Growing Gourds Are You Out of Your Gourd?
by Faith Wright-Draper aka
"byfaithonly"
We all know that means you are crazy or at least
acting the part but gourds are actually getting a
bad rap from that old saying, “Are you out
of your gourd?” Yes, there are some gourds
that look a bit strange, even somewhat crazy, but
gourds can put on a spectacular display in a
garden and create some very functional fruit.
Gourds can be used as decorations, birdhouses and
birdfeeders, dippers, containers and much more.
If you are considering growing gourds in your
garden there are a few things you will want to
consider as well as some simple tips to make your
gourd growing experience a good one.
The first tip could well be the most important.
You need to consider space. Gourds grow nicely on
fences and trellises or they can spread across an
open area on the ground. No matter which they are
going to cover a lot of area. Gourds grow on
trailing vines that can spread as much as 50 feet
or more. If you have a small space to plant you
may need to trim back these vines as the season
goes on.
The next tip would be to choose what type of
gourd you would like to grow. There are dozens of
types of gourds from bushel sized gourds to small
colorful gourds just a few inches long. There are
many websites online where you can browse the
different possibilities. Just looking at the
picture may help you decide which kind of gourd
you would like to grow. You may want to plant
more than one variety.
Once you have selected your gourds and gotten
your seeds either from a local garden shop or
ordered online you will need to decide when you
are going to start growing your gourds. You will
need to consider the growing time for the gourd
as well as your growing season. Most gourds take
between 110 and 135 days for germination to
maturity. If you live in the north where there is
a shorter growing period you will need to start
your seeds indoors.
To get your gourds off to a quick start you can
start the germination process faster by placing
the seeds on a moist towel such as paper towel.
Place this inside a clear plastic bag and place
it in a warm spot – the seeds need warmth to
start germination. You can purchase special seed
starter kits for this or you can place the
plastic bag with seeds on top of your computer
monitor (providing it’s on all the time).
You don’t want to cook your seeds though
just keep them warm.
You will need to check your seeds every few days
making sure they are moist. Once you see roots
start to poke out of the seeds you will need to
plant them in soil. If you have a long growing
period as long as there is no danger of frost you
can put them right outside where they will grow
to maturity. If not then you will need to place
them in pots to start growing until it’s
safe to put them outside.
After your gourds are in the ground you will want
to check them regularly for any signs of disease
or pests and remove any problems you may find.
You will also need to make sure the gourds
don’t get too dry. If you are planting in
good rich composted soil you shouldn’t need
to water too often but if the weather is
extremely hot and dry you will want to water ever
few days. Watering in the early morning at the
base of the plant is best to avoid getting water
on the leaves which can cause problems such as
leaf mold or sun burn.
In the fall if you want to use your gourds for
crafts or decoration then it’s best to leave
them on the vines until the first frost which
kills off the leaves. After that you will need to
remove the dead vines and discard them making
room for next year’s crop. The gourds can be
washed and dried to use as you desire. You can
find many suggestions and tips on using your
gourds.
Beautiful plants and a harvest of gourds growing
gourds can be a very rewarding experience and
really not as difficult as some would have you
believe.
Faith Wright-Draper (aka
byfaithonly) has been writing for over 40
years as a journalist, ghostwriting, and
freelancing. She currently writes for
several blogs, freelances, and on her own
website www.byfaithonly.com
