Plant PulseBitter gourd
Momordica Charantia
Bitter gourd. Sourced figures stay next to their citation. Planting windows are listed for locations that have one. Unsourced fields say coming soon.
Unverified — based on HORDI Crop – Bitter gourd, Department of Agriculture Sri Lanka, accessed 2026-10-23: https://doa.gov.lk/hordi-crop-bitter-gourd/ and the Sinhala page https://doa.gov.lk/sinhala-hordi-crop-bitter-gourd/ (first harvest 60–75 days after planting); confirm for your microclimate.
Spacing
- In-row spacing
- coming soon
- Between-row spacing
- coming soon
English page: 1.5 m × 1 m. It does not say which side is the row, so neither number is stored as in-row or between-row. Three seeds per hill.
Sinhala page: planting holes 30 × 30 × 30 cm. The English page writes 30 m for the same holes, and that metre figure is not stored.
Other sourced figures
- Days to first harvest
- 60–75 days
- Soil pH
- 5.5–7.5
From farmer field experience
Based on hands-on growing experience from Sri Lankan farmers. Not yet verified against official sources.
- Days to first harvest: 70–80 days
- Days from sowing. The Sinhala HORDI page states a first harvest at 60–75 days, which is the number stored on the crop.
- Farmer field notenoted Oct 2026
- Harvest window: 45–60 days
- Picking period.
- Farmer field notenoted Oct 2026
- In-row spacing: 100 cm
- In-row spacing. The English HORDI page states 1.5 m × 1 m and does not say which side is the row.
- Farmer field notenoted Oct 2026
- Between-row spacing: 150–200 cm
- Between-row spacing assigned with the in-row figure. Three seeds per hill.
- Farmer field notenoted Oct 2026
Market months
Prices vary by week, market, and year. This is not financial advice.
Based on hands-on growing experience from Sri Lankan farmers. Not yet verified against official sources.
Higher prices: October–December
The gap between Yala and Maha.
Farmer field notenoted Oct 2026
Higher prices: April–May
The gap between Yala and Maha.
Farmer field notenoted Oct 2026
Lower prices: January–March
The gap between Yala and Maha.
Farmer field notenoted Oct 2026
Lower prices: July–August
The gap between Yala and Maha.
Farmer field notenoted Oct 2026
Planting windows
Colombo — Low Country Wet Zone
Yala: April–May
Direct sow or transplant
Using 60–75 stored days. Plant in Apr, first harvest about 60–75 days later (around June). Plant in May, first harvest around July. Calculated from the stored day count and the planting month. It is not a separate harvest calendar. Farmer field experience. Using 70–80 stored days. Plant in Apr, first harvest about 70–80 days later (around June–July). Plant in May, first harvest around July–August. Calculated from the stored day count and the planting month. It is not a separate harvest calendar.
Planting section: Yala season April, May. The page also says year-round cultivation can be allowed for suitable areas, without naming those areas, so the other months are not filled. Seed depth is stated as 2-3 cm and is not stored as one number. The elevation sentence says up to above 1200 m of sea level. Colombo is not named.
Unverified — based on HORDI Crop - Bitter Gourd, Department of Agriculture Sri Lanka, accessed 2026-10-20: https://doa.gov.lk/hordi-crop-bitter-gourd/; confirm for your microclimate.
Maha: October–November
Direct sow or transplant
Using 60–75 stored days. Plant in Oct, first harvest about 60–75 days later (around December). Plant in Nov, first harvest around January. Calculated from the stored day count and the planting month. It is not a separate harvest calendar. Farmer field experience. Using 70–80 stored days. Plant in Oct, first harvest about 70–80 days later (around December–January). Plant in Nov, first harvest around January–February. Calculated from the stored day count and the planting month. It is not a separate harvest calendar.
Planting section: Maha season October to November. Direct seeding or nursery plants.
Unverified — based on HORDI Crop - Bitter Gourd, Department of Agriculture Sri Lanka, accessed 2026-10-20: https://doa.gov.lk/hordi-crop-bitter-gourd/; confirm for your microclimate.