Gourd containers


ok. I have long handle "dipper" gourd seeds and stubby "birdhouse" gourd seeds. I will send them out on the 30th. They will have to travel cross country from Alabama.

Anyone else want any?
 
Got a bunch of bird house and apple gourds drying now, DW uses them for her craft work.
I need to make a couple of canteen out of them, so I hope the ones I picked out won't rot before they dry.......
 
I'm having bad time getting any to dry without rotting this year...I can send ya seeds as well.....
 
ok. I have long handle "dipper" gourd seeds and stubby "birdhouse" gourd seeds. I will send them out on the 30th. They will have to travel cross country from Alabama.

Anyone else want any?

Any idea if the growing season in Colorado would support growing these? I've been interested in making a gourd canteen for some time...just haven't found the gourd! :)
 
I got all of one dried gourd from twelve plants this year (had one other but it was picked too soon and rotted). It was my first try growing them. The plants went wild, took over half the garden, flowers everywhere but no fruit. Don't know what happened there, but it made me worry for the pollinators in my area.

Anyways I'd plant less than you think you'll need because the plants are vigorous monsters. The other thing is to leave the gourds on the vine until the plant has died to a husk. Ideally you can hear the seeds rattling inside before you pick them, but you can finish drying them indoors too. It will take some months for them to be ready.
 
Dad grew me some in South AL a few years back. They take a lot of water to develop the thick outer skin. We got a crapton of bird house and canteen gourds off 5 seeds.
 
Here is one of DW gourd "crafts",,,,she was playing around with "3-D" geese.
DSCF0461.jpg


I'm wondering is you could grow them between a couple of boards so they come out "flat", ....would make the canteen easier to carry.
 
Canteen gourds are basically flat on each side and about 3-4 inches thick. I'll post a pic of mine when I get home.
 
You do grow canteen gourds between 2 boards to make them flat, just make sure to keep the stems up. We have some seeds just got to get the ground ready near the house for them.
 
I work on a reservation, and we used to have a husband and wife who grew gourds. He would make them into beautiful rattles (paint and mesquite handles). She brought me a bunch of seeds and I managed a great harvest of gourds. Unfortunately, the seeds from these gourds didn't produce squat. Then the husband died and she stopped growing them They take a ton of water and like the hot sun.
 

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