Preparing the ground: we use 500-600 lbs of
12-18-18 fertilizer per acre to start.
12-18-18 fertilizer per acre to start.
Selecting varieties of seed
Rows must be hoed by hand, then plowed again
before the vines begin to run. We side-dress with
more fertilizer, using 300-400 lbs. per acre of 22-0-21.
before the vines begin to run. We side-dress with
more fertilizer, using 300-400 lbs. per acre of 22-0-21.
Vines are looking good
Male blossom
Have to watch for disease and "nip it in the bud"!
Worms can be treated with Dipel or tobacco juice
tea to get rid of them.
Worms can be treated with Dipel or tobacco juice
tea to get rid of them.
Time to harvest if drying on racks.
Stems should be brown for a few inches, and no
fuzz on the skin.
fuzz on the skin.
Field dried gourds
First leaves look very different
from mature leaves.
from mature leaves.
Hard shelled gourd blooms are
white and they bloom at night!
white and they bloom at night!
Ornamental gourds have yellow blossoms and bloom during the daytime.
Bend, but don't break them!
Trellis grown gourds
My African Wine Kettles just
kept growing and growing!
kept growing and growing!
Drying is an ugly process!!!!
Gourds drying in the field.
