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Momordica, the photo of which impresses even experienced gardeners, has successfully migrated from tropical climates to temperate ones. The plant is adapted for cultivation in private plots as a fruit or ornamental crop. Thanks to the interesting shape of the bright fruits, it does not go unnoticed.
What kind of plant is Momordica?
Momordica is a plant belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family. There are more than 20 species in the genus that live in the tropics and subtropics of Southeast Asia. The plant appeared in Russia relatively recently and immediately became popular among summer residents. In gardening, you can mainly find two species - Momordica charantia and Momordica cochin. The first type is grown more often, both as a fruit and as an ornamental crop.
Momordica has many names - Indian pomegranate, Indian cucumber, Chinese pumpkin, crocodile cucumber, bitter melon.It is an annual vine, reaching a height of 6-7 m. The leaves are beautifully carved, about 12 cm wide. Flowering begins in June, the plant produces medium-sized light yellow buds, male and female, on the same bush. That is, one momordica is enough to set fruit. Flowers have a normal appearance, but fruits add decorativeness to the crop.
Young plants are equipped with hairs that cause irritation when in contact with the skin. This explains the name of the vine - momordica in Latin means "biting". You can also grow the crop as a houseplant - the leaves, flowers and fruits look unusual and interesting.
What kind of Momordica plant can be seen in the photo:
Description of momordica fruits
The fruits are elongated and covered with tubercles and growths. Their size is 7 cm wide and ranges from 7 to 35 cm in length depending on the variety. At first the fruit is green, but then acquires a bright orange color, the arils are red. Momordica is also considered a medicinal plant because it contains many vitamins and microelements.
The fruits set immediately after pollination. When ripe, the fruits burst and become like large flowers with seeds similar to pomegranate seeds. The pulp itself is juicy and has a pleasant taste with a slight bitterness.
Types and varieties of momordica
Momordica has several types and varieties; each gardener can choose his own based on his needs. This vine is often grown as a purely decorative plant. The size of the fruit varies among different varieties.
Momordica Drakosha
The plant loves warmth and open, bright areas, but it should be protected from wind and scorching sun. The soil should be light and fertile. The liana grows up to 2-2.5 m.The momordica fruit looks like a cucumber with tubercles, its length is about 23 cm, and the color when ripe is yellow-orange. Weight on average 170 g. Inside the pericarp is ruby in color, reminiscent of persimmon in taste. The flesh of the shell itself is similar to a pumpkin.
Momordika Gosha
The Gosha variety of momordica was bred for cultivation in Siberia and was included in the State Register in 2006. The fruits are colored light green, their size reaches 35 cm, and their weight is about 400 g. The yield is high. The tubercles on the surface are pronounced, the taste is characterized as piquant with notes of bitterness. The plant loves light and when planted in shaded areas there is a risk that the growing season will be delayed. In Siberia, momordica is grown in greenhouses under a film; it does not survive in open ground. The Gosha variety is practically not susceptible to disease, resistant to aphids and spider mites, but can be damaged by greenhouse whitefly.
Momordica Jadeta
This variety is distinguished by its decorative appearance. Momordica Jadeta has bright yellow fragrant flowers on long stalks. The fruits are covered with a peel that is slightly bitter, but inside they have a sweet, pleasant taste. They are yellow-orange in color, reach a size of 20 cm, and have a pointed tip. The height of the vine is about 2 m, and the average weight of the fruit is 100 g. In order to obtain a harvest, momordica is planted in greenhouses, and if only its decorative qualities are needed, then it is placed along fences or in gazebos.
Momordica Naya
The vine has long and thin stems; it is placed on a trellis and pinched as it grows. The crop does not tolerate frost at all, so it is planted in the ground when the warm weather finally settles. The fruits of the momordica variety Naya are elongated, oval in shape, in a mature state their size ranges from 15-25 cm. The harvest is harvested after 8-10 days from the formation of the ovaries.The fruits are bitter, so they are soaked in cold water before consumption.
Momordica balsamic
The liana grows up to 5 m and has a large green mass of leaves. The fruits are warty and bright orange. The harvest is harvested on the 10th day, and to remove the bitterness, the momordica is soaked in salt water. When fully ripe, the fruit bursts with a crack, releasing the seeds. This variety has the best healing properties of all. However, its fruits are relatively small, spindle-shaped.
Momordica stinking
This is a perennial plant reaching 7 m in length. It gives off a not very pleasant smell, which explains its name. The leaves are carved, triangular in shape, pubescent, their size reaches 20 cm. The dioecious flowers reach 4 cm in diameter, the male ones are collected in inflorescences of 8 pieces, and the female ones remain solitary. Their color can vary from yellow to orange. The fruit is elliptical in color, similar in color to a pumpkin and covered with thin spines. Its size does not exceed 10 cm. In tropical climates it is often found in fields as weed. This vine does not have pronounced decorative qualities and is not used for food, but retains its medicinal characteristics.
Momordica Jade
An annual plant that is a highly branched vine. It takes about 70 days from planting to fruiting. When mature, Momordica Jade is orange-yellow, quite large, about 30 cm long. The weight of the fruit reaches 300 g. The surface is covered with deep tubercles. Unripe fruits are slightly bitter, but the main taste of their pulp is pleasant and allows them to be consumed fresh. The plant has high decorative qualities.
Planting and caring for momordica
Momordica is an annual plant, so it is propagated by seeds.Moreover, both seedling and non-seedling methods are used. The first option is more often used, especially in regions with cold climates.
Growing momordica from seeds at home
Before growing momordica from seeds, you must first prepare them:
- The light ones are removed because only the dark ones are mature.
- The seeds should be placed in a glass with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
- A piece of cloth is soaked in 200 ml of warm water with a teaspoon of honey.
- Seeds are placed in this napkin after disinfection and stored in a warm place.
- The fabric is moistened as it dries.
Shoots will appear after a couple of weeks. Germinated seeds are planted in peat cups.
A mixture of earth and humus in a ratio of 1:3 is placed in cups. The soil is calcined for 2 hours for disinfection. In this way, insect larvae and fungal spores are destroyed.
Landing is carried out as follows:
- the seeds are buried edgewise into the ground 2 cm;
- then they are sprinkled with sand and carefully watered;
- Cover the top with polyethylene, but so that air remains accessible and the required humidity is maintained.
The room temperature must be maintained at least + 20 °C. You should wait for the emergence of seedlings no earlier than 2 weeks. When sprouts appear, remove the film and spray the soil with a spray bottle. Momordica seedlings should be protected from direct sunlight.
When the first true leaves appear, the plant is fed with potassium sulfate and superphosphate. Nitrogen fertilizers are not recommended. The room temperature is reduced to + 18 °C. It is necessary to provide the seedlings with protection from drafts and a sufficient amount of light.After two weeks, organic fertilizers are added, and after another two weeks, mineral compositions are added. The soil in the cups should not be allowed to dry out, but at the same time, watering should be moderate. Seedlings must be hardened off by placing them, for example, on a balcony.
Transplantation into open or protected ground
When the plants reach a height of 25 cm, they are transplanted into a greenhouse or open ground. If grown indoors, simply move it to a larger pot. Momordica is transferred to a permanent place directly in cups, because the root system is very sensitive and does not tolerate transplantation well.
The best time for planting in open ground is the beginning of June, because return frosts no longer occur at this time. The liana is placed in a dry, illuminated place; the soil should be loose and well-permeable to water. If there is excess moisture in the soil, the roots may rot. Loams with a sufficient amount of fertilizer and low acidity are well suited for momordica. Before planting, add a urea solution; mullein is also suitable. The soil is dug up, weeds and large clods of earth are removed.
When moving seedlings into the ground, make sure that the root collar does not go deep. A distance of at least 85 cm must be maintained between seedlings, otherwise they will slow down each other’s growth. The vine is planted against a support - near a trellis or fence. After planting, the momordica is watered and at first a slight shade is created to avoid direct sunlight on the plants.
Growing and caring for momordica
Some time after planting, the root system of the momordica adapts, and the plant begins to gain green mass.A large number of leaves reduces fruiting, so you need to immediately set priorities: if the vine is grown for decorative purposes, then leave the greens, and if you plan to eat momordica, then you need to trim off the excess leaves.
In hot weather or when growing in a greenhouse, plantings are watered with settled warm water at the rate of 8-10 liters for each bush. It is better to do this in the evening, and in the morning just loosen the soil a little. The roots of the plant can be exposed when watering, so new soil is often poured under the momordica.
Once every 3-4 weeks, fertilizing is carried out with complex fertilizers containing calcium, potassium and nitrogen. You can also add mullein with bird droppings.
Momordica most often suffers from the same diseases as other pumpkin plants:
- powdery mildew;
- bacteriosis;
- gray rot.
To combat them, ash, colloidal sulfur and mullein solution are used. The most common pest is aphid.
How to form momordica in a greenhouse or in open ground
When forming vines, adhere to the following rules:
- All side shoots of the main stem are cut 0.5 m from the ground;
- when the first ovaries appear, it is necessary to thin out the bush, remove overgrown lashes, and pinch the stem at a height of about 1.5 m;
- to get a good harvest, side shoots are periodically cut to 50 cm as they grow;
- It is better to leave three main stems;
- wilted and dry parts of the plant should also be removed in a timely manner.
Harvesting and processing
Yellow cucumber momordica is removed from the bush slightly unripe, at the age of 7 to 10 days.The peel should be yellow; when an orange tint appears, the fruits lose their taste. Harvesting takes place from the end of June until the onset of frost. The more fruits are removed, the more new ovaries are formed. But it is worth keeping in mind that a large number of simultaneously ripening momordica fruits weaken the plant. Fruits are stored for about 20 days at a temperature of about + 12 ° C and air humidity of 80%. Since the shelf life of fresh fruits is relatively short, they try to make various preparations from them.
Conclusion
The momordica plant, the photo of which will attract even those who are not interested in gardening, is successfully grown even in Siberia, without requiring complex care. The culture has high decorative and medicinal properties, and can also simply be eaten. Experienced summer residents leave only positive reviews about momordica.
