Growing Gourds and Gourd Art

 


Gourds are super easy to grow. They don't need extra pampering like other garden veggies and herbs. They grow super super fast - clinging to anything you let them climb up. And, their dried shells make amazing art.


I have grown tons of gourds on my patio area. They were planted off the edge of the porch, but from post to post on the patio, I zig-zagged twine from hook to hook to make ladders they could grow up. They grew up and across to create doorways to the yard and to  shade on the patio. Besides being lovely and needing almost zero care, they grew blossoms and gourds fast. 




My advice is, let them sit there and dry out in the fall, drying out on the dead vines. It will add some autumn atmosphere and allow them to dry nicely. You will know they are ready when you shake them and hear seeds rattling inside.
Place the dried gourds in a container of lukewarm water and cover them with wet towels. Let them soak for 15-30 minutes. Then, scrub the gourds with a metal dish scrubber or scouring pad. Rinse them with water and then let them air dry for 1 to 2 days.

There's a lot you can do with gourds. Here's just some things (I even like the idea of cutting them in half and using the bottom cup half to do starter plants in each spring).



Growing vines, let them climb up string, teepee made of wood posts, ladder, fencing....

Halloween lanterns


 Cut patterns and turned into lamp

painted for decor

candleholder

painted


Cut lampshade to project pattern

Here's one of the birdhouses I made  (below)




Other ideas - 

Like the lampshade above that has a hole to plug the lightbulb in, consider doing cut out patterns and hanging over patio lights.






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