Gourds are vegetables usually grown in the warmer months. They harvest during the fall season in many different shapes, sizes, colors. Gourds are members of the Cucurbita family, which is associated with pumpkins and squash. It is essential that gourds are planted at the right time and under the right conditions for the best results.
Outdoors planting
If you are planting gourd seeds in an outdoor garden it is important to wait until the last frost of the year. A late spring frost has the potential to kill your seedlings. Gourds particularly like warm weather, so it is best to plant your seeds closer to the summer. If there is a threat of frost it is important to cover them. The soil temperature should be at a temperature warm enough for germination.
According to the Texas Gourd Society, to plant gourds the soil has to be fertile enough with the proper PH range of 6.0 to 6.5.
Gourd can typically grow in any soil but harvest much better in drained, well-lighted environments. If the last frost has come and your soil is still rocky, hard, or partially clay, you should considered planting in a raised bed for the best results. This way you can control your environment to a greater degree.
Pot
Planting gourd in an indoor pot is an option for any season. A small pot should be filled with soil and the seeds planted. The pot can then be placed on a window sill facing south. The gourd will begin to grown within a few days. When the plant outgrows the pot, it can be transferred to a larger container. Indoor gourds will allow the plant the advantage of the spring and a longer growing season.
Growing season/ types
The growing season for gourd plants is considerable long. Hard-shelled gourds will grow white and typically mature within 110 to 135 days. The African wine kettle or the giant bushel gourd will take longer to mature--between 130 to 170 days. These gourds are much larger than the hard-shelled counterparts, which contribute to the delayed maturity. Ornamental gourds can be planted later in the season because they mature in a shorter period of time--between 90 to 100 days. This type of gourd will not grow if the seeds are rotten from being planted in a cold or wet garden.
Other types include the Ornamental gourd, which will grow yellow.
The Luffa is a type of gourd that is known as the sponge squash.
