Wonder Gourd Seeds Need New Home

Hey'all,

About 4 years ago I bought some giant gourd seeds from Joe Koss (see link below), but never had the time or space to grow them. Now they're getting older, I don't see when or where I'll be able to grow them and I'd hate to throw them out. I'll have to dig around in my seed collection, but I doubt that I have more than 10 seeds. I'd like to keep 3 seeds for myself and send the rest to one or two people who have the time, space (lots of it!) and long growing season to bring them to maturity. Anyone qualify?

http://www.angelfire.com/me3/joekoss/index.html

I would love to try a couple of seed. Please let me know what you are looking for in return.

Nothing, really. I just want to see these honkin' monsters grow, even if it has to be done vicariously. An occasional progress report or picture post would be nice.

This message was edited Wednesday, Aug 20th 11:37 AM

Boy, they sure are monsters LOL LOL.

Hey! Would 4 acres be big enough? I think these are too big for the Javalinas to eat! Please send me a couple and maybe I can get them planted next spring...we have a very long growing season. I have some different kinds of gourd and louffa seeds if you want to trade. Thanks Jo

I would love to have maybe just 2 seeds if you don't have them all spoken for :)

4 acres in Arizona would certainly do it. I'll try to get a couple to you too, flowox. Anything for a "Buckeye" :-). I grew up on the far edge of Hanover and used to be a memeber of the Mt. Gilead Gourd Society (over 20 years ago!).

Another consideration in growing the bigguns is to find a dry place where they'll dry quickly enough so they don't rot. It takes a long time and dry air to get all that moisture from way down inside those things. You should be ideally suited for that, roadrunner.

I think that just about does it for new homes. They'll be spread across the continent well enough for at least one success story. I still haven't dug them out to see how many there are, but will this weekend and email the new foster parents next week. Thanks everyone.

thanks bunches, Agrinerd!!!

Thanks! I'll look forward to growing them....maybe I'll make one into an apartment....LOL Jo

Thanks Agrinerd, It looks like it would make a big dog house. I sure would not like to see a bird large enough to use it. LOL

That's what I was thinking.

can you see my mom's eyes when I make her plant this and the thing keeps getting bigger and bigger...........ROTFL
she always says she wants something new for the neighbors to look at......lol

think this will do it?

those are monsters. Now, those would be fun to grow just to hear the neighbors comments if nothing else.
Got a good start for the bottom of a snowman.
Anyone going to have a baby; could make a baby cradle out of one of those.
Never seen a gourd as big as those babies are.

Those are some really big gourds. How long are the seeds?

Can't remember. I'll look when I dig them out this weekend, but I do remember thinking that they looked like walnut meats! If I can get a decent picture with my cheap little camera, I'll try posting a pic.

It will be interesting to see the seeds. Usually the bigger the gourd, the bigger the seed.

They average about an inch long.

I was thinking of offering to one more member, but as it is, the recipients I have right now will get 4 seeds each and I want to make sure they get at least one to sprout.

Joe Koss has some links at the hyperlink below. I hear that his email address wasn't working and the picture files for his links are gone, but he has some good info and writes a good story.

http://www.jkstacydesigns.com/Classifieds.html


This message was edited Tuesday, Aug 26th 2:45 PM

Okay folks, they're in the mail! Let me know how they go in the spring.

Sure thing. thanks you very very much. Will also let you know when they arrive.

I missed out!! I'm going to be watching and cheering you on, I hope to see some BIG gourds !!!

Hey, Keith....Mine came today....I think they are big enough to fillet and fry!!! Thanks you so much. Can I send you postage?? Jo

Heavens no, this is too much fun! Just keep me posted. If you have any luck, maybe you can use one to build a Javelina trap (didn't even know what a Javelina was until I got this started).

Keith....they are stinky, ugly, pig-looking things! I can tell when they have come through my area the morning after...as it smells a little like a darn pole cat has been by. Thanks again. I have showed them to everyone I saw today. Jo

Keith, my seeds arrived today.
Are you certain you do not want to be refunded for the postage?
I too will keep you up to date on their progress next spring.
Thank you for providing me with my 'next year's garden oddity and challenge'. I try to do something simply just for fun each year and these seeds will cover the year 2004 nicely. :)))))

Nope. Just keep us all posted. I was the one asking for help. This is for fun AND to keep something remarkable from dying out. I haven't seen them anywhere else.

I will, and thank you once again Keith.

I sure hope these grow so I can get some seeds of them next year from somebody. These sure look neat!

I also have bought seeds from Mr Koss and they never germinated so I wrote to him explaining what happened, he sent more with a bonus pack.
I planted them following his instructions to the letter but nothing again. I hope you all have better luck than I did, and please let me know if they do grow for you.

This message was edited Oct 5, 2003 2:00 AM

Thanks for leting us know. You guys are a bunch of gardening vets, so you know what to do for TLC on stubborn seeds. I hope this doesn't turn out to be a bust. I'll do what I can using GA3, KNO3 and a weak tea solution. I hope at least one of us gets a vine out of it.

I hope everyone is still watching this thread. A note to those who received seeds... I have a feeling that they might not be viable. One of people who received them waited a month after planting with no results, so we may have the same luck that windsurffer had. If you decide to try them, take the utmost care and use all the tricks you can think of for resurrecting stubborn old seeds. (edited to update)




This message was edited Apr 1, 2004 4:08 PM

I followed his instructions to the letter but they still didn't grow. With all the things he did to the mother gourd I think has a lot to do with it as well as the age of the seeds.

I just soaked mine and am trying to start them in the house. Only put them in dirt Monday...will keep you posted. Jo

Mine ended up as mush, even when using H2O2 and GA3. I've had 8 year old seeds come up with that combo. How 'bout you guys?

WAAAHH! I tried mine twice...no luck!! Sorry, agrinerd...but thanks for thinking of me. Jo

Mine never sprouted. One that I nicked looked like it had a fleshy center but it didn`t sprout either.

Oh well, at least we tried. Thanks everyone.