Outlandish Momordica

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

On vacation, on a trip, it is always interesting to try some new dish, an exotic fruit. And in Crimea at this time a very unusual kind of vegetable appears on the shelves. What is this yellow fruit, covered with crooked ribs and soft pimples with bright red berries inside? And its name is also unusual - Momordica! If you meet one, be sure to take it with you to the beach. He has a pleasant taste, as well as a whole range of useful qualities

Features and Valuable qualities of Momordica

Momordica belongs to the pumpkin family. It is also called a cucumber, but it adds a little clarification: Indian, yellow or rabid! They can be eaten raw. The pulp has a pumpkin flavor. The berries themselves are pericarp, they are not very juicy, they look like persimmons, but without the characteristic astringency. In addition, momordica is boiled and fried. Young fruits are salted and pickled like ordinary cucumbers. Moreover, not only fruits are used for food, but also leaves with shoots - they go to salads and soups.

Yellow cucumber is very useful, it is not for nothing that it is revered by the Hindus as a plant of the gods. And in China, dishes made from this vegetable had to be in order to be on the table of the emperor. In the East, this plant has been appreciated for its many medicinal properties:

• Momordica helps with peptic ulcer disease, high blood sugar, hypertension, shaves with bad cholesterol.

• It is an effective anti-inflammatory and diuretic that should be taken into account by those who often face a problem such as cystitis.

• Eating mad cucumber reduces the risk of malignant tumors and improves immunity.

• It is needed by those who wish to improve their visual acuity.

• Hepatitis, burns, psoriasis, arthritis, sclerosis - Momordica is useful for all these ailments.

And in general, the vegetable has a rejuvenating effect on the body.

Well, among other things, Momordica is distinguished by its high decorative qualities. Therefore, it will certainly interest those who are fond of decorative gardening. The carved leaves of the plant will decorate the walls of the arbors or the frames of the arbours. During the flowering period, the vines are decorated with large flowers of bright yellow shades, and their aroma is very pleasant. If you do not remove the fruits from the lashes, they will also acquire a beautiful yellow color, and overripe will open up, exposing dark orange and red berries, like extraordinary living lanterns. By the way, momordica can be grown both on a personal plot, and indoors or on a balcony.

Growing Indian Cucumber

Momordica is a very thermophilic plant. To grow a plant, you need to set aside an area with fertile soil in a place well-lit by the sun. The soil must be moisture-permeable, otherwise drainage is arranged under the bed.

In regions that cannot boast of a long warm summer period, it is recommended to grow momordica through seedlings. Before that, it is advisable to treat the seeds with a solution of potassium permanganate.

In the nursery, the seed is placed at a depth of about 1.5 cm. The containers are left in a dark place. The soil mixture is moistened every 2-3 days to keep it moist. With the emergence of seedlings, they are moved to a lighter place.

While the seedlings are growing indoors, support may be needed for the momordica sprouts. A thermophilic culture is transplanted into open ground when there is no threat of frost return.

Plant care is simple. Momordika pests do not bother. A mullein is suitable from top dressing. You can remove the fruits at different stages. Greens are more suitable for harvesting, but fresh "berries" are used when the peel turns yellow or even bursts and opens.