Growing gourds

[Robert McCallum]

Last year (2004) I grew some gourds from PMCA-furnished seeds and got mostly nicely-shaped gourds, albeit a little smaller than I would have liked. This year I got some new PMCA seeds and am growing gourds again, this time hanging from a fence. The gourds have a round bottom then a long narrow neck and a lump on the top end. Are there different kinds of seeds? Or does growing them in a hanging mode cause "stretching"? We have had a drought in OK this summer but I have watered them regularly. If I grow them again I'd sure like to avoid the long necks. How can I assure that?

[Donnie Hurdt MN]

Robert, you are not the only one who's gourds turned out the way you described. I too bought my seeds from the PMCA and mine are growing exactally the way you described yours are . I am growing mine on a fence too, but the gourds I grew on a fence last summer did not turn out like the gourds this year. They looked like regular gourds used for martin housing. I think that the PMCA got the wrong kind of seeds from their supplier, I know that it is almost impossible to tell gourds seeds apart. Hopefully they will have the right seeds next season.

[John & Linda - KY]

Did you save any of the seed when you cleaned out last year's gourds? If so, plant them - they are as good as the seed you got from PMCA originally. We've been using seed from each crop for about 10 years now, but the original gourds came from a friend in Alabama. -- John

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

I got some seeds from Brad Biddle, and those gourds turned out to be very nicely shaped, thick, & dense. I recommend some seeds that came from that stock. Send me a self-addressed envelope if you need any, I would be happy to share, I have some of this years seed now.