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It was a beautiful day in NW PA. The leaves are just past their peak, but still beautiful and almost haunting in their appearance.

photo credit: Spudjnr123

As I was doing outdoor chores and picking up the yard and gardens and preparing them for winter I was distracted by last years gourd collection. The gourds were dry early this summer and I cut and cleaned the interiors about a month ago. I have about 20 I have selected for bird feeders or for hanging plants.

I still need to sand and clean the exterior and seal the insides (if used for plants) to prevent the gourds from attracting moisture and slightly molding. You should not seal the interior of a bird feeder. The sealer will affect the seed and hurt the birds.

You also need to use a pot inside the gourd if you want your gourd planter to last several seasons. Gourds and water really do not mix well, unless the gourd has been sealed on the inside and out.

photo credit: timlewisnm

If I get my outdoor chores done this week I will start on my gourds next week. I have an art show coming up that I would like to display some of the finished gourds.

I have grown gourds in my gardens since my very first garden and each year they add interest and usually a few horror stories for my family member to tell the neighborhood. Many people consider gardening to be a bit boring, but they haven’t visited my gardens!

Here’s a link to my one gourd garden that that still pops up in local neighborhood conversations. Grow your gourds on swing sets.

And one more fun thing to try with gourds is shaping them while they grow. Creative gardening: Shaping your Gourds

I’ll share a few of my finished gourds in a few weeks.

Technorati Tags: country living, fall gardening chores, gourd crafting, Gourds, grow gourds on tee-pees, shaping gourds

Gourds are amazing plants to grow in the garden. But in my zone 5 climate I need to start my seeds early for the larger gourds that take 100 to 125 day to mature.
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.

Technorati Tags: edible gourds, gourd crafting, gourd tips, Gourds, how to grow gourds

I find gourds to be an amazing and interesting crop to grow.

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.

Technorati Tags: gardening tips, Gourds, growing gourds