decorative gourds

kilda 4/28/2011, 5:30 pm

has anyone done decorative gourds in SFG? My other half requested these this year so I am trying them for the first time. I planted seeds from a mix of fall decorative gourds. I had a hard time figuring out the spacing since the packet said to put them in hills 3 feet apart, with 3 plants to a hill. I ended up making 3 hills in a 4x4 box, spread out as far apart as I could get them, and did 3 seeds to a hill.

just wondering if anyone else has experience with these and if it sounds like my spacing is reasonable. I have some peas along the north end of the box, and some radishes, beets and carrots in squares along one side but I figure these will be done by the time the gourds are ready to take over all the space.

Aub 4/28/2011, 5:42 pm

I just ordered seeds for some huge gourds. I have no idea the spacing for them. I was just going to wing it!

BackyardBirdGardner 4/28/2011, 5:43 pm

You are going to be one per square or one per two squares, I imagine.

They are great to add to a vertical garden, and once harvested, you can hollow them out with a small hole and they make excellent bird houses for chickadees, wrens, and other garden-friendly birds.

MSJ 4/28/2011, 5:58 pm

I have planted gourds before but not with sfg and Mel's mix. My purpose was to keep the weeds down so I planted them pretty close together and let them run riot. I am planning one 4x4 for just gourds this year, hopefully in Mel's mix. If the budget doesn't allow it I know they will grow in plain old dirt and I can do a box and Mel's mix next year. I will have a hill in each corner and a teepee in the middle because they do like to wander and climb. Gourds are great fun to decorate with in the Autumn. You might think about Jack Be Little pumpkins as well.

kilda 4/28/2011, 6:00 pm

ooh, a teepee in the middle - what a great idea! Do they grab onto it themselves or do they need help?

MSJ 4/28/2011, 6:47 pm

I haven't done the teepee with gourds before. I had string beans climbing it the past two years. I had pieces of yarn for them to grab on to the first year and last year I wound jute around and around and it did look pretty cool. Too bad, I liked the taste of my bush beans so much better. The only reason I know the gourds will climb is that the first year they wandered over to the Virginia creeper growing on the fence and I could see little gourds hanging all over. Last year, a couple of volunteers showed up where I had my tomatoes. I transplanted some and let the others go. They started climbing the tomato cages. I may use the cages for the corner gourds to grow on because I am going to try growing my tomatoes on poles this year.

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