Hard shell gourds (Lagenaria siceraria) are members of the Cucurbit family, and are available in a variety of shapes and sizes. However, they are only considered edible in the early stages of growth and are more often used for ornamental purposes. Hard shell gourds ripen in the fall and are considered a winter squash. Growing hard shell gourds is not difficult. They’re similar to a winter squash plant in terms of care and maintenance, but are harvested later. Prepare to plant gourd seeds in early spring when the soil temperature has warmed to at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Test the soil before planting your seeds, and add lime if necessary to reduce the pH and add calcium and magnesium to the soil. Gourds require a soil pH range of 5.8 to 6.2. The amount of lime you will need depends on the soil test results. You may also need to add nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorous or potassium in the form of chemical fertilizer or compost. Soil testing kits are available at most garden centers and greenhouses.
Trim the seed tips with fingernail clippers to break the hard, protective coat and encourage faster germination. You can also soak the seeds for no longer than 24 hours before planting.
Mark the planting locations with stakes, making them at least 6 to 10 feet apart. This spacing allows ample room for your gourds to grow. If they are too crowded, gourds will grow higher to compete for light, which can hide female flowers from pollinators. Choose a location where your plants will receive full sun.
Mound the soil for each planting location into hills, making sure your planting rows are a minimum of 4 feet apart and each plant within the row is 6 to 10 feet apart.
Place 6-foot squares of black landscape fabric at each stake or between the planting mounds to help keep weeds down and to raise soil temperature. Pin the fabric in place with garden staples or rocks.
Lay soaker hoses, which have tiny holes along their length, between the rows before planting so that you can irrigate the roots and not the leaves.
Plant four to six seeds in each hill to a depth of about twice the length of the seed.
Water the soil regularly in the early morning, keeping it consistently moist, but not soggy. Hard shell gourd seeds typically germinate in 8 to 10 days, but because most early growth is underground, you may not see new growth for up to six weeks.
Apply a balanced fertilizer with a nitrogen-phosphorous-potassium ratio of 10-10-10 or 10-6-4 when green growth appears above the soil. You can fertilize as often as every two weeks after germination to encourage growth, but too much nitrogen can reduce fruit production. Avoid overhead watering of your gourds. The thick foliage traps humidity, making the plants more susceptible to powdery mildew and mold.
Prune the secondary or lateral vines to encourage larger, but fewer fruit. If you want several smaller gourds, prune the primary vine when it reaches 10 feet, but allow the secondary vines to grow.
Install two sturdy posts with an upper and a lower wire between them to trellis your gourds, although hard shell gourds don’t have to be trellised. If grown on the ground, the vines root at the joints, providing extra nutrients and protection against vine borers.
Cut the fruit from the vine when the stem is completely dry and brown. Remove at least 6 inches of vine with the fruit, and then remove and compost the vines after harvesting the fruit.
Things You Will Need
- Soil test kit
- Soaker hoses
- Black landscape fabric
- Landscape pins
- Organic mulch
- Fingernail clippers
- 10-10-10 or 10-6-4 balanced fertilizer
- Wood posts
- Brick or wood
- Pruning shears
- You can start gourd seeds before soil warming in 4- to 5-inch pots indoors to lengthen your growing season.
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