planted!

I did it. I direct sowed gourd seeds yesterday. Keep your fingers crossed. I made a raised bed at the foot of the cattle panel arch, and (hopefully) will have gourds, garlic, and nasturtiums growing there. Louise Riotte's books on companion planting were the inspiration for that. Now, if it doesn't get cold and mess them up that way, maybe I'm too early for the borers! I hope so.

I put in wine pipettes and short dippers. (Thank you, Jo!) I need to work the soil a little more for the bushels. I'll post pictures once there is some progress.

You go, Girl!! Jo

Two wine pipettes are up, and one dipper. I only planted three of each. I think I'll stick some more seeds in there. The garlic and nasturtiums are doing fine, but gourd seeds just take longer. I"ll take a picture when it's worth taking a picture.

I'll be watching the progress....Jo

Hello,
I have seeds to plant but I am not sure when to sow them? We have had frost right before Mothers Day some years... Yet today is in the 80's... Thanks for any help..
Susan

Susan....Since I used to live up at Smith Mtn Lake (Penhook area)...I am quite familiar with your climate!

I would start some seeds in the house....styrofoam cups or those that you can plant....then they will be ready to plant in your garden in May.

Snip the edges of the seeds and soak them overnight first.

I am going to be visiting friends in the Lake area at the end of May....I hope all chanch of snow is GONE! LOL Jo

Jo,
Thanks so much I will plant starting tomorrow... Do they like to be moist,dry? full sun? I had some last year but that was just by luck. This year I have many diffrent ones and I hope they do well... I cant wait...LOL I am not the best grower of things yet but I am trying to learn... so I will give it a try.... What do they mean when they say plants grown in the house to start get leggy? shoot I need some leggies...LOL I am short...LOL
Susan

Susan...I think it means that the stems get long and with very a few, small leaves....I'm not much of a gardener myself...

Jo's right, Susan. If you get them started and they get leggy, once you put them out in the ground they'll lean over and wherever they touch dirt they will form more roots, which is a good plus against borers. I've heard they do NOT like to be transplanted, so if I were you I'd start them in some sort of peat pot that you can just put right in the ground. I grew them last year in a HUGE terra cotta pot and they did fine. Just give them something to grow on -- I had little bamboo arches.

Good luck!

Ann

Wow your grew yours in a pot??? Now you have me... What size pot did you use? This would be so much better for me for I can put the pot near the dogs fence in front and they could climb to there hearts content....
Ok if they dont like to be moved could I put in a peat pot with the bottom taken out and then plant that inside a styro cup so would have more to move ? I want to grow at least 6 diffrent types or more and if I could put in pots that would I think be much better... I even think bug wise that would be better....
Cant wait to hear what size pots and if my cup/peat thing is ok then I am off to go get the cup and start my gourds.... I painted my very first gourd I grew last year for the first time.. It is just white but hey I did it...LOL
Thank you everyone for all your help.
Susan

Susan....those peat pots come in small and a larger size...get the larger size....

Did you "clean" the outside of that gourd before you painted it? If not....then it might peel off where the paint is. Jo

Jo,
I am very new to gourds like I said. I sent some gourds to a lady on one of these forums to use and she did tell me to at least sand it so that is all I did... I just wanted to get it up for the birds... I will do better this year... I am still not real sure on how to clean any other way... I can tell you the mold when you first stand will kill my lungs... I wear a mask now... If this one peels that is ok my next trys will be better...
I cant thank you enough for your fast answers... I never thought of those bigger pots... potting soil ok to go into them? I wonder what HUGE tarracotta pots in size are..LOL I have a few here that are 24 inches round that I am not useing....
Jo, do you think the bugs will be better in pots? I did not have a big problem but I did have what someone told me were squash bugs on them for awhile until I got rid of them... Once again I cant thank you enough...
Susan

Susan, I did a lot of gourd art before I moved. I always cleaned the outside of mine under running water, first with a metal mesh kitchen scrubber, and then steel wool (not the pads with soap). My lungs liked that a lot better!

Ask some of the landscapers for the very large plastic tubs that trees come in.

That sounds like a much better idea Darius... Well my plumerias are in 24 round and they will be trees so I am thinking these will be fine for this ... I will have to buy more so will look into size ....
Thank you...... :-)

Susan

The pot I used was about 20 inches across. The root systems on gourds are pretty shallow, but they spread out. The bigger the better. I can't find the picture, but it was the biggest I had. They were plenty happy.

Thanks you so much again.... Mine are 24 across so this will work I think I have 4 of them now.... About how many seeds should I put in one? I am sorry for all the questions but last year was a fluke.. just threw them down and they came up... So I will start in peat pots then transplant to them after last frost... thank you....
Susan

Here is a good way to clean your gourds....

http://www.gourdbits.com/newsletters/0614/index.html

Jo

Jo,
I book marked it and thanks... I heard of Loofa gourds but have never seen them any where special I could get these types? Are these what you wash with? I know stupid question but you don't know if you dont ask.
Susan

No questions are stupid! They just feel that way...

I grew three vines in the pot, so I think whatever you do will be fine. These guys really want to grow. Check the threads on this forum for pollination ideas as they have male and female flowers.

Luffas are the ones you wash with -- I have some seeds and mean to plant them. They're a little hard to come by, but once in a while you'll see a packet of them, or you can order them from www.johnnyseeds.com.

Ann

.....OR....you can ask Roadrunner for some! LOL I have the regular louffa nd the small Ball Louffa...let me know...you need to get them started soon...I'll be glad to send ya'll some. Jo

Wow, you are a great resource, Jo! Could I please prevail upon you for some regular luffa seeds? The pack I have only has ten and I promised half to a friend. Whenever you get around to it, but I sure would appreciate some.

WHEN these gourds are ready, I'm going to send you at least one to thank you for all the seeds!

Ann

.....you got it Ann....I might as well pull some out of my seed statch for Susan while I'm at it...save me from searching twice!! LOL

Are you in the address exchange Susan...I know you are Ann. Jo

Thank you ladies... Yes I would love some of these seeds and would be more then happy to pay for postage or even the seeds... I have never seen them when looking for other gourds... I cant wait this year...
I am in the exchange and if you want anything for them let me know please...
SO EXCITED and thanks so much
Susan

So excited I forgot to say I got my peat pots and now will be filling them with soil and then seeds... Then will spay with water... and see how they grow... :-)
Susan

They will come up and then you'll think they've just stalled out for a while. I don't know why they do it. But then all of a sudden they'll go nuts. So don't worry when they stay about 4" for a few days!

Jo, did you get my request for gourd seeds several days ago?

Darius...NOOOOO...If I did I forgot...will have to look back through my Dmail....or was it on my email? Shoot...what kind do you want? I'm sorry I didn't get them ready. Jo

Darius,
So your the gourd person huh? :-) I cant thank you all enough for all your help today....
Susan

Hi again,
When you say nick the seeds do you mean like scratch with sand paper or a knife? Sorry never nick'ed before..LOL
Susan

Hello,
I just wanted to say thank you to all who helpped me yesterday... I will have my seeds that I have planted today. I soaked overnight and they are ready to go... I did not nick for I really am not sure where I am to do this... So thanks again for allllll the help.
Susan

Susan, though I've read it's a good idea, I've never nicked mine. They germinate faster and I think are a little less likely to rot, so I know it would be good, but it's not absolutely essential.

Take pictures!

Ann

Here is the wine pipette gourd seedling! Very excited about this baby. The dippers haven't come up yet, but I didn't scarify them, so I'll give them some more time. I'll post progress.

Great! Will be watching the progress. Jo

Same plant, two weeks later. Boy, these go slowly at the beginning!

Nice pic's... Hope to see more.. :-)
Susan

PS. Jo I am not sure if I thanked your for sending me the loofa(sp) seeds and the others so I am saying it now thank you so much :-)

Susan...Glad to send them!! Jo

Oh, gee whiz! Did I thank you, too? I certainly meant to! I really appreciate it SO much. It's oddly hard to find luffa seeds. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Enjoy! Jo

Just an update. I'm waiting for my camera to be replaced (grrrr...) but one of the wine pipette vines has climbed almost two feet up the cattle panel! I love its little tendrils and tiny buds. As soon as I'm photo-capable again I'll post pics. The bushel and short-handled dipper gourds are very happy, and the luffas are up as well.

Great news!

Tomtom sent me some gourd seeds from JAPAN...ordered off the web site SHE posted...(I thought Tomtom was a HE...hehehe)

Any how...the planting instructions are all in Japanese....but not to worry...we have a new gal from Japan at the Widowed Center where I go.....she'll help me out.

Thanks so much Tomtom. Jo