Gourd (Lagenaria siceraria)
Humans have used dried hard-shelled gourds as tools and vessels for millennia. We use them for winter crafts and a well-sized hole turns a gourd into a comfortable house for garden birds. Gourds need full-sun and warm temperatures to mature and we grow the 10-15ft vines on a tall trellis so that the fruits hang. Immature gourd fruits are edible and we like to stir-fry the flesh and then simmer in a coconut curry.
Origin: The parent seed of our bottle gourds came from seeds we saved in Mazunte, Mexico while visiting friends who live there. Mazunte is a small fishing village on the southern Pacific coast and local fishermen use bottle gourds as floats for their fishing nets.
( Approximately 15 seeds per packet)
Germination rate: 90% - tested 8/30/24
Planting Instructions: Sow 1 seed 1" deep every 6" in full sun after frost. Nicking the hard outer shell of the seed can speed up germination. Vines grow very long and benefit from a trellis to climb. Seeds can be started indoors 6 weeks before your last frost and transplanted.
