I Found A Nest Of Gourds

[uncle Will in In.]

Really. I was blazing a trail through the weeds that never got mowed in my barnyard last fall. Noticed a gourd down in the weeds next to the board fence. Turned out there was five nice birdhouse gourds hiding there. They were all well dried and solid. I did not know that gourds would keep all winter while still on the vine. Even when they weren't ripe (hard) at frost time.

Tell me what you know about this please. <>UNK

[sparky5982]

You're looking for advice on growing these? Or, asking which gourds keep the best? Or, what are the ideal conditions for storage?

Something specific you wanted to discuss?

[Wisconsin Ann]

I've found the small gourds next spring still on the vines..nice and dry. Never grown the big ones successfully, but I'm guessing that they were kept fairly dry by the high grass..protected. I'm a little surprised the mice didn't find them tho...but maybe they were already dry enough not to be tasty by the time the mice were looking for homes.

[NickieL]

I keep my gourds outside in the winter when drying them. The freeze and thaw seems to help preserve it faster.

[fixer1958]

I grew them for a couple of years because DW had grand plans for them. I know one thing in particular, make the trellis very sturdy. Try to upright a blown over trellis with #300 of gourds on it. There are parts of your anatomy that will take it to management for abuse.

If they are not soft you can wash them off with a weak bleach solution.
If they are used for birdhouses, put a hole in it and shake the seeds out. Plant them again. Personally, I'm gourded out. Never again in this lifetime.
If I can't eat it, I don't want it.
They can be worked like wood, sanded, painted etc.

[NickieL]

fixer, you can sell them---I ended up selling many dried gourds at a plant sale I had last year....that was the best seller, infact LOL!

[fixer1958]

I have been told that but.......................
It didn't work out like that. Time is a major factor and is in short supply for me. I have 6 lights on my old tractor because daylight doesn't adhere to my schedule.
I did the back labor and the rest wasn't followed through with. I have limits.

As I said, if I can't eat it, or any livestock for that matter, I don't want it.

[ronbre]

i haven't grown them successfully but did buy a packet of seeds this year to try..MICHIGAN..short growing season..i thought seeing as how i have a few artistic bones in this old body i might possibly make a few bucks off of selling them painted..will give it a try if the grow..i did paint one my sister gave me one time and hung it up for the birds..years ago..and it worked out well..

I unlike you have all the time in the world now

[doohap]

Originally Posted by ronbre

... I unlike you have all the time in the world now ...

mmmm! How nice!

[doohap]

Look what I just happened on tonight while searching an artist site.

Margaret Brinkhaus

[NickieL]

Originally Posted by ronbre

i haven't grown them successfully but did buy a packet of seeds this year to try..MICHIGAN..short growing season..i thought seeing as how i have a few artistic bones in this old body i might possibly make a few bucks off of selling them painted..will give it a try if the grow..i did paint one my sister gave me one time and hung it up for the birds..years ago..and it worked out well..

I unlike you have all the time in the world now

Start them early inside!!!

I'm zone 5 and started them outside...I still managed to get a lot off of only a couple plants. Fortunatly, the squash bugs didn't mess with them but they sure liked the little gourds.