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Huntsville Texas

Last year we gave a friend one of our gourd plants to try growing, which was from seeds we had bought from a prize gourd over 200 pounds. The plant did not make a big vine and it was pulled with gourds on it and put in her giant compost heap. One of the seeds from them took root and started growing across the field by the compost heap. It has become an enormous vine which is over two inches thick at its base, is over 80 feet across and has a huge number of gourds setting on it. We counted over forty, and spotted many more but are reluctant to wade in to check. The gourds are beautiful, some over a foot and a half across, though none getting giant. Our friend is new to gardening and interested in joining Big Pumpkins and we would like advice to pass on to her now about how many gallons of water per day would be optimum for the health of the vine and also how much fertilizer. She is very interested in making sure the gourds will mature successfully with strong thick shells and fully mature seeds. She is an artist and very interested in starting to do gourd art. Since we are in East Texas, we might get a frost as early as mid-October, so we would deeply appreciate advice now about how to optimize the health of the vine and the gourds. Also she is interested in finding out if there are records for the largest bushel gourd vine and the most number of bushel gourds set on a vine. She is very enthusiastic and eager to learn. By the way, a couple of years ago we grew a giant bushel gourd that weighed over 100 pounds in our own Gardens so we do know some things about growing them but are also always interested in learning more and getting better at it. Thanks for the help.

7/20/2021 12:44:24 PM

Syracuse, NY

If it helps and you might get one still:

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/MsgBoard/ViewThread.asp?b=40&p=701482

Also know that responses are sparse right now and in my own looking around for you, you have posted before in past years and I wish the best of luck to you but a title like 'Need the BIGGEST BGs!' and a shorter description would be better (I'm one to talk, lol!);

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/MsgBoard/ViewThread.asp?b=40&p=664021Read

66 inches in diameter? If so, then WHOOOAAA!!!

Anyway, look down through the MANY posts below yours in the meantime and from what I've read, it is the same policy as for AGs - narrow down to the VERY best few, bury all vines at the nodes at least and so on, high-but-not-too-high-potassium water-soluble fertilizer, but these are all just my honest opinions. GOOD LUCK! eg

7/21/2021 1:19:59 PM

Syracuse, NY

Whoopsers!

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/MsgBoard/ViewThread.asp?b=40&p=664021

7/21/2021 1:21:16 PM

Syracuse, NY

Never mind this:
'and a shorter description would be better'
I'm sorry---eric g

7/21/2021 1:24:26 PM

Bethlehem CT

Hi Vimes it is so hard to give a measurement to how much water to give. A general rule of thumb for gardening is an inch a week on the soil surfaces where the gourd is growing and even beyond. (the roots can go many feet out past the furthest vine. 80 feet is a big long vine so I would focus on a large diameter around the stump where the plant is mainly rooted. Bushel gourds are tough and rarely show symptoms of low water. You will want to get them some water before the vines start to wilt. As far as making sure the gourds keep well. The most important factor that I am aware of is to make sure they have a long season to mature. The older they are, the thicker their shell will be. I would imagine that in Texas you should have plenty of time to mature some nice thick skinned gourds. Many growers get there gourds up on pallets to winter over in. Dan Westfall told me he liked to dry his out in an unheated barn or shed.

7/21/2021 2:22:04 PM