During third week of July, when I was breathing Gardening down the family’s neck, I had planted few seeds of Bitter gourd. This was one plant which germinated without giving any trouble. The plants thrived in four pots. I placed them in the southwest corner of the terrace. Though we had rains in plenty, we had to face a lot of heat during the day time. The plants would stress in the heat, forcing me to use mulch. Learning about mulching was another experience that led to my experiment with Compost. (Ha …another post).
Here the ridge gourd plant is also creeping into these vines.
I was learning about how to use fertilsers, the necessity of giving support, and use of organic pesticides. I was using neem oil spray often, and sometimes I used garlic spray too. The flowers came, but they also dropped off. I felt sad, but let it be. Again another batch of flowers and then, the bees took care to pollinate. The coconut trees (20 years old) took care to provide enough bees for pollination. And eventually the young karelas
made their appearance.
I know, dear reader, you are not going to believe me, when I say that the karelas were not bitter at all! 🙂 My relatives too have confirmed that it is not bitter and is good. The vines are giving fruits on and off, not as much as expected, but I don’t’ mind. You can’t eat karela daily!.. Only problem is the leaves are getting brown , kind of rust formation. may be due to lack of steady supply fertilizers.
Pattu's terrace Garden 
Hi,
Great growth of the plants!
Did you use seeds from a nursery or from home ripened karelas?
Chitra
Lush and lovely. Quite remarkable that the karelas were not bitter.
Dear Pattu,
I too love farming…But here in Singapore we live in flats and there is no space for gardening.
Its the best organic vegetables and fruits that one can have..
Thanks for visiting my site and for ur lovely comments. If u want good yeast I will mail them to u.
Just give me ur address and I will post them to u..
With love
Suhaina.
Hi Suhaina, That was the sweetest response one can get. I will definitely request you about the yeast.
I love to bake and am going to get it soon( dil se chaho to saari kayanath tumhe usse milane ki koshish me… SRK style). I will search high and low first.:-)
And thanks for visiting my blog. Do keep visiting 🙂
you can eat karela leaves too, needs to deep fry the leaves…taste good
Hi Sunikumar, thanks. I believe we cane at the leaves too. In philipines it is eaten. In South India we do not have the habit. I will try it.
பாகக்காயெல்லாம் வீட்டு தோட்டத்திலே வேலியோரம் போட்டு விட்டால், திநமும் காய் பறிக்கலாம். பழுத்த காயென்று வீசி எறிந்து விட்டது கூட குப்பையில் முளைத்து அப்படி காய்க்கும். கசப்பே இல்லை.காய் அவ்வளவு னன்றாக இருக்கு என்று சொல்லுவோம்.
அக்கரையாய் வளர்த்த செடி, நல்ல காய்களாக கசப்பில்லாமல் கொடுத்தது. செடிகூட டெரஸ்கார்டனில் வளர்த்ததற்கு நன்றி சொல்லுகிறது.
நல்ல பாகற்காய். அன்புடன்
ஆமாம் அம்மா. வீட்டில் முன்னும் பின்னும் இடம் விட்டிருக்கிறோம். வீடு கட்டினப்போ, பல வகை மரங்கள் வைத்தாயிற்று. அதனாலே, இப்போது நிழல் அதிகம் , காய்கறி செடிகள் வளருவதில்லை. அதனாலேயே, மாடியில் வளர்க்க வேண்டி வந்தது. பூமியில் வைத்தா மாதிரி வளர்ச்சி இருப்பதில்லை.
விடாமல் செடிகளை வளர்க்கிறேன். மனசுக்கு இதமாக இருக்கிறது. நாம் வளர்த்த காய்கள் சுவையே தனிதான்.