Gourds have been used as tools and utensils for hundreds of years.Gourds are easy to grow at home, whether you want the crop for artistic purposes or just like the colorful squash sitting in your field.
Step 1: You can choose a variety of pumpkins.
Gourds come in dozens of species, each with its own unique shape, color, and size.Gourds can be ornamental, utilitarian, and vegetable sponge.There are a few different kinds of pumpkins.Gourds are often used as decoration.The flowers are orange and yellow.The Utilitarian Gourds are green and dry.The tough shell of these gourds makes them a popular choice for tools and utensils.There is a center that can be used as a sponge in vegetable sponge gourds.The yellow flowers are growing.Gourds can be eaten, but not all of them are.You can eat a lot of squash.Chinese okra, balsam apple, Hercules war club, and young luffa are some of the other vegetables that can be eaten.
Step 2: When to plant.
Gourds grow best in hot weather.If you live in a place that gets freezing temperatures most of the winter, you will have to start your pumpkins as seeds indoors.Gourds take about 180 days to grow and produce fruit, as a result of their extra long germination process.If you are in a cold area, you will need to start your seeds six weeks before the last frost of the season.Gourds grow best in warm weather.Growing pumpkins indoors involves planting the seeds in individual containers, setting up a few grow lights, and watering on a daily basis.
Step 3: Do you want to use a trellis or not?
In the case of gourds, they are used primarily to encourage unique shapes, because of the lattices built to hold plants off the ground.Gourds grow fine on the ground, so you don't need a trellis to grow them.Gourds that are grown on the ground have a flat side where they lay, while those that grow on vines have rounded shapes.You can stake the plants to the trellis over time if you decide to use it.A combination of wood and wire will be required in order to support large, heavy bottle gourds.Small Gourds can be grown in a tomato cage.Luffa needs to be trellised almost always.It is possible to prevent diseases from getting to your gourds.
Step 4: You can choose a planting location.
Gourds can be planted outdoors in full sunlight.They can be grown in pots, but this will limit their size and production.If you don't have a trellis, choose a space with plenty of square footage for growth.In a wide area with plenty of sunlight and little shade, stake your trellis out.To prevent diseases from forming and spreading, plant your seeds at least 10 feet apart.
Step 5: Prepare the ground.
Gourds are easy to grow in most locations because of the proper soil conditions.The soil needs to be warm.They prefer a bit more clay than sand and may not thrive in sandy soil.The best range for gourds is between 5.8 and 6.4, so you can test the pH of your garden plot.Peat moss can be used to increase the acidity.The gourd plants won't grow if the air is warm and the ground is cold.
Step 6: Remove the seeds.
Gourds have a tough outer seed shell, which is why they have an extra long germination period.You can scarify your seeds to speed up the process and prevent them from rotting.You can use an emery board to scratch up the seeds.The rough paper should roughen the coating of both sides of the seed.
Step 7: Put the seeds in a container.
Place the seeds in a bowl of water and let them soak.This should be done for 24 hours in order to help speed up the process.
Step 8: The seeds should be dried.
Remove the seeds from the water and place them on a piece of wax paper.Giving them time to dry out will prevent them from rotting.
Step 9: Start your seeds.
It is a good idea to give your seeds a head start by planting them in starter sets indoors.Place a single seed in each of the small seed trays.After the last frost of the winter, give daily watering until you are ready to transplant the sprout outdoors.Make sure the seeds get plenty of light to keep them from getting too leggy.
Step 10: Put rows together and make hills.
In the location you selected for your garden plot, use a small trowel or shovel to prepare your rows and hills, or small mounds of earth.If you are planting a lot of gourds at the same time, make sure to follow the directions in the packet.Gourds need to be planted several feet away from each other.If you are using a trellis, keep your rows near it.
Step 11: Don't plant the pumpkins.
Don't group several in the same space, place each small seedling or seed into its own individual hill.You can cover the seeds with 12 inch of dirt.
Step 12: It's important to care for your newly planted pumpkins.
To reduce the risk of transplant shock, water the gourd seeds heavily at planting.Adding water to the soil on a daily basis is necessary to keep the Gourds happy.As the weeds grow, they will steal valuable space from the gourds.As the gourds grow in size, you can use a bit of string to secure them to the posts and give them plenty of room for growth.Adding mulch to the garden plot will keep it moist and block out weeds.It's a good idea to add an equal-partfertilizer to the soil every few months.To maintain a high level of water in the soil, give your gourds extra water when the weather is particularly dry or hot.
Step 13: Consider training pumpkins.
It is common for growers to train ornamental gourds into interesting shapes.bending over time is one of the ways to train the shape of a gourd.If you want a winding snake-like gourd in the end, you can slowly bend parts of it.If you want to make a mold for your gourd, place the small fruit inside a breakable vessel of some sort.You don't have to break the mold to remove the container when the gourd has grown because it will fill it.
Step 14: The vines should be left to cure on the gourds.
The vine that is growing on your pumpkins will die off when they reach their full size.If you leave your pumpkins to cure on the vine, it will be easier for you to harvest them.As you check on them, you will notice they are getting lighter and lighter.There is no fear of rotting or going bad unless you notice animals and bugs eating the pumpkins.When they are still young, they need to be removed from the vine.If you have to cut the pumpkins early, wait until the vine at the top is completely brown and dry.Move the gourds to keep them from touching each other.
Step 15: The pumpkins should be removed.
The curing time depends on the size of the gourd and the water content.It is a good idea to check the gourds on a weekly basis.If the gourds are soft or squishy, they are rotten and should be thrown out.The skin is likely to be cut when it feels hard and waxy.If they are ready to be shook, they will sound like a rattle with the seeds banging around on the inside.Cut the pumpkins from the vine with scissors or shears.
Step 16: The shell of the pumpkin can be treated.
The shell of the gourd can be treated to make it look better and last longer.The gourd should be washed with warm water and dish detergent.If you want to shine the outside of the gourd, you can use a piece of steel wool or some other type of abrasive.You can paint the outsides of the pumpkins.
Step 17: Saving the seeds is a good idea.
If you want to save the seeds for next year's planting, you may do so.The seeds can be removed from the gourd by cutting it open.To speed up their growth, follow the same process of propagating the seeds.You can keep the shell of the old gourd and use the seeds to make new ones.