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Gourds !!

JAYPRINCESSJAYPRINCESS Posts: 6
in Problem solving

Hi has anyone ever grown decorative gourds fron seed ? I planted some seeds in a tray inside and now have many minature plants but dont know when and how I go about planting them outside, and do they need much care ? many thanks

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  • Alina WAlina W Posts: 1,445

    Plant out when all danger of frost has passed. Give them a sunny position in good soil and make sure that they don't dry out; a bit of tomato food won't go amiss, but other than that they are quite reliable plants.

  • Zoomer44Zoomer44 Posts: 3,267

    I've sown some snake gourds and am in the same boat as you. They are a nice size at present, five in all and look like courgette plants. I've got mine in the GH and bring them indoors if forcast frost. I'm not sure whether they'll grow up a trellis or whether they grow on the ground. I don't even know how tall they are likely to grow. The seed packet wasn't particularly helpful, they were free with a magazine.    

    Hope someone can help with advise, if not I was going to treat them like courgette plants. Do you know whether they have male and female flowers!    

  • Zoomer44Zoomer44 Posts: 3,267

    Looks like we posted at the same time Alina. 

  • Alina WAlina W Posts: 1,445

    We did, Zoomer image

    I grew them up a trellis, although I can't remember if I tied them in. The mixed ones are generally fairly small, max size that of a small melon, more often a grapefruit or large pear.

  • Zoomer44Zoomer44 Posts: 3,267

    I'm looking forward to them fruiting and then drying out the fruit. I'm growing snakes for a friends children to paint. The decorative  one's look really nice to grow and  dry. There's also a swan shaped variety.  

    If they grow like courettes presumably I'll know when to pick the fruit.

  • Alina WAlina W Posts: 1,445

    You'll know because they stop growing, more or less.

  • backyardeebackyardee Posts: 132

    I grew several to cover a bit of fence. I have been banned from growing them again. I filled a trailer of the gourds and had to dump in a corner of my woods. There were 100's of them. It was suggested I didn't dry and paint any either as the OH was sick of the sight of them.image

  • BookertooBookertoo Posts: 1,306

    Basically, find a corner where there is alot of light and not much water, place them there, then ignore.   By the end of the season you wll find pretty decorative small gourds in good numbers.   I have given up on them now as there are no children at home to enjoy the shapes, and I personally have had enough of them, but difficult they are not.  I would wait until into June before planting out.  Once they start to run they will romp away with no help from you.   If you water and feed them you will get loads of leaves but little if any fruit - think about where they orignate, as with all plants the closer we can get to where they evolved the better they will grow.  Have fun & enjoy. 

  • Zoomer44Zoomer44 Posts: 3,267

    I'll be happy with a dozen snakes image No problem finding a corner with lots of light, finding one with little water will be a tab bit more difficult,, my garden is like a green oasis at present with all the rain we've had. I've an ivy to plant up a trellis so will plant them together, the ivy may take up the water.      

  • JAYPRINCESSJAYPRINCESS Posts: 6

    thanks to you all, will follow all the instructions, and keep you posted !

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