ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, March 14, 1996 TAG: 9603140020
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
COLUMN: Hoein' & Growin'
SOURCE: DELBERT JONES
Gourds have been called the clowns of the vegetable kingdom and nature's Tupperware. Gourds have been used by tribal people all over the world. Our early settlers used gourds as containers for food, seeds, milk, wine, nest boxes, musical instruments, toys, floats and birdhouses. Large gourds were even used as cradles.
Gourds fall into three main classifications: ornamental or softshell (Cucurbita pepo), luffa sponge gourd (Luffa aegyptiaca) and hardshell gourd (Lageneria siceraria).
The ornamental gourds are the colorful ones you see in the fall, used as table and mantle decorations. The luffas are the ones that soften with water and are used in the bath to exfoliate dead skin. In the 70's, luffas were advertised for $15 each in magazines ads as a means to remove the dreadful "cellulite." These hardshell gourds are all the shapes and sizes you see used in crafts, such as birdhouse gourds, dipper gourds, kettle gourds, bottle gourds and even snake gourds. These shapes have been selected for generations. If you plant more than one shape in your garden, they easily cross-polinate, and the seed that results will give you all shape and sizes the following year.
Since gourds are in the curcurbit family, they are as simple to raise as squash, cucumbers, or melons. The differences are that they require more water and a lot more room. Remember to give your gourd plants lots of space in the garden or build a sturdy arbor for them to climb. In a sunny location, prepare a bed of rich soil with lots of organic matter, or place a little 10-10-10 fertilizer in each hill. Plant seeds (five or six seeds per hill) after the danger of frost has passed. Water as needed. Be patient - the large seeds can take up to two weeks to sprout. As the plants get bigger, water and feed them frequently. Gourd vines can grow a foot a day!
Gourd plants are subject to the same insects that attack squash: squash bugs, cucumber beetles and vine borers. Learn to identify these pests and treat accordingly. Look under the leaves. If you see little white eggs, these are squash bug eggs. Pinch them off and this will help to keep the pest in check.
Let gourds mature on the vine until after the first frost. Set mature gourds in a dry place where air can circulate around them as much as possible. Hang them up by their stems, or, if they are too heavy, place them on refrigerator racks up on sawhorses, hang them in old potato sacks or place them near a wood stove. As they begin to dry out, mold will appear on gourd skins. This does not mean the gourds are rotting, and the mold can be removed with a weak solution of bleach and water (or left alone to create an attractive mottled color after the gourds are dry). Never poke holes in gourds that are still drying, because this will cause them to rot.
It can take several months before the biggest gourds dry out completely. When dry, the seeds will rattle inside the gourd when it is shaken. Then the outer skin needs to be removed by wetting the gourd with soapy water and using a scouring pad. Let the gourd dry, then begin crafting.
You can use glue, stain, paint, varnish, cut your gourds, carve them, or use a wood burner to make all sorts of crafts. Have fun with them!
Delbert Jones is a Master Gardener and member of the New River Valley chapter of the American Gourd Society.
LENGTH: Medium: 64 linesby CNB