To reduce bitterness and slow the ripening process, protect the developing fruits from direct sunlight.
Harvesting Tai Guo Bitter Gourd
Harvest this variety when it is between 7 and 12 inches long. Remove the gourds from the plant before they fully ripen and when they are still firm; they ripen rapidly on or off the plant.
Culinary Tips
These gourds are bitter when uncooked. Before cooking the pith and seeds and removed and then the flesh is cut into slices. Try it in soups and stir-fries. Stuff them with pork, or seafood, or cook them with fermented black beans. The young shoots and leaves are parboiled and rinsed before being cooked like greens.
Tips From Our Gardeners
“This is the fruit that is most commonly made into the delicious Indian dish, khatta meetha karela. Try making it at home!”
| - Lara Wadsworth, True Leaf Market Writer |
Articles on Gourds
"How To Germinate Hard Gourd Seeds"
Seeds Per Package
- 2 g packet - Approximately 14 Seeds
- 1 oz - Approximately 195 Seeds
- 4 oz - Approximately 780 Seeds
- 1 lb - Approximately 3,120 Seeds
- 5 lb - Approximately 15,600 Seeds
Basic Info
| Latin Name: | Momordica charantia ‘Tai Guo’ |
| Color: | Green |
| Flavor: | Bitter; characteristic of Chinese cuisine. |
Growing Info
| Days to Maturity: | 50-55 days |
| Days to Germination: | 8-10 Days |
| Seeding Depth: | .5 Inch |
| Row Spacing: | 36-48 inches |
| Plant Height: | Vines up to 15 feet |
| Growth Habit: | Vine |
| Soil Preference: | These plants adjust with ease to various soil types as long as they have sufficient water. |
| Temperature Preference: | 80-90 degrees F |
Other
| Plant Width: | 24-36 inches |
| Pests and Disease: | Bitter gourd plants are relatively disease and pest free; Slugs can be problematic in the young stages because of their love of moisture. |