This is how my Swan Gourds looked when I got back from my vacation....ater pestering Shoe and Mystic to death...and got the skinny on what to feed them...they are growing by leaps and bounds. I'm glad we have a long season here as it's going to take a while for them to catch up. Having left them to the mercies of my DD and her watering them as often as she could...I don't think the 2 months I was gone didn't do too much harm...not with the good help from my family. Jo
Success, at last!!! Sweet victory!!!
"eyes"
Looks like you will get some gourds there you better keep feeding them and you will have some great gourds it would be to late here for me. Hey listen to me and not shoe. lol
Awesome RR! I, too am growing gourds... Swans & Dippers. The only problem is I don't know which are which ~ giggle ~
I'll post a picture shortly to share :)
Morph...only way I can tell is because I was so pleased to hear people talk about kaking plant markers out of old venetian shades that I made some and used them! LOL Jo
RR, is that a tire you have them growing in?? what a good idea!! so, what is it that you are feeding them to make them grow good???? oh come on now, share your secret???? :)
WEll our dear Horseshoe had me dose them with fish emulution (sp)(sprayed it on the leaves), and work some bone meal in around the plants. Yes, that is a tire. We get some bad "gully washers" here during monsoon, and no grass to hold the good dirt from washing away, so I read in a book to use an old tire....acts like a berm. I have a "well" dug aroung the tire too...for additional watering. Jo
RR, did you dilute the fish emulution or did it come that way? I've got seaweed & fish emulution, but I didn't think of putting it on the leaves though I did dose the ground with some seaweed that I diluted in addition to the nitrogen (separately about a week apart). What does the bone meal provide?
On the fish (now some on here refer to it as "fish poop soup" ...not me ofcourse...since I am such a lady....LOL0, but it tells you to put it in a sprayer and set the dial on a certain place...so I could do that. The bone meal...I have no idea...just because Shoe is an Organic gardener and doesn't believe in Miracle grow! Jo
these are the one gourds I wish I'd grown. I've even though of growing them inside under the lights this winter, but then thought again:) Lord, give me another summer.
Thanks, Jo! I picked up some bone meal this afternoon. Now, after reading Dave's answer to another thread in this forum, I have to find a way to lower mine to the ground if I'm going to get the curved top. I thought they'd be best growing suspended, but how was I to know? My swan gourds are bound to look really goofy!!! LOL on the "fish poop soup"!
tiG, I know how you feel! I've learned so much this year as a newbie that I fear a dreadful sorrow this winter while I wait and wait and wait for next year's growing season. I'd be happy to send you some gourds if my "crop" is as plentiful as it seems. It's just that they are going to look really bizarre! I've a lot of babies starting, but some are yellow & I don't know what that means.
morph, if you have extra swan gourds to sell me, I would love to have a few. just let me know.
No need to exchange money. Let me see what is successfully grown. I did just check on them and I am headed to the store to buy something for the yellowing leaves & apparent fungus. Hope it's not too late! They seem to be doing so well except for the leaves...
good luck!!! and remember, every lesson you learn this year will help me next !!! LOL!!
RoadRunner found a great book, "Gourds in Your Garden". Our library didn't have it, so I splurged & bought it. It is very helpful & I hightly recommend it! I wish I'd had it sooner. I did remove the fungus leaves from my crop yesterday. Then, close to 8:30 pm, I sprayed the remaining leaves with a purchased product made for fungus prevention/elimination. Hope this helps improve the strength of what I have that is good...
Morph...glad you like the book..I LOVE it! I think no book could make things plainer than this one. Jo
Yes, I TOTALLY agree, Jo! Perfect timing that you crossed paths with your son and came across this treasure when you did :) Funny how things happen when you need them to happen...
