Called long-handle or dipper gourds, Lagenaria siceraria is a species of hard-shelled gourd developed for its fruit’s value. Each gourd includes a slightly curved neck and a base, giving it an unusual bottle-like contour that brings it into the making of craft projects such as scoops, ladles and birdhouses. The plants need at least 120 days between germination and the first frost in autumn to generate fruit, so that they will grow well during most of the Bay Area provided they’re given well-draining soil, abundant sunshine and ample water.
Prepare long-handle gourd seeds approximately two to four weeks. Wait until soil temperatures reach 60 degrees F. Place the seeds in a shallow bowl and cover them with water. Soak the seeds for at least 12 hours prior to sowing them.
Find a planting site suited to gourds that are long-handle that are developing. Start looking for a spot that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight daily. Avoid planting in areas where water pools after light to moderate rain since soggy soil will result in unhealthy, plants that are stunted.
Work the soil with a cultivating fork or a rotary tiller, depending on the size of garden patch. Break up the ground. Until it is loose, keep working the soil. Remove any stones, sticks or other debris in the planting site.
Amend the soil if it is clay-based or quite sandy. Insert a shovelful of manure compost to the soil for every gourd plant that is long-handle you want to grow. Work the change to the ground cultivating fork or with your rotary tiller till it is well-integrated in a depth of 6 to 8 inches.
Create a soil mound for every gourd plant that is long-handle. Push the soil to shape by hand before its stands to 10 inches tall with a diameter of approximately 20 inches. Moisten the soil while mounding it to help it hold its shape. Space the mounds.
A wire trellis, tomato cage or other support arrangement at every ground mound to supply a spot for the plants to climb. Make certain the trellis is at least 5 ft tall and stout enough to support the weight of its fruit and the gourd plant, that are often quite hefty.
Sow four to six seeds at the bottom of every trellis. Sow them. Firm the soil atop every seed with the flat of the hand. Water the planting site to a depth of 4 inches to repay the soil.
Keep light to moderate moisture in the soil at a depth of 3 inches through the process, which takes. Once they grow to several inches in height, thin the seedlings and produce mature leaves. Keep the healthiest seedlings and remove those that are vigorous.
Reduce the seedlings against the bottom of the trellis’ tips once they are tall enough to reach it. Because they will twine around the arrangement as they climb Don’t bother tying the seedlings.
Water the plants to a depth of 2 inches every seven days. Let the upper inch of soil to dry out slightly between waterings because soil promotes diseases like powdery mildew and bacterial wilt in vines, to keep the soil from getting waterlogged.
Pinch the tips of the vines back to limit their size and promote branching. Thin out the fruit appear. Remove of those fruit which sets to encourage larger, gourds that are fitter. Simply pinch off the fruit in the bottom and then discard them.
Once they dry out harvest the gourds in autumn and choose a brown coloration that is solid. Cut the stalks with pruning shears or a knife. Use the gourds and also store a few of the seeds for planting this season.