Gourd

Gourds are annual trailing or climbing vines in the family Cucurbitaceae grown for their fruit of the same name. The two most commonly grown types of gourd are Lagenaria species and Cucurbita species. Gourd plants produce long vines with long-stemmed, large, oval or triangular lobed leaves. The Cucurbita gourds produce yellow flowers and unusually shaped fruit which can be smooth or warty, plain or patterned. The Lagenaria gourds produce white flowers and smooth, knobly or ridged fruit which can range in size from 7 cm (3 in) up to 1 m (3 ft). Gourd vines are capable of climbing over 3.5 m (12 ft) and as annual plants, survive only one growing season. Gourds may also be referred to as dudi, cucuzzi, spaghetti squash or calabash and are believed to have originated in Africa.


Young gourds can be cooked and eaten as a vegetable while the mature gourds are used to make decorative items such as bottles, containers and utensils. In the US, gourds have become a very popular household decoration in the Fall.


Basic requirements Gourds are warm-season crops, requiring lots of sun and good drainage to develop optimally. Plants will grow best at temperatures between 18 and 25°C (65–75°F) in a fertile, well-draining soil, rich in organic matter and with a pH between 6.5 and 7.5. Gourd plants should be planted in full sun and provided with ample soil moisture. Vining varieties can grow to very large sizes and require a good deal of space. Sowing seeds Gourds can be direct seeded or sown indoors and transplanted. If direct seeding,seeds should be sown after the last frosts and when the soil has warmed to at least 15.6°C (60°F). Sow 1–2 seeds 1.3–2.5 cm (0.5–1.0 in) deep, at least 90 cm (~3 ft) apart if growing bush varieties and 120–150 cm (4–5 ft) apart if growing vining varieties. Allow a further 1–3 m (6–10 ft) between rows depending on the variety. If transplanting, seeds should be sown 3–4 weeks before the last frost date in your area and transplanted before the plants develop their second set of true leaves. Sowing seeds in 3–4 inch pots help to minimize disturbance to the roots prior to transplanting. Peat pots can be transplanted with the seedlings eliminating the need to disturb the roots entirely. Seeds in sown both indoors and out require lightly moist soil for germination, care should be taken to avoid overwatering. Seeds should germinate in 5–10 days depending on the soil temperature. General care and maintenance Gourd plants sprawling and require plenty space to grow. Vines can be trained to grow on a trellis or fence. Plants also require a continuous supply of water and where drip irrigation is not being used, plants should be watered deeply once per week, providing at least an inch of water. Shallow watering or watering less frequently encourages a shallow root system. Mulches can be used to conserve soil moisture and black polyethylene mulch has the advantage of warming the soil. Gourds produce both male and female flowers (monoecious) and are pollinated by insects such as bees. Poor fruit set is often caused by poor pollination.


Dana, M. N. & Lerner, B. R. (2000). Gourds. Purdue University Cooperative Extension. Available at: http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/HO-135.pdf. [Accessed 12 December 14]. Free to access. Jones, T. (2009). Gourds. University of Kentucky College of Agriculture. Available at: http://www.uky.edu/Ag/NewCrops/introsheets/gourds.pdf. [Accessed 12 December 14]. Free to access. Zitter, T. A., Hopkins, D. L. & Thomas, C. E. (1996). Compendium of Cucurbit diseases. American Phytopathological Society Press. Available at: http://www.apsnet.org/apsstore/shopapspress/Pages/42074.aspx. Available for purchase from APS Press.