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Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

I started some long gourds for my wife and daughter for the first time this year. They are just now starting to flower. Does anyone know how long it takes for the gourds to mature after pollenation? The ones right now are only about 4' to 5' off the ground and I am afraid they will curl up when they hit the ground. Can we prune these off and wait for some farther up the vine? Our first frost here is usually around October 1, but can come as early September or as late as October 15.

7/12/2005 1:13:52 PM

Clinton, Iowa

From my limited experiences...our growths lasted about 35 days possible 40 at the most....so you have plenty of time to cull and hang some higher up..some of our best grew there best in late august and or early sept

DAN

7/12/2005 4:31:12 PM

Montoursville, PA

This year I wacked off all secondaries and flowers clear up to fourteen feet where they will now take command of my apple tree and still have time, to nearly smother, the whole tree. Dan's suggestion is solid. Grow it up for at least another twenty days.

If you want to see an amazing sight go, to this sites picture galery and search, for the "Checkon Eagle Gourd Tree". This is a pix of his giant gourd growth in 2003.

7/12/2005 6:31:44 PM

Rexburg, Idaho (brianchristensenmd@gmail.com )

My long gourd vines are 3' in length. Planted the same time as the pumpkins. I think gourds take warm night time temps and that doesn't happen in idaho. Average night time temp for this july is 44.1 degrees.

7/12/2005 6:52:12 PM

Western Pa.

Look up "Long Gourds 101" on this site. (An article I wrote several years ago) I hope this helps!

kilr

7/12/2005 8:15:08 PM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

Thanks for all of the help. I will have my wife and daughter cull the early ones and wait a while longer.

7/13/2005 8:25:10 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

I would not cull....You are going for length not weight... They mature and just hang there until the end of the season. Plus they are sometimes tricky to get set since they are night time pollinated by Sphinx Moths, We do a few by hand. Then let the rest grow.

7/13/2005 9:54:32 AM

Long Island,New York

I grew some lower set fruit on an incline plane a couple years ago...did mid 80's

7/13/2005 3:55:06 PM