Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) acquired its common name because the mature gourds work as bottles or vessels when dried and hollowed. Bottle gourds come in various shapes, but the most recognizable is the dumbbell-shape, featuring two round bulbs separated by a narrow belt. The gourds can be eaten if harvested while young and tender. Unlike other gourds with yellow flowers, members of the genus Lagenaria develop white flowers up to 4 inches in diameter and gourds grow from the female flowers. Trellises allow you to grow more plants in a small space and provide support for the heavy gourds.

1. Till the soil in a straight row to a depth of about 8 inches. Add several inches of organic material, such as compost, manure, leaf mold or sphagnum peat, to add nutrients to the soil, increase drainage and improve structure. Choose a site that receives full sun to partial shade. Wait until mid to late spring to start plants outdoors when the soil temperature is above 70 degrees Fahrenheit; you can start seeds indoors six weeks earlier.
2. Gather the soil into 12-inch tall mounds spaced 9 feet apart along the row. Tighter spacing is acceptable when a trellis is used, but providing 9 feet of space prevents vines from tangling.
3. Install a sturdy hog wire trellis along the bottle gourd row. Drive 8-foot metal T-posts two feet into the ground, spaced 16 feet apart, and then attach 4-by-16-foot hog wire panels to the posts with 16-gauge wire. Stack two panels on top of one another other to cover the 8-foot fence posts. You can install the trellis before planting, if desired, or no later than when the plants reach about 6 inches tall.
4. Plant four to five seeds evenly spaced in the mounds and cover with about 1 1/2 inches of soil. Water the mound frequently to keep the soil moist and encourage germination. When seedlings develop two sets of leaves, thin the plants to leave only the single healthiest plant in each mound.
5. Water the bottle gourd plants regularly to keep the soil moist so gourds grow large. During periods of summer drought, plants might require daily watering or a minimum of once weekly watering. Reduce watering in late summer after the gourds have developed and wait for the gourds to mature on the vines.
6. Apply a nitrogen-rich fertilizer as a side dressing around the plants every two to three weeks, replacing the regular water supply with water mixed with water-soluble fertilizer. Alternatively, you can spread nutrient-rich, finished compost over the soil around plants. Regular fertilization encourages vigorous growth, but should be restricted in late summer to encourage the developing fruits to harden off.
7. Tie the ends of the vines loosely to the trellis, using old nylon pantyhose or T-shirt strips, as the vines grow and can reach the trellis. Wait until the vine grows long enough that it can easily reach the trellis without pulling on the vine. As the vines continue to grow, tie the ends higher up on the trellis. You can also weave the vine ends in and out of wire grid for support.
8. Tie nylons or T-shirt strips under vines that support developing bottle gourds and tie the ends to a trellis, providing additional support to the heavy gourds so they don't slip off the vine or weigh down the vine.
9. Harvest the gourds in early fall or into late fall, if desired. Bottle gourds tolerate light frost, so you can leave the gourds on the vine much later than other gourds. You can also harvest young gourds, which appear after the flowers wither about 60 days after planting, if you wish to use the gourds for cooking. Cut the gourd from the vine with bypass pruners, leaving an inch or two of stem attached to the top of the gourd.
10. Store gourds to dry in a cool, dry place for several weeks or until they are lightweight with a hard rind. Leave space between the gourds so air can circulate around all sides. When they are dry, you can paint the gourds or drill a 2-inch-diameter hole in one side to make a birdhouse.

Things You Will Need

•     Tiller
  
•     Organic soil amendments
  
•     Garden hose
  
•     8-foot T-posts
  
•     T-post driver
  
•     Hog wire fencing panels
  
•     16-gauge wire
  
•     Nitrogen fertilizer
  
•     Nylon pantyhose or T-shirt strips
  
•     Bypass pruners

Tip
Always purchase seeds for your bottle gourd plants because so many gourds and melons can cross-pollinate, making it difficult to predict the plant that will grow from the seeds inside your bottle gourds.

Warning
While bottle gourds are thirsty plants, they are susceptible to mildew, so water carefully to keep the soil moist but not soaked.

Qty: 5gm