[decoycarve]

Spent the day roofing gourds for Annas bird houses. I know theres a lot of gourders here so I saved the seeds this time. Let me know and I will drop some in the mail.
The Goodys

[carver6]

Goody,
What do you have to do to get them to grow as big as the ones in the picture? I planted several seeds (don't recall how many or what type) last year and got maybe 2 gourds about the size of a small orange. Picked up a package of assorted gourds and a package of birdhouse gourds, like the ones you show and was just wondering if there is anything special I need to do, besides putting them in the ground and watering.
Thanks,
Garon

[Donna_T]

Likewise, if you run out of seeds, Goody, I've got lots to give away, too. I spent last Saturday sorting through last summer's crop--pitching the cracked ones, harvesting more seeds than a small city could plant in a year!!!

About the only question I have is how to avoid cracks in gourds. I got some really big "birdhouse" gourds but many had deep cracks in them. Have I watered too much or too little?

Garon, do you need more seeds to try them again? I always plant them on the far side of the garden--by the time the vines are running rampant, the rest of the garden is in decline and the vines just kinda take over.

I can't wait to plant all the different seeds I got last fall in our gourd seed exchange. I may need another whole garden space!!
Donna T

[Thomp]

I planted some water bottle gourds here several years ago,
they are the ones with a big knob on top, they got so big, some of the top knobs at the vine were big as a tennis ball, i tossed the seed from them into the garden at the end of growing season i thought, and they took the pole barn, several gords like to have pulled the tin roof off, during our light winter the gourds kept growing,
ive had some growing off the same seed for 3 years now, but i never got one hung for my martins,
i wanted water dipper gords the ones with a long neck that can be trained into a curly handle,
but i never found the seed for them..

[Blake Lunsford]

Goody...I would love to have some seeds...I will PM you with the address.

Blake

[decoycarve]

To anyone waiting for gourd seeds:
The Birds Ate them!!!
Honestly though I think they got thrown away over the shop. Some of the guys that use my shop did a big cleanup and sweep up over the shop and since then I can't find anything. I asked about the bucket of seeds and one of the carvers replyed "S#!t I thought it was bucket of wood chips"
Anna is going up to buy more gourds this week and I will probably get them ready for paint the week after. Probably be past planting season by then.
Goody

[Colin_Partridge]

Donna or Goody I have two bird house gourds that I kept in the garage all winter and now are hollow and dry. My problem is that they have black spots all over them. Is there any way to get the black spots off? looks as if the spots are mould. Any advice would be really helpful.
Thanks
Colin

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

if its mold, bleach will do it

[Donna_T]

Colin,
It's pretty typical for gourds' outter skin to mold and mottle as it cures. In the spring, when it's warm enough to do it outside, I fill a tub with water, add several cups of bleach and let them soak awhile--turning them so they get wet all over. Then I take either a copper "chore girl" or Scotchbrite and scrub off all the moldy scummy skin. Rinse and let dry in the sunshine. Be very careful about getting the bleach water on your clothes--it removes color.

It's easier to do a bunch at the same time while you've got everything out and messy. Once clean and dry, you can cut them open, remove the seeds, and go ahead and carve, burn, paint, or whatever you want to do with them.

Donna T

Blake: I've still got quite a few birdhouse gourd seeds left. If you'll pm your addy to me, I'll send you some. It's just now warm enough to plant them here. We had a warm dry April and a very cool wet May.

[Hank32211]

I'd love to have some seeds if you think they would grow in Florida's zone 9