photo credit: coconut wireless

There are many mis-conceptions about the gourd and what they are. Yes, some are edible and some are not. As a matter of fact many are quite toxic, particularly when cutting and sanding for gourd crafting.

In my 15 plus years of growing gourds I have grown more than 35 varieties. I have dried them, painted them, engraved on them and made tables from them. I have even made paper from the dried fluff collected from the interior of the gourds.

Here are a few helpful tips about growing gourds.

• Start the gourd seed indoors. They will germinate faster and with a better success rate.
• I use Styrofoam cups and wet paper towels to start my gourd seeds. I will have seedlings in 3 to 7 days from most gourd seeds.
• Grow you gourds vertical. They will grow with a better shape and have less insect problems.
• Make sure your gourd trellis is very strong. Gourds get very heavy and will pull down many trellises. (An old swing set makes a great gourd trellis and has a unique look.
• For bigger gourds remove all but 4 blossoms from each plant and them clip the end of the vine to stop plant growth and direct all the growth to the gourds.
• If you want a really big gourd, such as the bushel gourd, remove all but one blossom from the gourd plant
• It takes six months to a year for a gourd to dry.
• There are many crafting ideas and uses for a gourd.

photo credit: OakleyOriginals
Add a few gourds to your garden area. They will add color,  interest and laughter  to your backyard garden area.

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Gourds can vary from the small decorative gourds most popular for fall decorations and to the dishrag gourds used for cleaning. And who can forget the larger gourds that are used for canteens or even tables or toy boxes.  
photo credit: timlewisnm

I have grown almost every variety of gourd there is and in my zone 5 climate this can be a challenge.  Many of the larger gourds can take 125 to 130 days to mature.

This year in my crafting garden I am growing the smaller decorative gourds, two other small gourd varieties and the dishrag gourd.

In my swing set garden I have nine gourd varieties growing and near the barn I have the bushel gourd and two rare gourds that are new to me this year. I separated them from my other gourds so they would not cross-pollinate and I would be able to save seeds.
photo credit: Otto Phokus

My swing set garden is exactly what I named it. I like to grow my gourds vertical so that insects do not bother them and so they grow evenly. Since they are very heavy I needed strong support so I use an old swing set.

By placing a heavy layer of rotted manure in the triangular section of the set, I create a barrier against weeds and also supply a source of nutrition for the gourds, which are heavy feeders.

I place heavy twine from the top of the swing set to stakes in the ground to supply support for the gourd to grow on.

I also include flowers and sunflowers mixed in with the gourds to help attract bees for the gourds pollination. The flowers also add color and interest to the garden area.

Growing gourds on a swing set has improved the quality and production. And later in the year I can cover the swing set with clear plastic if I need to extend the season for a week or two.
photo credit: Aunt Owwee

I use the gourds I grow for small furniture, gourd instruments, wall decorations, birdhouses and ornaments.

Gourds are a fun crop to grow because you never know exactly what you will get and the gourd has so many uses.

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The smaller ornamental gourds I have already harvested. They have been cleaned, rinsed with a thinned down bleach to help with any diseases that cause the gourd to spoil and dried. I varnished a few for table decoration and Halloween. The rest will dry later in the winter and turned into crafting items or instruments.

The larger gourds are being harvested now. It takes about a week to collect and clean them all. This year my crop totaled over 200 larger gourds and 10 bushels or the decorative gourds. I will leave them outdoors on tables on a sunny day to take stock of the crop and sort them according to how they will be used. These gourds will take anywhere from four to nine months to dry and need to be stored properly to dry well.

How to dry a gourd.

• Clean the dirt and soil off the gourd.
• Check for damage to the gourd.
• Clean with a watered down bleach solution to prevent mold and gourd rot.
• Place the gourd in an area that get air ventilation and make sure the gourds do not touch.
• In my area I have to make sure mice cannot get to the gourds.
• Gourds should be turned while drying to make sure air is getting to all the surfaces of the gourds.
• When dry they need to be cleaned a stored until they can be used.

I usually let my gourds dry until spring then start to create with them. I have made jewelry boxes, musical instruments, plant hangers, wall décor and much more.

Tags: drying gourds, harvesting gourds,

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I am hoping for the bushel gourds to grow large enough for gourd end tables and for the canteen and dipper gourds to work for gourd instruments. That is what attracts me to growing gourds; you just never know what will happen and how the gourds will dry.

Below is a gourd video with some wonderful ideas and designs. I Woodburn paint or dye my gourds and add gourd pieces wood or other found objects to gourds, so this video gives me some wonderful ideas.

When working with gourds you are only limited by your imagination

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As in the past I started all my gourds using the Styrofoam cup method. You can read about it here: http://thegardenersrake.com/gourds-a-different-approach-to-growing-them

My gourd crop consists of 12 varieties that include ornamental, small, medium and large gourds. I am also growing the dishrag or luffa gourd.

All the gourds have finally been moved into the gardens and in raised beds with row covers, just in case we have a cold night. The raised beds are near an old swing set so that the gourds will hang and not sit on the ground. This prevents a flat side and even coloring. I use pantyhose as slings for the gourds when they get bigger and heavy. This prevents the gourds from ripping off the vine.

My goals for my gourd crop this year are:

• To have the long handled gourds get very long and to tie a few knots in some of the handles while they are growing. They will need to be three to four foot long to have a nice knot.
• Have several bushel gourds get big enough that I can make nice sized end tables out of them. I have planted the bushel gourds separately and used compost heavy with sheep manure to help them get a good size. It also helps to pick of some of the blossoms and have only one or two gourds per vine.
• Make several different types of instruments out of the gourd crops.
• Have the luffa gourds do well enough that I can try to make a luffa soap from a few of them.

No matter how many years I grow gourds they are always my surprise crop. Gourds add fun to the gardens. And the fun continues six to 12 months later when the gourds are dried and I can create with them. Instruments, wall hanging, two and three dimensional art pieces or birdhouses are only a few ways to use gourds.

Tags: creating with gourds, growing gourds, uses for gourds, ornamental gourds

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Masks have also been created from gourds and have been traced back through the centuries from records and drawings that were kept. Masks have been used in special ceremonies by primitive cultures worldwide.

The gourd masks were usually part of an elaborate costume used to invoke or impersonate the spirits.  Thus the mask became a symbol of control when worn by a powerful member of a tribe, such as a shaman. Gourds were used as the foundation of the mask face or as an element such as a beak, mouth, nose, ears or horns.  The shaman would usually create the mask to be worn at a special ceremony.

But in a few tribes the mask would be created by a mask maker who would interpret the Shamans dream. The mask maker was held in high regard for his artistic talent and being able to transform the mask into the meaning of the dream.

Gourds were also used as medicine rattles and in ceremonies. This lead to the gourd becoming a link between the visible and invisible worlds. The gourd was considered a valuable part of culture and beliefs.

Gourds are believed to have originated in Africa. They are thought to have floated along ocean currents and that spread their use to other parts of the world.

In African Mythology, it was said that good spirits were transported to earth within gourds and that evil spirits could be captured within the same vessel.

In West Africa, the Yoruba people of Nigeria would add beads and shells to netting and drape this over the gourd. This popular musical rattle instrument was called the Shekerie. When the gourd is slapped or shaken the beads strike the gourd shell, which makes a pleasing, rhythmic sound. The shekerie’s popularity as a musical instrument spread to many countries around the world and is still used.

Large gourds were also used as cradles and baby baths in Africa.

There is evidence of seeds and gourd fragments found in Peru date that back to 23,000 B.C. The first gourd seeds were unearthed in Aacucho, Peru that date from 10,000 to 7,000 B.C.

In Peru, the Huiro is a rhythm instrument, which contains dried beans that rattle when it is shaken. There is also a row of grooves on one side. These grooves are scraped with a polished eucalyptus wood stick, which creates a unique sound.

In Feng Shui the Wu Lou or gourd could be placed beside the bedside as a symbolic cure, to improve general health as well as hasten recovery

It is considered Good Luck by many Chinese people to have a gourd in your home. The gourd was also believed to have supernatural powers and served to interpret the wishes of the gods.

It’s amazing how a plant that produces a fruit or vegetable has played such an important part in culture and history.

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But, there are a few edible gourds and they are considered to be a culinary delight. Listed below are three of the larger edible gourds. I have not included the Luffa gourd and its relatives

Cucuzzi or Italian Edible Gourd is probably the most well known edible gourd. This was one of the first gourds I grew in the garden. It will grow up to three feet but is best picked for eating at one foot. You can cook and serve it like you would a summer squash or eggplant. This is considered to be a tasty Italian heirloom.

It will look like a long thick green bean and grows on long productive vines. For some reason the insects don’t seem to bother this plant as much as others. I think the plant emits a bit of a strong smell that repels insects.

I have had a lot of success growing the Cuccuzi and have tried it as an edible fruit and also let it dry like a gourd and used it for crafting purposes.

The first time I grew this I had no idea what to expect and actually scared myself in the garden when I looked down and saw what looked to be a huge green snake hiding in the vines!

The Serpente Di Sicila gourd is a lot like the Cuccuzi. It is very long and slender and a bright light green color. These should also be picked when they are small and tender. These have a very rich flavor and are served steamed, sautéed, or stuffed and baked. These are very popular sellers at Asian and specialty markets.

I have not grown this gourd before so I do not have first hand experience with its growing habits but I hear it grows like the Cucuzzi.

Thai Bottle gourds are gourds that are shaped like a bottle. They are best used when they are four to six inches if you plan to eat them. They are stir-fried, curried, boiled or used in a soup.

The seeds in this gourd can be used to make a vegetable curd that is somewhat similar to Soybean tofu.

Cucuzzi or Italian Edible Gourd recipe

Choose a firm, well-shaped cucuzzi that is free of soft spots and yellowing.

To Fry: Peel the squash and cut into French fry potato shapes. Dip into mixture of beaten egg and milk and roll in mixture of breadcrumbs and flour. Fry until golden brown.  Be careful not to over cook.

To Stew: Peel approximately 2 pounds of cucuzzi squash and dice into 1/2-inch cubes. Place in an oiled skillet and combine small chopped onions and 1 clove chopped garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes. Next, add 15 ounces of canned stewed tomatoes and summer for four minutes. Add the Cucuzzi squash and cook till tender (approximately 30 min). Season to taste. Serve plain over thin spaghetti.

Gourd trivia: A curvy mini gourd called Hu Lu in Mandarin usually shows up in the market during Chinese New Year. It is considered a fruit and is one of the essential items during the festive season. Hu Lu is usually wrapped around in a red-color paper ribbon that signifies luck and prosperity and used mostly as a ceremonial offering to the god.

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I just stumbled upon a gourd artist, Amy Goldman, who uses a very unique bronze casting technique on gourds. I was looking for information on a gourd variety called Bule gourd and found her work These pieces are beautiful and just go to show how art and nature interconnect in so many ways.

I have included the story and the link to the original story and gourd photographs are at the bottom of the article.

Amy Goldman’s Rare Forms
The New York Botanical Garden: Review

Bule Pear
The unusual texture of the Bule Pear gourd is captured in Amy Goldman’s distinctive bronze sculpture. Bule Pear (Lagenaria siceraria) is a hard-shelled gourd native to Africa.

A passionate gardener, seed saver, author, and advocate for heirloom fruits and vegetables, Amy Goldman has created a series of stunning bronze sculptures cast from the harvest of heirloom treasures she grows in her legendary garden. Each piece captures the unique shape and texture of a gourd, tomato, or melon, revealing its sensuous and ageless beauty. Goldman has bestowed on this line of limited-edition bronzes the apt name “Rare Forms.”

Amy Goldman teamed up with Polich Tallix, a fine arts foundry, to produce her sculptures. The pieces are created through the ancient “lost wax” process, used for thousands of years by artists in Egypt and China. This painstaking technique is the only one capable of reproducing in bronze the allure of these marvelous shapes.
http://www.nybgshopinthegarden.org/Bule-Pear-p-17350.html

Besides creating beautiful art from gourds, Amy Goldman shares my interest in heirloom seeds and growing organically. Make sure to check her work out.

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This Winter I have found one new gourd seed variety I have not grown yet. So it looks like I will be expanding my gourd patch.

I will also be ordering several gourd seeds.

Caveman’s Club (Lagenaria siceraria)

The Caveman’s club also called the Maranka gourd is not new to me but I need new seeds. I really like this gourd. It has a unique look and usually grows to about 18 inches long. I did raise one that was over 2 foot long one year. I used a lot of fertilizer and compost tea on the plant and pinched the end of the plant to encourage big gourds.

What I like about the Caveman’s club is the shape. It’s green with light green markings and looks like a primitive club but has a rough shapes texture to the club part of the gourd. This gives it an arty look, which I like for creating gourd pieces with. This also makes a great birdhouse.

The Caveman’s club is ready to harvest in 125 days. If you live in a cool growing zone like I do you may want to start the gourd seeds indoors. Here’s a way I start my gourd seeds,
http://thegardenersrake.com/gourds-a-different-approach-to-growing-them

Corsican Gourd (Lagenaria siceria)

The Corsican gourd also takes 125 days to mature. I start these seeds indoors to get a head start on my crop. These gourds are usually 12 inches by 6 inches and resemble a wheel of cheese, round diameter and flat.

I like to use these to make gourd bowls, lined boxes and drums. They are probably my favorite crafting gourd. This gourds origin is from Peru.

Bule Gourd (Cucurbita siceraria)

This is a gourd I have not grown before. It says it takes a125 days to mature and the vines will grow to 15 foot or as long as 35 foot. If I want larger gourds I nip the end of the vine at 15 to 2o feet and let the growth go into the gourd. It will grow to a size of 8 inches by 6 inches and is an apple shaped gourd.

What interested me in this gourd was the warted bumpy gourd skin. I saw a drinking pitcher that had been made from this gourd and it was stunning! The grower took the time to shape the gourd stem as it was growing so that it could be used later as the pitcher’s handle.

Gourds have been used for both practical and decorative purposes since biblical times and even before. They have been used for masks, sun protection, and to bury and store food in. More common uses today include making bowls, pipes, musical instruments, and birdhouses.

There are a few edible gourds but most are non-edible and can be toxic when cleaning, carving and crafting.

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This is the case with the Tennessee Spinning Gourd or Dancing Gourd. I heard rumors of this gourd but could not find anyone who had grown it. I finally found the seeds after about a year of asking and hunting. They are a little harder to find today and are considered to be a rare heirloom seed but several heirloom seed companies carry them. They are also available on eBay.

The story as I was told is that the Tennessee Spinning Gourd was originally grown in Tennessee. It was grown in rural areas and used as a toy in the 1800’s. After the gourds were dry children would take them to school and use them as tops and have spinning contests during lunch. I also heard that they would have decorating contest to make the most colorful or attractive gourd.

The gourd is only about two inches tall, bottle shaped and is green with white stripes before it is dried. After it’s dried it is a tan color.

When I grew my spinners I grew them on tee-pees far from the other squash and gourds I was growing so that I could save the seeds and not have them pollinate with other squash family member plants. I also grew scarlet runner beans with them for color and a rat-tail radish plant, which is also an heirloom seed. The rat-tail radish can grow up to 4 foot and has small white flowers and bean pods. It’s an attractive plant and I plant radishes near squash because it is a natural repellant for the cucumber beetle.

I put a good supply of manure in the center of my tee-pee to feed the gourds, which love fertilizer. I also put in a plastic 2 liter pop bottle with the bottom cut off and turned upside down to act as a deep watering tool. I would fill this with water and the water would enter the ground without running off and get to the roots where it was needed.

My crop was a success! One small area made a great theme garden and I harvested close to 75 gourds. I used some in their out of the garden state in fall arrangements and put the others aside to dry. They took about 3 ½ months to dry. I let them set until late spring them took paint to them to decorate them in an old-fashioned toy top style of painting. A few were decorated Victorian for Christmas tree decorations.

They were definitely fun to grow and easy to maintain. I grow them about every three years and make sure to set some seed aside for another future crop.

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