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Cultivation There are many types of gourds and they grow almost everywhere in the world. The kinds I like are bottle, birdhouse, dipper, and bushel basket. They are grown primarily for ornamental purposes and in the past were used for domestic utensils (cups, bowls, hand grenades, and the like). Gourds are annuals that like deep sandy soil augmented with lots of organic material and, are heavy nitrogen feeders. Well composted manure is their very favorite addition. They should be planted in the spring when the nights are staying above 60 degrees. Aphids can be a problem for them when they are first coming up so I like to wait until the wild bindweed starts to come in as it attracts the aphids away from the gourd seedlings. They can be planted by a fence or trellis if you do not have a lot of room. Or, if you have an unsightly pile of whatever they will cover that up for the summer. Our land is a heavily wooded area and they grow up into the trees, which can be a harvesting problem as you have to wait for them to fall down sometime in the winter. They prefer to be watered so that the leaves stay dry because the plants are prone to downy mildew. I use the made-in-USA-from-recycled-tires soaker hoses. This also saves on water. I will generally get two flushes of fruit. If you can keep the plants viable until August they will bloom a second time and, if you are located somewhere that stays mild until the end of October, they should have time to mature and cure.  Harvesting and CuringTo harvest and cure your gourds does not require any unusual equipment. When the stem and tendril next to the gourd are dry, it is mature enough to remove from the vine. Hang them to cure in a warm, dry, dark, well ventilated area such as a covered porch, barn, or shed. They will develop a variety of molds on the skin. You may wipe the gourds with a chlorine bleach solution to deter this if you like (but they can make some really interesting patterns). When they are yellow and wooden, they are dry and the skins can be removed by soaking them in warm, soapy water until the skin is soft and can be removed by scrubbing with a nylon dish scrubber. Then again, you may leave them on the vine until they are completely dry if you prefer. Sometimes, such as when the vines have grown out of reach, you have no choice but to wait till the wind blows them down, usually sometime in winter. CraftingWhen you have cured and cleaned your gourds, they can have many uses. You are limited only by your imagination. Once the skins are removed they accept paint well and can be sprayed with lacquer or acrylic finishes. I recommend acrylics because they are durable, readily available, and can be applied without any special equipment. Woodworking tools are the best for cutting the gourds open to make dippers, bowls, or ornaments. They have the density and feel of balsa wood so you don't need power tools if you don't have them.  
 
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