As we move closer to spring, it is time to visit the topic of planting gourds. If you have nice long hot summers, and some space to spare, growing your own gourds can be a very rewarding experience, and with time and patience, will save you a few dollars as you won’t find yourself shopping for gourds for your various projects.
WHEN
The number one question we see is When? When should you be planting your gourd seeds. Gourds require a fairly lengthy season, so you are looking at anywhere between 120 and 180 days. As such, you are going to want to get going as soon as possible. If you are in a warmer climate – planting directly outside will work find. That being said, you need to make sure that any danger of frost has past. May 1st would be a good target for those in warmer climates.
For those of you in cooler climates with a longer frost period, early May doesn’t necessarily mean you are out of danger for a frost. As such, you’ll want to start inside with your seeds. Depending on your climate – look to start inside somewhere between March 15th and April 1st. When the danger of frost has passed. Transplant your plants outside. We prefer Jiffy Pots, made with peat, as you can plant directly into the ground and not disturb the roots.
Prior to planting either directly outside or in Jiffy Pots, make sure to clip about 1/8th of an inch off the thinner portion of the seed. Simple fingernail clippers will do the trick. As an alternative, you could also sand down the outer layer. What you want to accomplish is the ability for water to more easily penetrate the seed to facilitate germination. After clipping/sanding – soak the seeds 24 hours prior to potting/planting. Fill your Jiffy pots 3/4 of the way full with any seedling soil mix. Add 2 to 3 seeds, fill with soil, then water with warm water. When you have about a 2″ stem, and 2 to 3 leaves, you can look to move your pots into the ground.
WHERE
You’re going to need a bit of real estate – and a lot of sun.
Gourds grow on the vine, so you need to give them space to flourish, likewise you should make sure that your target area has full sun. Gourds can be grown on the ground, but we highly recommend using a trellis. The trellis will keep the gourds off the ground preserving it from rot, and also will help preserve its ornamental shape. Regardless of using a trellis or leaving them on the ground – allow 5 to 8 feet between plants to allow them to grow.
If you elect to use a trellis, it need not be spectacular:
- Install 3 – 6 foot posts about 4 feet apart from each other. This will give you 8 feet to work with for planting.
- From the ground, at 2 feet, attach wire between the posts on each side of the post. 2 feet above the first wire install a second wire, then a third 2 feet above that.
- Weave garden twine between the wires to create a lattice effect.
photo by Ron Cogswell on Flickr licensed under CC BY 2.0
CARE
Gourds shouldn’t require much in the way of fertilization after they mature. However if you felt like they weren’t maturing properly you could add a low nitrogen based fertilizer. Look for a 5-10-5 mix. Lower nitrogen content encourages the gourd growth, and not unnecessary leafy growth. As gourds will be growing in full sun, then will need extra water in comparison to your other garden plants. The gourds will “seek out” the trellis or other aid and climb on their own – no training needed.
KEY GROWING TIP – Once the lead vine approaches 15 feet in length, carefully cut the tip. Doing this encourages the vine to send out chutes on the side which will produce the gourds.
HARVEST
The key is to leave it on the vine as long as possible. When the gourd is impenetrable with your finger nails – it is ready to harvest. Most of the leaves will have died already and fallen off – that’s ok! Don’t rush the time on the vine. As they cure on the vine, you will notice a change in color, gradually getting lighter in color. When removing from the vine, take care to leave the stem on the gourd as this will prevent quick rotting.