[Colin_Partridge]

Hi Gang,
My wife dragged me off today to a farm to get some fresh vegetables. I was browsing around and found these gourds. Are these ok for burning and painting and what kind of gourd are they. I was asking if gourds grow here in Canada and evidently they do. When I saw these two the immediatly said Canada Goose and Snowman I just had to buy them. Now I know Donna told me that when you harvest the gourds that you let them dry until they get really ugly and then you scrub them off. I could leave them in the garage untill it gets cold but then what do I do bring them into the house for the winter will this be ok. Sorry for all the questions but I have never seen a gourd before let alone know how to take care of one. Oh yes one final question why do they grow gourds can you eat them the lady that sold them to me didnt know.
Colin

[Ashbys]

not sure what type , I am sure some can answer , but they use to use gourds for utensils , water pitchers, dippers , spoons.

Ash

[Irish]

Colin,

Those are called bottle gourds. They will become perfect for woodburning in a few months after they finish drying out. Put them in a brown paper bag ... keeps the dust off of them, and hang the bag in some dry warm area like your attic. In a few months they will have dried to a creamy white color but probably be covered with this terrrible coating of mold. Take them outside, get a dust mask or respirator, and scrub them down with clorox water.

Bottle gourds are great for blue bird and martin houses but because of their shape they also make cute people ... the top part becomes the head, the narrow part the neck, and the bottom globe the body. The bent one sure looks like a duck or goose to me.

Save the seeds!

Nice buy!

Susan

[Mottles]

All Right Colin, you did it--you found gourds!!!!!!
I agree with Susan they need to be stored for a while so they'll dry out inside. Here in Arizona they leave them on the vine until the stem is dry. Then they put them on wooden flats and just leave them out in the elements. I think the farms in California do the same thing. Be safe and always wear a mask when you clean your gourds--also while cutting them too--that is if your going to cut them open. Save the seeds and try planting some for yourself in the spring (some start their seeds in small pots inside then plant them outside when chance of frost is over. There are so many different things you can do with them. I seem to like to cut mine for decorative bowls and dry flower arrangments with and without lids (tops). If you want to burn on one don't paint it first as the paint can be toxic. Also wear a respirator at times when cleaning, sanding and burning gourds. As Susan said nasty moles do these gourds have and you don't want to breath the sanding dust either. Hope we didn't scare you off from creating a piece of art work from your gourds.
As for eating gourds I haven't and not sure how good this type would be? Anyone know?
Kathy

[Ron Davidson]

I can see it now Spirit Gourds, only Colin could come up with this concept!

[Donna_T]

Colin,
Here in the midwest weather, I usually just let the gourds grow until the first frost of the fall. Because gourds are usually hidden under big leaves, the frost kills the leaves and within the next day or so, I take a pair of pruners out and cut them all off the vines with about 3" of stem showing. I usually line them up in the garage or basement on pallets or wadded up newspapers so air can circulate and they can dry more evenly. I've not tried the "hanging brown bag" treatment but may do that here in the next few weeks--our first frost can come anytime in the next month.

Once the gourds are icky, but dried, I usually just throw all of the year's crop into a large box and take them out and clean them in the spring when I can get outside to clean them. I usually fill a big plastic tub with water, pour in a generous amount of bleach, and use various scrubbers (copper Chore Girls are my favorite) to clean off the crud. Rise and let dry, then use them one at a time as you want.

The large bottle gourds make good birdhouses--I guess that's why they are nicknamed "birdhouse gourds." Paint them, burn them, stain them...whatever you want them to look like. Cut the tops off and make bowls out of them. Every now and then the bottoms are slightly lopsided and I'll flatten it a bit by setting it down on the belt sander.

I can't wait to see what you do with your gourds. I was going to send you one of my fall crop, but now you have a real Canadian one!

Donna T