Growing Gourds

If sowing indoors, the middle of April is lots of time to get a vine up and growing before planting outdoors. Plant at 3 seeds to a four-inch pot and thin to one strong seedling once 4 true leaves (real plant leaves, not small seed leaves) have grown. Start at a soil temperature of 70F. Transplant the pot (do not disturb the roots) in the middle of June once the soil and night temperatures have warmed up. Space plants approximately three feet apart.

If you’re going to plant outdoors directly into the soil, wait until the soil has fully warmed up (usually the second week of June in zone 4) and sow the seeds one half inch deep in hills or rows. Hills should be approximately three feet across and three plants per hill or space the plants twenty-four inches apart.

Try growing them up a trellis if your space is limited; they climb quite well and the fruit stays cleaner.

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You'll know your gourds are ripe when it gets to the advertised size for that variety and the stem turns brown.

Do you have to harvest gourds before frost? Well yes and no. Lagenaria species will tolerate some frost but cucurbita varieties will not. You can which you have by the flower color. Lagenaria flowers are white while cucurbitaflowers are yellow.

After harvesting wash the fruit with a strong disinfectant to remove any dirt; gourds seem to rot quickly if left dirty. Dry thoroughly for three to four weeks. When dry, wax with a good floor wax and they’ll keep for a long time. Note that shellac and varnish tend to change the color. Let the kids spray paint – it will not harm the fruit.

Problems and concerns will be the same as for squash and pumpkin.

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