Any gourd growers out there ?

18 years ago

Hi everyone. This was the first year that I attempted to grow gourds and somehow I turned out a bumper crop. On a whim, I bought a package of birdhouse gourd seeds at wally world and thought I'd try my luck. I had not prepared any particular spot for them, but was reading on the net somewhere about how someone had some pumpkin seeds and just stuck them in a compost pile and they had a bumper crop. So that's what I did. I had a large compost pile in the yard from cleaning out the goat house so I just stuck the seeds in the top of the mound and kept watered. Low and behold they started to grow and grow and grow. I now have already harvested 20 and still have 30 or 40 more still on the vine.

Couldn't hardly believe how many were produced from only about 8 plants. How was your luck ? Any particular types do better in VA. What types did you plant and how did they turn out ? Would love to hear from you.

Thanks,

Brian

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Comments (5)

Baylady
18 years ago
Hi Brian,
This was my first year of growing gourds - received seeds as a trade bonus. Birdhouse and what was supposed to be dipper but wasn't - not sure what they are but grew beautifully. Even with the drought, they grew very well.
I also grew about 8 vines - they took over a LOT of fencing and almost covered my shed. I cut several when the stem was dried and brown, but made a mistake (I think) in removing several that still had green stem... I'll learn next time.
I have harvested about 20 gourds of both types and am really excited to see what happens over the winter - will they dry and cure or what??
Good luck with yours.
Linda
ptfarmer
Original Author
18 years ago
Linda,
Congrats on your harvest ! I've had good luck with them drying so far. I placed them all up in the rafters of my detached/unheated garage and have had about 8 already dry up completely. I don't think it takes quite as long to dry as I have read on many of the gourd sites. These dryed completely and I have already started to craft some of them.
I suspect it won't be long, and yours will be dry as well. I cut most of mine when the stems dried and turned brown. All the ones that still had green stems after the frost I just left on the vine for now. I was thinking of just letting them stay there till they dry and see how they dry compared to the ones I put in the garage. Good luck with yours and thanks for replying.

Brian
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Baylady
18 years ago
Hi Brian,
Well, here it is April and I've just finished cleaning the last of my 22 gourds (ones that made it through the winter and didn't rot). My daughter has been having a ball painting a few for friends, my DH's buddy made a few birdhouses out of ones I gave him. I am keeping the rest to do something with MYSELF LOL!
Already started seeds of swan gourd, birdhouse, and longneck dipper gourd seeds (that i purchased this time).
Let's see what this second year gives us.
Whatcha doing with yours?
Linda
ptfarmer
Original Author
18 years ago
Linda,
Hello again ! I havn't posted in a while(probably since last year)but yes, I do have another gourd crop this year as well. I had an unbelievable harvest last year of 108 birhouse gourds. This year I have more birdhouse growing as well as the martin house ones and some bushell gourds. All are doing extremely well and growing like crazy and loaded with gourds. I think I may have a storage problem this year, but I guess that would be a good thing. Sounds like you had a good crop last year as well. I really wanted to plant some of the dipper gourds like you did but did not receive any seeds. I tried to start some apple and mini gourds but had no luck with them germinating. Well here's wishing you the best on this years crop ! Thanks for your update.

Brian
bobbic
18 years ago
Uh oh, now you two have me wanting to plant gourds next year! :D I wish I had a compost pile, but my pot-bellied pig won't leave a compost pile alone. I'm thinking of collecting my grass cuttings and composting them, since I don't think there'd be much of interest to him in that type of compost!