gourd trellis

Need some ideas on how to build something for my birdhouse gourds to grow on. First time trying, so need something to get my little seedling's going.

Tar, from my experience growing gourds last season, I would avoid wood if possible. I am going to grow some extra long handled gourds with my son this year. I plan on planting them next to his tree-less treehouse. I will cover the treehouse with a protective layer of some kind (some type of applicant). Then, I thought I would build a trellis with either fish line, copper tubing, bamboo or plain old garden netting. It will depend on how much time/money I have.

I am avoiding the wood as much as possible since I had quite a bit of mildew/fungus problems last year. I grew my gourds on a split rail fence. I also encountered lady bug looking (melon family eating) bugs. They like everything from gourds, to watermelon, to pumpkins ~ anything in that category. I was fighting both the fungus and the bugs to keep my luffas and gourds healthy. It was quite a bit of work.

This year I am looking for a fungicide that can be put into the soil from the onset to help deter fungus. Haven't found anything yet, though. I don't even know if it exists. If you have any ideas or anyone else, I'd sure like to know!

Good luck and enjoy! I think growing gourds & luffas is very fun and satisfying :)

You can make a structure out of pcv pipes just be sure to put them deep enough in the ground so they don't fall over from the weight of the gourds. I use my fence and run them across my shed, this year I am using my tomato cages.

Morph if you spray your wood with a sealer first then you can still use it.
There is a fungus spray that you only have to spray on your plant and it is suppose to nip it. You would only have to spray it again after it rains and the nice part is that it's natural. I haven't tried it yet but I am going to this year. I will post the website address tomorrow and if I forget then just e-me.

Thanks, Wind! I'll be looking for the site & information. I'll check back later...

Here's a great site for trellis ideas http://www.trelliscraft.com/idx.htm
Tonight my garden club is making gourd birdhouses. If any turn out nice, I'll post a picture tomorrow.

Cool link, Trillium! Thanks for sharing :)

I am thinking about using that 4'X8' wire grid they sink in concrete to prevent cracking. The holes are about 4 " apart I think and the panel would be fairly portable for rotating sites each year and not too bulky for storing in the off season.
I think a couple of "T" Bar posts every 2 feet or so should support it if used vertically for the hanging gourds and some concrete blocks (foundation blocks) should hold the panels high enough for air circulation to grow the gourds that need their weight supported by a horizontal trellis like the Swan Neck Gourds.
What do you think????

Sounds ingenious to me! Would love to see the picture if you do put this together...

The Swan Gourds do need to be able to sit on the ground or something in order for their necks to turn...

Thanks for the imput. I got mine up now. I used four landscape timbers for poles. Bought stock utility panels at tractor supply with four inch squares (5ft X 20 ft) galivanized. Got an additional four of them and installed them on both sides of my car port for flower vines. About $25 each but they will last for a long time.

Here's a group shot of the birdhouses the girls made last night. Not real creative but was the first time for everyone and we only had a small amount of time and supplies so they ended up looking alike.

At least they got painted LOL. Nice start!
Mine are still hanging in the basement, waiting for an inspiration to strike me! :)

Ditto, RA! Beautiful work, trillium_girl :)

Morph I am still having problems with my ISP so if I don't get back to you that is the reason.

Cool site Trillium! Thanks for sharing. I might have to make one of these now. I finally finished painting my first gourd, but I am on my way to work...I'll try to post it tonight. It was fun...I'm ready to do more now.

Here's more inspiration http://home.att.net/~DLeddy/freepattern.html
Can't you just see colorful geikos crawling around.

I have to apologize for being unfamiliar with postings as I have been putting comments on this thread which started as a Trellis for Gourds topic. I've been a bit timid about starting a thread. I just started one today for the first time so I'm improving. Apologies.

Very nice, trillium_girl!!!

I'm crying cuz I want to see pictures of what others are going to set-up for growing their gourds this year! Everyone seems to have such a novel idea, I'd really like to see some pictures of the growing structures!!!

trillium, I'm so glad you started this thread! And I am very impressed that you even included hyperlinks. They are great links! So don't be shy...keep threads coming!!! Thanks again!!!

Hey Wind, any leads or web addresses for that fungus spray?

Here is a picture of where I'll be growing some gourds this year :) Never been a better use for a treeless tree house than a good gourd growing structure!

Morph I have been so busy trying to paint the house and plant the garden, dodging the rain and spring cleaning that I totally forgot about the fungus spray. I bought a fungus spray(last year) at my local garden center to spray the plants and ground before it starts. I am going to spray the whole yard with listerine and a mild dish liquid to clean it up and then will spray with the fungus spray. I will respray every time it rains and boy has it been raining here.

Sounds interesting ~ listerine, eh? Do you dilute it at all or do you go with full strength? I did bleach my fence to rid it of fungus, hopefully.

Lots of rain here, too. I've mowed grass the last two times in rain; once during a passing storm!

Yes I use 1 cup of Listerine and 1 cup a cheep dish liquid and put it in one of my hose in sprayers fill the rest with water attach to the garden hose and spray everything in sight to the point of run off. I even spray the side of the house,doors,grass,garden,sidewalk and even the fence they will be growing on. This is one of the things I picked up from Jerry Baker and I use it every year but I did get a little lazy last year and ended up regretting it.

My trellis with its first vine and gourds.

Beautiful!!! I'm so glad you posted a picture :) I am green with envy as I started late AND with the plants outside now, they aren't getting as much light as when I had them under the grow lights. If I'd known it was going to rain so much, I'd of kept them inside longer.

So fun to see other's pictures ☺

Thanks again!!

My gourd tee-pee with a closer look at the baby plants.