FAQs

Georgia Gourd Society Frequently Asked Questions

What is a gourd?
Where can I find gourds?
How do I clean a gourd?
How do I grow gourds?
What can I do with gourds?
When do I harvest my gourds?
What do I use to color my gourds?

If you have a question about gourds, that is not listed above, send me an email and if I don't know the answer, I will find someone who does.

GGSwebmaster@comcast.net

What is a Gourd?

A gourd is a hard-skinned fleshy fruit produced by several different plants related to cucumbers and squash. Use: dried decorations, hollowed out for bowls, cups. Source: Encarta, http://ca.encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861614778/gourd.html

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Where can I find gourds?

A list of Georgia gourd growers is provided on our Links page under Vendors. You could also check the American Gourd Society web site for a link to other growers.

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How do I clean a gourd?

Everyone uses slightly different techniques when cleaning, from weighting down the gourd in a tub of water and letting it soak overnight, to wetting and scrubbing with a copper scrub brush for hours at a time. The method below takes maybe 2 hours and requires minimal effort! As usual what works for some may not work for others so it is best if you try techniques from different sources and then see what works best for you.

What you need:

A really dirty Gourd (dry) Liquid Dish Soap (preferably an antibacterial soap for mold critters)
Bath towel (large enough to wrap around entire gourd)
Loofa Sponge (or other non abrasive sponge/scrubber)
Dull paring knife (for stubborn skin)

Start by rubbing a handful of dish liquid over the entire surface of the gourd, don't skimp on the soap! The one thing to remember is DO NOT wet the gourd surface before coating with the dish soap, that will cause the soap to slide off and not stick to the gourd.

After your gourd surface is thoroughly coated, soak your bath towel in hot water, once towel is soaking wet, wrap tightly around gourd and let soak in the "Gourd wrap" for up to an hour (up to two for stubborn gourds). Don't let the gourd sit long enough for the "Gourd wrap" to dry out, if it dries you may have to presoak the towel and start the process over again.

After soaking in the "Gourd wrap" the required amount of time, lets see how effective the wrap loosened the outer skin and dirt. Unwrap your gourd, and taking your wet loofa sponge, scrub. You will notice immediately that the outer skin gives little resistance and slides right off the gourd. You can scrub the entire gourd in less than five minutes, rinse and look for any stubborn spots that just don't want to come loose. If you find any, take the dull knife and gently scrape away.

Source: Gourd Bits and Bytes

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How do I grow gourds?

Growing gourds is very like growing squash--with some important differences. The biggest difference is that with squash and pumpkins, you harvest at a much earlier stage. Most gardeners have had the experience of finding a giant zucchini that had hidden itself away until it was a giant--tough, stringy and not very good to eat. But with gourds, tough is good. What gives trouble to most new growers, and even some veterans of the gourd patch, is knowing when to harvest and how to cure. Let's start with what all gourds have in common. Then we'll talk about differences in how the various types grow.

Soil preparation-- Like squash, gourds like light, well-drained soil, but will settle for less. In Carolina red clay, a raised bed can help, because the soil warms sooner in the spring. A soil test will show whether you need to lime or make nutritional additions. Gourds like a pH range of 5.8-6.2.

Gourd enemies-- Gourds don't like weeds or drought. Diseases like bacterial wilt, anthracnose and mildew strike gourds. You can control by cleanliness and eliminating disease carriers--like cucumber beetles, carriers of bacterial wilt. Read more about gourd pests and diseases by clicking HERE.

Pollination--Each gourd vine bears male and female flowers.The male flowers appear first. You can tell the difference because female flowers have a small gourd shape beneath petals. The first vine that grows will have more male flowers than female. Cut the vine at about 10 feet long to get more female flowers--and more gourds. Insects (and industrious gourd gardeners) carry pollen from male to female flowers. Bees have been the most frequent pollinators, but bee mites have cut local populations. Don't kill any more by using the insecticide, Sevin, on blossoms, because it is hardest on bees. Other insects, even enemies like cucumber beetles and squash bugs, are frequent pollinators as well. The more pollinations, the more fruit and the more seed. Pollen can be gently transferred with an artists' paintbrush or a cotton swab or by picking the male flower and carrying pollen to the female. Generally, the largely the gourd, the fewer you'll get per vine: one bushel and 100 bananas, for example.

Hardshell Gourds mature in 110-130 days, so plant as soon as the soil warms in the spring. In the North Carolina Piedmont, late April through mid-June is good. Follow recommendations for planting winter squash. Too early, and your seed can rot. Too late, and the gourd will not be mature at frost.

Source: North Carolina Gourd Society

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What can I do with gourds ?

The sky is the limit! Check out the following sites.

http://www.americangourdsociety.org/

http://www.curiousgourds.com/

http://gourdplace.com

These are just a few of many great gourd sites.

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When do I harvest my gourds?

Let your gourds ripen on the vines as long as possible. Wait until the stem turns brown, but harvest before frost. The fruit bruises easily, so handle it carefully. Cut the stems 2-3 inches above the fruit with a sharp knife, and dry off any moisture.

Most gourds will need some indoor drying time before they are ready to use. Wipe them down with a weak bleach solution and lay them out in a well-ventilated area to dry. Gourds are completely dry when the seeds rattle around inside. Small gourds will dry in less than a month, and large ones can take up to six months. If mold appears during the drying process, scrape it off with a knife. Thin-shelled gourds dry best when hung in a mesh bag.

Source: GardenGuides.com

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What do I use to color my gourds?

You can find leather dyes on-line at: www.tandyleather.com/dyes.html

Gourd Ink Dyes are the NEW coloring agent for gourds that everyone's talking about! You'll enjoy the expansive palette of colors, and because Gourd Ink Dyes have no alcohol, they won't fade or streak like leather dyes! You can find them at most gourd art supply stores such as Turtle Feathers, Primitive Originals, and Welburn Gourd Farm just to name a few.

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