Gourd, Tobacco Box (Lagenaria siceraria) seeds
Family: Cucurbit (Cucurbitaceae)
Annual, 120 days to maturity
(Kalimba Gourd) Native to Africa. As roomy receptacles for all matter of goods, these beauties are commonly used in the bazaars of Africa for holding tobacco, beads, baubles, dried legumes, curdled milk, and medicinal herbs. The shape is slightly domed, thick-walled, and according to our kalimba expert Rickason, these are the best of all gourd types for making kalimbas (African thumb pianos). Gourds prefer a very warm exposure, mesic soils, and are light feeders. Sow in hills 3 feet apart. Plant seeds points down, ears up. Thin to 3 best plants per hill. They grow best on a trellis, which encourages formation of symmetrical fruits, discourages rot, and may speed ripening. Unripe gourds do not cure out. When gourds attain full size, a good trick is to twist the stalk and leave them hanging. This encourages early ripening. Harvest after first frost and hang outdoors where they can dry slowly. Wipe mold from time to time as it forms on surface. This will make a clear complexioned gourd.
Packet contains 10 seeds
10 g contains ~60 seeds
100 g contains ~ 600 seeds
Open Pollinated, Untreated, NO GMO’s
Question
nadradee –
Are the young gourds edible similar to the Thai bottle gourd?
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Richo Cech –
hello nadradee, not that i know of, extremely bitter. r
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Question
Mindy Farias (verified owner) –
Why do my tobacco box gourds only have female flowers.
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Richo Cech –
The first flowers to form are normally male, on long pedicels. The female flowers will have what looks like a tiny gourd fruit attached. Both types of flowers form on the gourd vine–they are hermaphrodites. r
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