terri schmit www.thegourdgirl.com 608.437.1944 Great for crafting - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

terri schmit www.thegourdgirl.com 608.437.1944

 Great for crafting

and art

 Relatively easy to

impress children with their size

 Terrific trellised

plant, especially to cover an unsightly building or wall

 To sell … but don’t

expect to get rich!

YOU’RE GOING TO NEED PLENTY OF SPACE!!!

MORE SPACE TO GROW!!

SPACE TO STORE THEM!!!

 Space  Sun - Full sun  Heat and Humidity  …did I mention space?

 True to type vs. general seed  True to type (aka pure seed) are hand

pollinated and isolated

 True to type guarantee a specific type  Know your seed sources  Saving your own seed  Seed viability  Germination rates in treated Commercial

Seeds vs. untreated

Untreated Seed Treated Commercial Seed

 Luffa - ~ 70%  Cucurbita pepo

(ornamental) ~ 85-95%

 Lagenaria Siceraria

(Hardshell) ~ 80-90%

 Chemicals on seed coat

improve germination by reducing rotting for seeds with long germination periods.

 Overall germination

rates improve to about 96% for all types.

Garden Planting Acre Planting

 Cucurbita pepo

(Ornamental) ~ 30- 100 per plant

 Lagenaria (Hardshell)

~ 13-35 per plant

 Cucurbita pepo ~

20,000-30,000 per fruit acre

 Lagenaria ~ 2,000-

5,000 per fruit acre

 SPACE

SUN WATER

 Make sure your garden area has all three!

Be sure you have enough SPACE – One plant can vine 50 feet or more! Gourds need FULL SUN Gourds need water er throughout the growing season until the last 6 weeks or so

 Aw poop! Gourds love it.  Winter additives – Coffee grounds and egg

shells –

 Ideal pH 6.5-7.0 – slightly acidic  Till in the Fall  Plant “green manure” (winter rye) in the fall  Soil amendments – Nitrogen, potassium,

phosphorus, magnesium

 Cucurbita pepo (ornamentals) – 90 days –

Direct seed after last frost. Germinate in about 7 days

 Luffa – 140 days – Start 6 weeks before last

frost and transplant when soil is 70°; Germinate indoors in 4-7 days.

 Lagenaria siceraria (hardshell) 90-140 days-

Direct seed or transplant; If direct seeding, pre-soak and snip “shoulders”; Germinate in 9-18 days or more when direct seeded

 Use good quality potting mix  Plant seed flat in moist soil; Cover with one

inch of soil, firmly packed.

 Keep planted seed in warm place, at least 70˚  Keep soil moist, not wet  NO PEAT POTS

 Plants must have their true leaves before

hardening off.

 Outdoor temps should be around 70˚

 Daytime temps 70˚ or above  Mound soil; 3 plants or seeds per mound  If transplanting, do not disturb the roots!  Keep area weed-free  HEAT, SUN AND WATER  Trellis – luffas must be trellised  Late season – Cut back on water  End of season – NO WATER!!

 Natural Pollinators: Luna Moth, Cucumber

beetles

 Hand Pollination – Get a leg up on the season!

Female Flowers Male Flowers

 Leave gourds on the vine through at least one

hard frost

 Vines must be dry and stems brown  Can remain on vine through winter or pick

and store

 Drying time about 6 months  If gourd freezes, seeds are likely not viable

 Soak in water/bleach solution for 24 hours;

scrub mold off

 OR – Place several gourds in a garbage bag

and add water. Tie bag and leave in sun for a

• day. Scrub.

 OR – Bury in a bin of moist potting soil. Leave

for a week. Dig up and Wipe off.

 Always wear a dust mask when cleaning the

mold off the outside or cutting and cleaning the inside of a gourd.

 Natural fungus - Aspergilla  Allergic effects include dry mouth, sore

throat, coughing, soreness in the lungs, itchy eyes, stuffy nose.

 Wear rubberized gloves when cutting gourds

to prevent slipping.

 Wear eye protection

 The Gourd Guy – www.wisconsingourds.com

Wisconsin’s largest provider of clean, hardshell and ornamental gourds- Madison, WI

 Quarry Farm Gourds –

www.quarryfarmgourds.com – True to type seeds out of Ohio

 General seeds are also available at most

garden centers

 The Gourd Book, Charles B. Heiser, Jr.  The Garden of Gourds, Liberty H. Bailey  Gourds, Decorative & Edible for Garden,

Craftwork and Table, John Organ

 Gourderly Quarterly Newsletter – Wisconsin

Gourd Society

 The Gourd Magazine – American Gourd

Society

 HAVE

FUN!!!!