What Are The Best Fertilizers For The Bitter Gourd?

Bitter gourd (Karela) is a tropical vine fruit vegetable plant cultivated widely in Asia.

This crop needs sandy loam soils with good draining properties, a soil pH in the range of 6.5 to 7.5, and requires the use of fertilizers to create a larger number of flowers and fruit.

For optimal yield use potassium rich and phosphorus fertilizers and a smaller amount of nitrogen rich fertilizers depending on the fertility of the soil and planting season.

Fertilization Requirements for Bitter Gourds

Fertilizers are applied according to:

• the soil fertility
• variety
• weather
• and the period of a plantation

When preparing the land, mix well-decomposed farmyard manure (FYM) with soil.

Fertilizer recommendations are 50-100 kgN, 40-60 kg P₂O₅, and 30-60 kg K₂O per hectare.

Before planting, you need half of N and all of K and P. The remaining N is added when the fruits have begun to flower.

It is better to finish applying all the fertilizer before the fruit set.

Chemical Fertilizers That You Can Use for Bitter Gourds

Phosphate Fertilizers

Bitter gourds perform well with fertilizers containing high yields of phosphorus to produce better quality and a better harvest.

Phosphates also aid greatly in root growth, and the bigger the root, the more nutrients it can absorb, inreturn, providing you quality gourd fruit.

Before planting: You should cultivate one-tenth of a pound of phosphorus per 100 square feet. For gourds, you want a ratio of 4-48-5 or 6-10-10.

Potassium Fertilizers

Bitter gourds require a high level of potassium for a better yield.

So, when planting, the soil should be amended with 91 grams of potassium for every one hundred square feet of soil.

In gardens, potash is always used as a source of potassium, potassium nitrate and potassium magnesium sulfate, to produce nitrogen as well as potassium and magnesium.

Potassium promotes a healthy stem, and flowers that are well developed, therefore producing a quality fruit.

Potash also aids the plant in water usage and drought resistance, enhancing the quality of fruit.

Nitrogenous Fertilizers

Nitrogen assists plants in their rapid growth and healthy development of foliage and fruit.

This is the primary nutrient for plants, absorbed mostly, than other nutrients.

However, nitrogen fertilizers should not be applied excessively on this crop, as they will reduce fruit production and enhance foliage. The amount of nitrogen fertilizer needed is 50-100 kg/ha.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Chemical Fertilizers

Advantages

• These fertilizers are applicable in soils that are very poor and they can be improved quickly.
• They are less expensive than organic fertilizers and easy to use.
• They contain the three nutrients (NPK) essential to growing plants.
• They are reliable and predictable.
• They have a good quantity of nutrients the plant needs to grow.

Disadvantages

• They cause pollution of the soil and groundwater. Chemical fertilizers are often very water soluble and leach away into the groundwater, they do not help the plant much.
• They contain foreign or harmful components that can leak into our food.
• Used incorrectly, the gain can potentially outweigh the concerns involved.
• They usually adversely affect the microorganisms in the soil.
• If used consistently over time, they will eliminate the nutrients contained in a soil.
• Extra nitrogen can lead to gases like carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide being released to the air.
• They promote the establishment of plant disease.

Best Organic Fertilizers for Bitter Gourds

Natural Organic Fertilizers for Bitter Gourds

Weed

Unwanted weeds pulled from your garden contain a high amount of nutrients to make a fantastic fertilizer.

Weed tea makes a great fertilizer and helps nourish your plants.

You just need to soak the unwanted weeds in water for a couple of days until the water turns a brownish color like tea. Then pour the urine on your plants.

Kitchen Scraps

Composting takes time. Nutrients are released so slowly that it might take 1-2 years for your plant to get nutrients if you don’t add fertilizers.

These kitchen scraps help the soil retain moisture, which is helpful for your plant through the hot, dry summer.

Manure

This manure comes from many different sources like chicken and other domestic livestock.

Each type of these manures are very high in nitrogen and other nutrients also, but must be used processes.

Raw manure is always very acidic and has high nutrients that your gourd might need.

It’s always better to let your manure dry out for several days, at a minimum, before applying to your plant.

Caution: Raw manure can even burn your plant, if your application rate is too high.

Homemade Organic Fertilizers and How to Prepare

Tea Fertilizers

In a 5-gallon bucket, you mix:

• a ¼ cup of Epsom salts
• 2 cups of wood ash
• 2 cups of animal urine

Proceed to add your green foliage, grass, or weedy mass pulled from the ground.

Fill the container with water and set the mixture aside to steep for 3 to 5 days.

Once steeped, you can drain your tea into empty jag or bottles and before applying the diluted tea, mix it with 50% water.

At this point, you can apply the tea to the plants directly to the soil.

Fish Emulsion Fertilizers

Fish emulsion fertilizer is an organic fertilizer made with fish parts and water. It is very useful for plants in the garden.

Method of Application:

• Take a 55-gallon drum, fill it up to about a third full of the drum with half fish parts and half water. 
• After sitting for 24 hours, top it off with water.
• Cover and allow it to rest for a few weeks up to 3 to 4 weeks.

Use around plants at the rate of 3 gallons for every 100 square feet in the garden.

Seaweed Fertilizer

Seaweeds contain mannitol, a wonderful substance that enhances a plant’s ability to absorb nutrients from the soil.

You can use your seaweed fresh or dried, but be sure that you washed it thoroughly before use.

Here is the process:

• You will need about 10 cups of seaweed to a 5-gallon bucket, then fill it half way up with water.
• Cover the bucket and let the seaweed steep for three weeks.
• Then after three weeks, which you will see there is basically no seaweed left, strain the seaweed, and put the tea into another container.
• Put it aside for another three weeks.

When you want to use the seaweed tea, just mix half water to half of your seaweed the apply around the plant directly to the soil.

What to Expect: This will get excellent results within days.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages of Using Organic Fertilizers

• Organic fertilizers enhance the texture of soil- this type of fertilizer enhances soil texture and allows it to hold water and fosters bacterial and fungal activity in soil. The use improves not only your plants but also the health of the soil.
• Organic fertilizers are very environmentally friendly- Organic fertilizers are environmentally friendly because no chemicals were used at any point.
• Organic fertilizers are extremely easy to apply. This type of fertilizer does not need to be stressful on the amount applied for each vegetable. Whether applied to the soil or as a foliar to the plant, none of these applications to the vegetable is harmful.
• Reduce the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides. This fertilizer would reduce the need to use pesticides and fertilizers such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
• Organic fertilizers help to minimize plant damage when using chemical fertilizers that can, and in some cases do, cause damage to leaves and roots.

Disadvantages of Homemade Fertilizers for Bitter Gourds

• Not all produce is made equal – not all produce is made equal, and many organic products will produce varying results.
• Nutrient levels are limited – bitter gourds should be fertilized with a fertilizer high in potassium and phosphorus, when using an organic fertilizer you do not know how much your fertilizer has too ensure it produces fruits comparable to chemical fertilizers.
• They are typically more expensive for less ratio of nutrients compared to chemical fertilizer.
• They can also take time to arrange to make, some can take up to a month.

Final Thoughts

All plants including bitter gourds need fertilizers for the best yield.

You can use either organic or chemical fertilizers.

But always be sure to water the gourd plant after each application of the chemical fertilizers to help dissolve it.

This allows for the nutrients to soak in where they are needed most.

Also, it is generally safer to use the organic fertilizer than the chemical fertilizers, but the yield will be generally lower.