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This is my first year growing long gourds and I am trying to figure out if I am suppose to cut the gourds off the plant when they are done growing or if you have to leave them on the plant in order for the seeds to mature. I cut one open when it was done growing but the seeds were white and from what i have read these are no good. Any info would be appreciated.

9/7/2014 6:49:35 PM

Colorado

I leave them on the vine as long as possible to let the seeds mature. Some competitive growers pick the gourds as soon as they stop growing so they dont break before a contest.I suspect the seeds may not be fully mature till day 60/65 .Gourds are done putting lenght on around day 40. Maybe a expert can chime in on those numbers.

9/7/2014 7:31:04 PM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

I'm not an expert, but I think that at least a week or more after they stop growing is needed to mature seeds. That worked in the past. But if you can be sure that they won't break, I say leave them on the vine as long as you can to be sure. I had to pick my 118 last year when it was still putting on 1/2" per day. The seeds looked OK but I couldn't get any to germinate. My 102 from the same plant was about 10 days older and the seeds in that one seemed to be OK. This year our gourds were growing in holes when we hit a rainy spell, but they were a good week beyond growth stop. We didn't want them sitting in water and rotting. They will have 4 to 5 weeks minimum until the contest, so I hope they keep maturing some. Cojoe, I feel bad that the seeds I sent you probably were bad. I will do germination tests this winter and If I have good ones I will send you some for next season. We have some decent size gourds this year. We also have 2 more that are over 100" on a plant that grew 2 bigger ones that we will try to leave on the vine another 4 weeks or more so we are sure they get good seeds.

9/8/2014 12:25:52 AM

thanks for the information this has been helpful

9/8/2014 6:52:23 PM

Bloomington Indiana

some gourds just don't have good seeds. last year my 118.60" was on the vine 3-4 weeks after it stopped growing not one good seed in it. some have a little and some have 200-300

9/8/2014 8:00:50 PM