HyderabadJun
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Bitter Gourd

Karela / Kakarakaya

A high-value warm-season climber. A little fussier to set fruit but commands strong demand.

vinemediumseasonalHot SummerMonsoon
Needs trellisMonsoon friendlyThirsty
72terrace fit
Planting calendar

Suitability for sowing each month in Hyderabad.

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Not recommendedPossibleGoodBest
Lifecycle timeline
  1. SowDay 0
  2. GerminationDay 8
  3. FloweringDay 50
  4. First harvestDay 60
  5. Peak harvestDay 85
  6. End of cropDay 130
Care schedule

Day-offset tasks from sowing. Add this crop to your plan to get real dates.

  • Day 0
    Sow seedsSow

    Start the crop in fresh, well-draining mix.

  • Day 1
    Keep soil moist for germinationWater

    Seeds need consistent moisture until they sprout.

  • Day 24
    Train onto trellisTrain vine

    Guide the vine up to save space and improve airflow.

  • Day 25
    First compost feedFeed compost

    Light feed to fuel vegetative growth.

  • Day 30
    Weekly pest checkPest check

    Watch for Fruit fly & Aphids.

  • Day 35
    Check drainageCheck drainage

    Thirsty/vining crops are most at risk of waterlogging.

  • Day 50
    Feed at floweringFeed compost

    Switch to a richer feed to support fruit set.

  • Day 60
    Prune & deadheadPrune

    Remove old growth to channel energy into fruit.

  • Day 60
    First harvestHarvest

    Pick early and often to keep the plant producing.

Risk panel
Rain riskhigh

Monsoon waterlogging & splash.

Heat risklow

Summer bolting / flower drop.

Overwatering risklow

Root rot from soggy soil.

Common pests
Fruit fly, Aphids
Common diseases
Mosaic, Powdery mildew
Terrace notes

Strong local demand makes it a good micro-commercial trial. Fruit fly is the main battle — traps and bagging help a lot.

  • Soak seeds 24 hours before sowing to speed germination.
  • Hand-pollinate for reliable fruit set.
  • Use fruit-fly traps or bag the fruit.
Key requirements
Sun
6–8h
direct/day
Shade tol.
Low
Water
High
Container
40L
18 inch grow bag
Soil depth
40cm
Support
Trellis
1st harvest
60d
Lifecycle
130d
Source confidence

Where this crop's data comes from.

TNAU Crop GuideRegional Grower EstimateGrowOS Field EstimateUser logs (coming soon)

Grow this crop

Everything you need to grow Bitter Gourd on your terrace.

Est. setup
₹1,999
Or get the Okra Grow Kit