My Gourd Tree!

Oh Hi there Y'all! I would think that the smaller gourds , like Syrumani was saying, would be great for you trellis'! You could grow the tiny ornamentals,Like the ones you see in the Grocery every fall! I just got my first miniature Bottle and Bird house gourds, recently from the Amish gourd site and I cant wait to plant the seeds. the largest is only 1 1/2 Inches tall!

Here is a 'Wine Pipette' gourd photo from today. I grew a bunch of birdhouse gourds and got 78 gourds on one vine. I would warn Cathy that some gourd vines have an "odor"
it's not horrible, but I wouldn't want it wafting through a window.

Okee dokee, the gourd tunnel goes in the rear of the yard. Thanks for the heads up!

Deb...78 gourds on ONE vine....that's fantastic!!

I love the Wine Pipette!! Jo

Hi Lynn,

Plantladylin asked what do we do with gourds....... I ran across this post (link below)..... this Lady uses beeswax and beads on gourds to make her art......

Lynn, I know your head will be spinning with all kinds of ideas after seeing this...... Look at the last two pics she has posted... :)

Jan
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/555668/


This message was edited Oct 8, 2007 3:52 PM

This message was edited Oct 8, 2007 3:53 PM

OOoooOOoOOooo I know!!!! I saw the posts several months ago and have been following! Isnt she marvelous!!! Her work is just too beautiful!

Um, deb - which gourds have odors?

I'd say the birdhouse gourd I grew definately had a "fragrance" all it's own. You other gourders chime in. I'll go sniff the 'Wine Pipette' and get back to you.

Deborah

Jan....the lady with the beaded gourd (whos name is also Jan)...has moved from Tombston, AZ (near me) to Oregon. I posted pictures of her gourds too...they are wonderful....She is a friend of mine, but no longer subscribed to DG...due to not having the time to give it any more. Jo

Jo
Thanks for the update........
I went back and read the last of Jan's posts...... when I first read it, I read the beginning posts, then started looking at all the wonderful pics.... I am glad Jan was able to get a 4 page spread, I know she was really proud of that.....

By the way..... I joined Dave's this year... and met a friend from high school (the mid 60's) that I had not seen since then.... and that was "Eufaula".... small world...
I wish I had half the talent and energy that she has.. Eufaula, keep planting and posting.....

"Jan" is short for Janice

We had 2 members at the SO. CA. RU that found they had gone to school together also. Small world. Jo

Add the Mexican Bottle Gourd (the biggest group in my garden this year) to the "funky odor" list: the best way to describe the not pleasant but not UNpleasant odor, EITHER, is that it had a kind of "scorched hair" edge to it, especially in the late afternoon/evening when blossoms opened.
I didn't mind it too much, BUT during the weeks of heavy hand-pollination (twice a day) it DID get a little "icky".

I wore a bandanna (folded twice, with a BOUNCE dryer sheet tucked inside!!) around my neck those times, pulling it up over my nose as-needed...

jipsi (aka Shea)

Hey Y'all, oooooh my yes ! My Gourds do have a fragrance, that can really make you cover your nose, but only when you damage its vines. There is no odor if left alone. Hmmm, must be a natural protection from animal damage.... if I was a deer ...I WOULdnt want to try tasting them! LOL!!!

Now that Birdhouse gourd of mine that produced 78 gourds it had an "aroma" without being bothered. Maybe it was just the sheer size of it that compounded the smell.

You can eat the Snake gourds. They are also known by some Italian name that starts with C and they call it a squash. When they were about 3 inches in diameter and green I'd slice rounds about a little less than 1/2 inch thick and marinate in some Italian dressing and grill. I thought they were pretty good. I would also freeze some raw with my vacuum sealing Foodsaver system and they held up to freezing.

I The gourd on the far left is a snake gourd that I let grow on the ground. I think it looks like a Santa head. I think its funny we both used are shoes to show the scale of the size of the gourds.

I cut into one of my Snake Gourds today....so that I could share seeds to others that I promised them too. It has a very thick skin....I don't think I would have eaten one. Jo

Well, Jo you gotta eat them when they are young. The snake gourd I have grown was from a hand written seed packet that said Cucuzzi squash on it. It was something that was in the seed stash of my husband's deceased first wife and I couldn't make out the hand writing so I went down to the County Extension office and asked them if they knew anything about it. He said that it was the same as Snake gourd. I also asked the southern gardening writer Felder Rushing when he was speaking in Tulsa if Cucuzzi (you'll also see it spelled Cacuzzi) if it was the same as snake gourd and he said yes.

There are several recipes out in goggle land for it, but most of them use it pretty much the same way you would use zucchini.

www.thetreefarm.net/veg_pages/zucchini.html/ has it listed as being one and the same.
However, they say that the one that is known in India as snake gourd is different from the Italian one. Now I am off to see if I can acquire one of the snake gourd seeds from India.

That is so interesting....I knew that you could eat Louffa when it is young....but never gourds....maybe I have the seeds from India??? Thanks for enlightening me!! Jo

Jo - I got the snake gourd seeds the other day! Thanks a bunch! Nichole

I hope they grow for you next year! Jo

Hi, good gourd people. I came in looking for Bushel Gourd comments and found that some here have grown them (I think) I want to try them this year just for fun. Do they take forever to tdry out, though? I have done a couple seasons of Birdhouse/bottle gourds, so I'm familiar with those.
What a coincidence- the other gourd I'm ordering from Pinetree this year is Spinners, which was also talked about here.
Thanks for any advice.

Glad to have you, SallyG....I will be posting a picture later of a HUGE gourd my friend, Pauline grew....it will take forever to dry. (not forever...but more than a smaller one) Jo

I have some "Fancy Small Ornamental Gourds" (mixture) if anyone wants to trade for snake gourds. Thanks :)

I have snake gourd seeds...I'd be glad to send you some. Jo

Thanks, I am in the address exchange. If you have time, could you look at the post I made last night (Gourd Gurus) :)

Thanks! Jennifer

Jo - If you would like I can send you some Rose Moss seeds, or some of Gaura (Sp. the Bride). I think I may have some cup and saucer vines too.

I thank you for the offer...but I do much better if I stick with cactus....LOL Jo

Hey folks, I'm back and I ready to start beading my gourds again as soon as it warms up. It's a bit cooler up here in Oregon. I am hoping to be able to bead like I used to before my hand surgery. I am doing lots of cross stitch to limber up my fingers so I think I will be okay. I have got my HUGE gourd of the Buffalo on the Plains to complete so I had better get warmed up. I will show a couple of pics of the buffalo.
Jan

Here is another pic. I will try and take a few more updated ones tomorrow.

One more. This gourd is huge and I can't even get my arms around it. I have got the bottom close to being done but still have a long long way to go. I hope that this poor ole body holds out till I get it done. That is my last big gourd that I will do. I will work on smaller projects like the turtle gourd for roadrunner.

This is the bottom.

Hey Jan...Are you planning a visit down this way? I'd love to see ya. You're welcome here anytime. Jo

Gourdbeader - That is amazing!

I wish I were Jo but I don't forsee that happening anytime soon. Gass being what it is and money being what it is kinda buts the kabutz to that. I would love to see you too so why dont you come up here. Heheh.
Thank you jlp222. I will update as I go along.
Jan

Jan...be careful with your invitations...I'm sorta like the "Candid Camera"....when you least expect it.....I've never been to Oregon...YET! Jo

Anytime my freind, the invite is there.

Hey all! So Glad to see you here again gourdbeader! Love your work!
Im still 125 miles from my home, My Father is in the hospital ,with a broken hip, Im sitting with him nightly. He is recovering , but slowly and will be at least another 3 weeks.
I am keeping up with the forums, briefly on my Moms computer each morning , but cant get into a lot of post right now.
I miss you all and pray I will be able to get to my own gourd gardening and crafting soon with you all! E.

Eufaula....adding your Dad to my prayer list...and I thank you for the invitation Jan...Jo

I will pray for him too.

My prayers are with your and your Father. I hope all goes well with his healing and you take care of yourself too. I know that at time like this we tend to forget our own health. You get some rest too.

Thank you all, My gourding family!