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Gourds seem to attract a great deal of interest at the county and state fairs.
Gourds are one of the best displays in the horticulture gardens at the North Carolina
State Fair.
Once used as a kitchen utility , gourds are pretty much a novel crop grown for fun or
decoration. Gourds of all types seem to be easy to grow, but harvest of this
vegetable may be somewhat tricky. October is the month to harvest gourds.
The key to a good harvest is to know the maturity date before planting. Some gourd
varieties require up to 130 days to mature.
Gourds are generally harvested when the stems turn brown and the shell has hardened before
a hard frost. Special care should be taken when harvesting not to break off the stem.
Stems broken at the base of the fruit allow fruit-rotting bacteria easy access to gain
entrance. Using a sharp pair of pruners or knife, leave at least two inches of the stem
attached to the fruit avoiding scratching and bruising of the skin.
Gourds should be washed in a one-to-10 part solution of bleach to water. Use a towel
dampened with this solution to wash the fruit. Other crops such as winter squash and
pumpkins are harvested in the same manner.
Store the newly-collected gourds in a cool, dry location out of direct sun. Storage in
full sun causes excessive spoilage.
Gourds may take up to four weeks for final curing. Place the newly-harvested fruit
on newspapers, not touching each other, in a well-ventilated room. Change paper daily,
removing any fruits which develop soft spots or begin to shrivel. Surface drying with
newspapers takes about a week. During this week, the outer surface dries and the
gourds begin to change color.
Gourds can then be moved to a warm, dark, dry location that has plenty of air flow. Some
use the attic of homes or barns.
The gourds should be checked periodically for rotting fruit. These can be hung up to dry
out.
Some may develop a superficial mold or crust during the final stages of curing. This is a
normal process which can be later removed. Occasionally turn the gourds, allowing them to
evenly dry out. Properly dried gourds become light and the seeds rattle.
When the gourds have reached desired dryness, the fruit can be washed in warm, soapy water
to remove mold. The dried fruit may then be sanded or polished. Gourds can be
stained, dyed, varnished, painted or decorated with a wood burning tool at this stage.
For additional information on gourds, contact The American Gourd Society, P.O. Box 274,
Mount Gilead, Ohio 43338.n
Darrell Blackwelder is an agricultural agent in
charge of horticulture with the N.C. Cooperative Extension in Rowan County. Send questions
to 2727-A Old Concord Road, Salisbury, N.C. 28146, fax at 704-636-2840 or e-mail message
to darrell_blackwelder @ncsu.edu.
Visit the Cooperative Extension Service Web site at http://rowan. ces.state.nc.us/.
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