Last identification of gourd

Here's one that I think is a dipper gourd, but it has the same coloring as the swan gourd picture that RR posted. Maybe it's just a big swan?

Looks like a swan gourd to me.

Definitely swan gourd. The swan gourds must rest on the ground in order to get the crooked neck shape. If they are hanging, they will form in that dipper gourd shape and be a little less "swan-like".

dave

Do swan gourds seem to grow slower than some other types? My swans are far behind the Bottle and birdhouse gourds...and they were planted in the ground first. Just wondering. Jo

Last year my swan gourds actually grew quite quickly. 87 days from germination to harvest. I harvested them just a bit early, but they dried okay.

http://davesgarden.com/journal/viewentry/7695/index.html

Dave

Thanks for the tips, Dave! None of the swans are on the ground so I'll have to figure out a method of gently lowering them. Your journal is helpful, too :)

Thanks Dave, I will blame mine's "slowness" on the fact I deserted them for 2 months! But I'm trying to make up for it! Jo

Dave didn't you have to thin them out? I didn't think that you could grow gourds that close together because of the way they spread.

wind: I didn't thin and they handled it just fine! They spread out 40 feet in all directions.

Dave, I hope your advice is the same for the louffas. They've been doing much better with regard to propagating. I've only removed the newest fruit thinking that they won't have time to mature before seasons end. But, I've quite a few maturing louffas that I haven't thinned. One louffa in particular is curved like a gourd. Since I'm growing the gourds close to the louffas, is it possible that I might have a cross between a gourd & a louffa? Have you ever seen or had that? What would you do with such a fruit if you had one?

Dave I tried to grow two swan gourds that close and the one plant didn't make it and when I asked for advice I was told that they needed more room. Well anyway, congrats on your success. How many did you get last year and have you decorated any of your Swans? I would love to see a dried decorated swan that has the curve, as you know mine wasn't on the ground so the necks were quit straight.

This message was edited Tuesday, Sep 17th 11:06 PM

I really like that gourd does the color stay the same has it matures? What is diappointing is how the dried gourds seem to lose thier colors and all become a non descript brown.

I'm with you, I wish that they would keep there color but no such luck they all turn brown.