Harvesting Gourds

ANR-1091, Revised July 2003. Kerry P. Smith, Extension Home Horticulture Associate, and Joe Kemble, Extension Horticulturist, Associate Professor, Horticulture, both at Auburn University

Wondering if it's time to harvest the gourds you've been growing all summer? Here are a few steps to follow.

1. Harvest gourds when they stop growing in size and vines begin to die back (leaves and vines begin to wither and turn brown). Inadequate water during the growing season can prevent gourds from reaching their mature size. Discard any immature or diseased gourds. You will not be able to preserve them, and they may pass disease problems along to other gourds or next year,s crop.
2. Harvest gourds with a sharp knife or pruning shears, leaving an inch or two of stem on the fruit.
3. Wash gourds with warm, soapy water to remove any disease organisms or debris. You may add a tiny amount of chlorine bleach to the water (1 teaspoon per gallon) to disinfect the gourds. This will not cause any discoloration.
4. Dry each gourd carefully with a soft cloth to avoid bruising or scratching the tender skin.
5. Surface drying requires about 1 week and allows the outer skin to set its color and harden. Gourds can be spread out on several layers of newspaper in a warm, dry room with good air circulation. Turn gourds and change out any damp newspaper daily.
   Another way to dry small gourds is to hang them on a line by stringing them through their stem. Large gourds are generally too heavy to string.
6. The internal drying process requires 3 weeks or more. Since 90 percent of a gourd is water, drying time is dependent on fruit size. Move gourds to a warm, dry, DARK area with good air circulation. Darkness helps preserve the color.
   Gourds can be decorated in any number of ways for all sorts of uses"seasonal planters," birdhouses, ornaments, and even baskets. You might want to apply a wax or polyurethane coating for a glossy finish. Let your imagination run wild!