I happened to see this post on "Most Recent Posts" listed on the right. In San Antonio, TX cilantro comes up in the fall, grows very well all winter getting big and bushy, even with a few nights in the teens, and it bolts in late spring. I let it go to seed, and when I can no longer find lower leaves to use the plants are pulled and the seeds sprinkled around. None germinate until fall. Years ago when I first started gardening I bought a pkg of cilantro seeds and sowed them in the spring. Nothing. Bought another pkg and sowed them. Nothing. Hmmm, must be bad seed. Bought another brand of seed and still none came up -- that is until fall and then I had cilantro EVERYWHERE ... LOL. How seeds know the time of year they are supposed to germinate is beyond me! There is probably a term for plants that do this.

Slimy Okra: Wow, someone actually noticed I live in Switzerland! Actually, in my part of Switzerland (Geneva area), we do get decently hot summers. In fact it hasnt rained in the last about 2 weeks and temperatures have been up to 30 degrees Celsius everyday! I would even say that if stress had been the cause of the bitterness, that it was due to the heat and me missing a day or two of watering (I do water it everyday now). I am hoping for some rain today finally! Just went out and picked the second fruit. It is a wee bit smaller but the sheen is the same - bit dull and not as glossy as the ones in the supermarket. So either that's just the way this variety looks, or I am just completely clueless and waited too long. Possibly both! Seysonn: I will be traveling to Asia later this year and believe me, I will be stocking up on all the yummy oriental varieties and other veg! Thanks all!

There have been several comments in this thread about bitter melon seeds having a short storage life. I respectfully disagree. I have been saving & planting my own bitter melon seeds since the 1990's. Because I have collected many varieties & can only grow one per location, it might be 5-6 years or more before a particular variety gets regrown. I start all bitter melon as transplants; this year I planted "Taiwan Large" (from 2012 seed) and "Abashi" (from 2013 seed). I also planted a de-hybridized Chinese variety (2020 seed) as a backup. There was no difference in germination between all three varieties, which each had about 90% germination. To put this in perspective, all seed has been stored in zippered freezer bags, at room temperature, with the bags rolled up to squeeze out excess air & stored in a dark, dry location. Proper drying is important; if the seed moisture is too high when stored and/or the seeds are exposed to heat, they will deteriorate quickly. Air-tight containers are best for storage. To get the best germination, start the seeds indoors in pots. Water-permeable pots (peat, paper, soil blocks, etc.) are best, since they avoid root damage during transplanting. It isn't necessary to nick the seeds; after planting, soak the pots & seeds in a tray over-night, then pour off any excess water. A few drops of fertilizer in the soaking water will improve germination (organic fertilizer can be used if it has a high N content). I recommend placing the pots in a warm location until germination... I use 80 F. degrees, but a heat mat, or a box with an electric bulb for heat, will work too. Germination should take 7-8 days; the seedlings should be moved to direct sunlight as soon as they emerge.

I just finally bought one of these melons about a week ago, and I have now cooked and eaten some 3 times. I love it! I went to web to find recipes and the first one I tried, I have used 3 times. It's very good, though I did change it right away. I have added things to it that original version, so it's now my own recipe, and I know I like it more than I would have the original one. That one called for letting cut up melon sit in lots of turmeric and salt, then rinsing it well before cooking, but I have added more to the marinade and I DON'T rinse it. I am afraid that taking away the bitterness might also take away the melon's ability to do it's job. See: http://milonee.net/bengali_recipes/bitter-melon/bittermelon.html and some of the links on this page for health benifits of Bitter Melon. Here is my version of the recipe called: Bitter Melon Saute Cut one or more bitter melons in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and the soft centre they sit in. Then cut the melon halves into small pieces. These pieces will be quarter moon shaped. They can be any thickness, but I make them about 1/4 inch thick or smaller. Toss these in lots of turmeric, cumin, and salt and let them sit for an hour or more. While they are marinading, slice an onion, several good sized garlic cloves, some leek, some fresh mushrooms and some protein, be it pork, chicken, turkey, tofu or maybe even some kind of fish. After the marinading is done, saute only the melon pieces until they start to soften, then add the rest of the ingredients and saute till the onions are clear. Depending on what protein you are using, you might want to add that a little later, but before the onions are clear. When done, just serve on a plate. You have both protein and veggies, so that could be your meal, or you could have other things with it. I like just that as my meal perhaps with some oat cakes or other biscuit or rice, etc. Enjoy!! I sure do. I am now also curious and anxious to try some of the other offerings from this discussion. Happy New Year all. Jeanne