SPECIES: Lagenaria siceraria
and Cucurbita pepo (Both are in
the Cucurbitaceae family.)THE BASICS: Gourds are an
annual crop, planted in late spring
as soon as the soil warms up. The
seeds germinate in about a week,
and the plants grow vigorously
through the summer, their vines
sprawling freely on the ground or
climbing up a structure. Plant them
in well-draining soil in a sunny spot
with good air circulation. Dickie
Martin puts a handful of low-
nitrogen fertilizer (such as tomato
fertilizer) in the soil near (not with)
seeds when he plants. About an
inch of water per week is ideal.
Water during dry spells, placing
a hose at ground level to help
prevent foliage diseases.TIMING: Small gourds grow to
maturity in about 100 days. The
biggest gourds need more time—
up to six months. In cold climates:
Start gourd seeds indoors in pots
about six weeks before your last
frost. Gardeners in Wisconsin, for
example, start seeds indoors in
mid-April and set plants out in the
garden around the fi rst of June.
Smaller gourds that mature quickly
may be the best choice in cold
climates with short summers.POLLINATION: The white fl owers
of hard-shell gourds such as bottle
or dipper gourds (Lagenaria
siceraria) open in the evening
and are pollinated by moths.
Decorative gourds, which have
thick shells that are colorful, warty,
or ridged are also cucurbits but
are a different species, usually
Cucurbita pepo. C. pepo have
yellow fl owers that bloom during
the day and are pollinated by bees
and other fl ying insects.HARVEST: At the end of the
season, there’s no need to harvest
your crop. Allow gourds to remain
on the plants until frost kills the
leaves and vines. Then let the
gourds dry in place. Their skins
will turn mottled and brown. To
improve air circulation, raise the
gourds off the soil on a pallet or
stand, but do not crowd them.PLANT AT
A GLANCE
HARD-SHELL
GOURDS
Dickie Martin holds a
speckled swan gourd.