Family:  Cucurbit (Cucurbitaceae)

Annual, 120 days to maturity

(Bottle Gourd, Birdhouse Gourd, Calabash) Annual vine.   Native to tropical and South Africa, distributed in prehistory by human migration and/or floating to the Americas, Asia and Europe.  Found in pre-columbian archaeological sites in South America.  These are small to mid-sized, globular, with an elongated or bulbous neck.  They are a type used for making utensils, especially drinking vessels, as well as commonly used to make birdhouses.  Gourds prefer full sun and soils of average fertility.  Best given a trellis to climb up on (which results in symmetrical fruits with no flat places where they rest on the ground) or they may be allowed to sprawl.  Plant seeds “ears up” directly in the garden in the spring, six inches apart or 5 to a hill and thin to one foot apart or three best seedlings per hill.  Space hills five or more feet apart–untrellised vines travel up to 30 feet.  Germination takes a week or two, and the seedlings are best kept weed-free until well established, at which point they will certainly outgrow any late season weeds. Allow the fruits to mature through the entire summer.  When you deem the fruit has reached full size, you can twist the stalk (don’t break it, let the gourd hang) to help it mature and dry out faster. Harvest after first frost and hang to dry.

10  seeds/pkt., Certified Organically Grown