Gourds are warm-season vines related to pumpkin, melon, cucumber, and squash. The fruit need a long growing season to mature properly on the vine before harvesting. The vines also need LOTS of space or a place to climb.
Planting and Care
Gourd vines need plenty of room to climb or trail.
Gourd vines climb fences and other structures by grabbing with tendrils.
Set gourds out in the sun to further dry after harvest.
As gourds dry and weather they take on a nice patina.
Drill 1- to 2-inch holes in your gourds to create openings for birds. Set out gourd transplants in spring about 2 weeks after the last frost. Birdnest and other large gourd vines can grow 20 feet or longer, so give them a space where they won’t overtake other plants. They can run on the ground or climb a fence or trellis, where they take up less ground. Trellised gourds are easier to harvest and also stay clean and unblemished.
The long vines will wind around on a fence or trellis; don’t worry that it must be 20 feet tall! However, it does need to be sturdy; a string trellis is too flimsy. Use wire or fencing. The vine’s tendrils hang on tightly.
Big gourds average 2 to 3 good fruits per vine, so you can expect at least 12 gourds from a 6-pack of transplants, or 2 or 3 per peat pot transplant.
Space transplants about 5 feet apart along a fence. If they will run on the ground, plant 2 vines per hill, spacing hills 5 feet apart.
If you plant in good soil amended with compost, your gourds will need little to no fertilizer. In poor sandy soil, fertilize at planting with a timed-release fertilizer or cottonseed meal at the rate recommended for vegetables on the package.
Water vines regularly for the fruit to reach maximum size. A soaker hose is best because it keeps the foliage dry to avoid mildew or other foliage diseases. Mulch is good, too, especially for gourds that run on the ground; this keeps them clean.
Harvest and Storage
After at least 3 months, your gourds will be close to harvest. The key is that they be dry before you remove them from the vine, or they likely will rot in storage. The fruit should be hard so that you can’t pierce the skin with your fingernail. Clip the gourd from the vine, leaving several inches of stem attached. You’ll hear the seeds rattle inside as the gourd dries.
Some gardeners leave gourds on the vines through fall, even after frost, to allow them to dry (cure) in place, especially those hanging on a fence or trellis. At this point, the vines are dead, but the gourds are fine. In areas where fall is warm or rainy, it is better pick the gourds and bring them indoors to dry to prevent rot.
How do you know when gourds are mature enough to remove from the vine? Look at the stem. It will be brown, hard, and woody. Gourds still a little fuzzy or soft when pressed should stay on the vine.
After cutting, lay gourds out in a dry place to allow them to finish curing. A garage works, and so does lining them up in the sun. The point is to let the inside continue to dry. Curing can take weeks if you want a gourd that will last a long time to make into a birdhouse or for crafting.
Troubleshooting
Because gourds can cross-pollinate with squash, do not plant them next to squash plants, or you could end up with some mighty tough squash! The farther away, the better. But be realistic. If you have a small property, plant as far away as possible and hope for the best. All fruit won’t be cross-pollinated because crossing depends on where bees visit.
Useful and Fun
For hundreds of years, people have used gourds for everything from water ladles to drums to art. Here are a few pictures of the many adaptations of gourds. They can be carved, painted, and turned into useful items such as small planters or even musical instruments. Bonnie’s gourd is a birdnest type.