![]() Once the soil is warm, generally in late spring, start gourd seeds outdoors. Sow three to four seeds 1 inch deep and 2 feet apart, and then thin to one to two plants in each cluster. If transplanting seedlings, set two plants per hill.īushing types can be set in rows 3 feet apart. Start with five to six seeds per hill, planted 1 inch apart and 1 inch deep. For vining types (check the seed packet), build hills 6 to 8 feet apart. Pumpkins like warm soil (about 65 degrees F.), so start them outdoors in late spring you can start indoors two to three weeks earlier if your growing season is short. Gourds can be heavy, especially hard-shell gourds, so any support needs to be sturdy. Gourd vines can reach 10 to 15 feet, but you can train them to grow up trellises and over arbors. Even the smallest pumpkin varieties have vines that are 6 feet long, and 20-foot-long vines are common. ![]() Photo: Freerangestock Chance Agrella | FreeRangeStockīoth also need plenty of room. It’s not unheard of for a pumpkin to sprout from a compost pile. They like a rich soil that drains well, plenty of water, and long, warm days in the sun. A final choice is the Luffa cylindrical, also known as the loofah, dishcloth gourd, or vegetable sponge gourd.īoth pumpkins and gourds are warm-weather crops. They’re generally larger and heavier, and their white flowers bloom at night. Hard-shell gourds, Lagenaria siceraria, are popular for crafts, as evinced by names such as Bird House, Long Handle Dipper, Large Bottle, and Wren House. They’re distinguished by yellow blossoms that bloom during the day. Ornamental gourds, Cucurbita pepo ovifera varieties, produce the small gourds often used in decorative displays. Gourds fall into two categories: ornamental and hard shell. While orange is the traditional pumpkin color, white pumpkins such as Casper and Lumina can add a “ghostly” presence to your garden. Autumn Gold is a good choice for shorter growing seasons. They generally weigh between 8 and 12 pounds, though smaller varieties like Baby Pam and Small Sugar weigh 6 to 8 pounds. Pie pumpkins have the advantage of both tasty flesh for baking and shells that can be easily carved. Mid-size pumpkins, like Connecticut Field, Jackpot, and Trick or Treat, fall in between these two ranges and are good for carving. You can grow pumpkins that weigh several hundred pounds, such as Atlantic Giant, Big Moon, and Prizewinner, or miniature varieties, such as Jack-B-Little and Wee-B-Little, which fit into the palm of the hand. It is fun to find a giant one you previously missed! I have read that one plant can grow 50 fruits or more, but I have never achieved anything near that many.Deciding on which pumpkin to grow depends on what you want to eventually do with it. The fruits easily camouflage beneath the leaves and grasses. Harvest them any time! Eat the little ones, for sure. Be sure to plant extras, as voles and their kin find them attractive when the plants are young. I have planted some that are several years old, so they keep their viability fairly well. The seeds continue to mature in the harvested melons and will be black when they are fully ready for planting. They are grown as a perennial in warmer climes. The Malabar will die in our northern winters, but I notice that it has survived light frost, especially in areas that are protected by overhanging vegetation, such as in the willow dome and the orchard. I have planted the plants in full sun, but the vines seem to seek out the shadier areas of the garden. Be aware! It is a climber! One year, it grew up and over the corn, the nearby fence, and around the entire garden! Another year, I trained it up the apple trees, and the fruits hung like giant melons from the branches. Grow this plant like you would any squash. The rinds can be hardened and made into bowls or other containers. In fact, all parts of the plant are edible leaves and shoots are tender when they are young. The seeds are traditionally candied in Mexico (“palanquetas”). I have read that fermented beverages can be made from the juice it is also refreshing just plain. Personally, I like the melons when they are small, but the big ones are also very meal-worthy. Use it for soups, stews, goulashes, stir-frys, pies, and puddings. Yes, it looks like a watermelon, and indeed, it contains a lot of water – but the flavor is rather bland, a bit cucumber-like, and it takes on the flavors of the seasonings it is cooked with. It tastes like a summer squash, but the rind gets very hard, and it will keep for 2 years or more. No matter what you call it, the Malabar is a most amazing squash. There are many names for the Cucurbita ficifolia. Malabar Gourd, Malabar Squash, Fig-Leaf Gourd, Pie Melon
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