Guide to Gourds: 8 Types of Gourds to Grow in Your Garden

Gourds, also known as squash and pumpkin, are a type of hard-shell fruit grown on a vine. Gourds belong to the Cucurbitaceae family (called cucurbits for short), which also includes watermelon and cucumbers, and some species are edible. Gourds are one of the oldest cultivated plants and served as utilitarian objects such as utensils, water bottles, storage containers, and dippers in prehistoric times and ancient civilizations. Today, gourds feature in soup and pie recipes, and ornamental gourds can serve as Halloween decor.

The Cucurbitaceae family contains more than 100 genera and over 700 species of gourds. The most common gourds are in two genera: Lagenaria, known as calabash or bottle gourds, and Cucurbita.

1. 1. Lagenaria: These decorative, thin-skinned gourds make great containers or birdhouses. Lagenaria gourds have smooth stems and soft, large leaves and white flowers.
2. 2. Cucurbita: These gourds are multi-colored with thick, sometimes ridged shells, prickly leaves and stems, and yellow flowers. Varieties of Cucurbita include edible squashes and pumpkins.

Below are some common varieties of gourds:

1. 1. Apple gourd (Lagenaria siceraria): Apple gourds are dark green, freckled, and resemble apples. Unlike apples, these gourds are inedible.
2. 2. Speckled Swan (L. Siceraria): This decorative gourd is green with white specks. It is smooth, with a large and round bottom, curved neck, and small head.
3. 3. Turban squash (Cucurbita Maxima): This heirloom variety has two halves: a rotund bottom half and a smaller top half. It is brightly colored with a solid red or orange bottom and a red and orange top streaked with green. It is edible and can be baked or steamed and used in soups.
4. 4. Butternut squash (C. Moschata): This edible winter gourd has a smooth, tannish yellow skin and orange flesh. It can be baked and toasted, used in soups, or mashed into a puree for pies. The gourd seeds can be toasted and eaten.
5. 5. Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo): Zucchini is a type of edible summer squash that’s oblong and has smooth, thin skin. It can be eaten raw.
6. 6. Acorn squash (C. pepo var. turbinata): Another winter squash, the acorn squash resembles an acorn, with a smooth, green rind. Acorn squash is edible, and its compact size makes it suitable for stuffed squash.
7. 7. Pumpkin: This is the most common type of winter squash cultivated both for decoration and consumption—most famously as filling for pumpkin pie. It has a thick orange, smooth, and slightly ribbed exterior. The common large pumpkin is part of the Cucurbita pepo variety, but some cultivars of C. maxima, C. argyrosperma, and C. moschata are also called pumpkins.
8. 8. Sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica): This gourd resembles a cucumber in shape. The young fruit is edible and eaten raw and in soups, while the mature fruit is fibrous and inedible; it's also used to make bath sponges and loofahs.

Certain types of gourds are harvested in the summer and others in the winter, and care instructions vary slightly with each variety. Be sure to research specific planting instructions according to variety, but these instructions can get you started:

1. 1. Seed the gourds in the spring. Begin seeding the gourds in the spring when the soil is at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. 2. Plant gourds in nutrient-rich soil. Gourds need nutrient-dense soil that is well balanced in phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium. Use compost or organic fertilizer.
3. 3. Pick a spot with direct sunlight. Gourds need full sun for at least six hours a day.
4. 4. Space out the seeds in your garden. Plant the seeds one to two inches deep in groups of four seeds, and space the groups five feet apart in rows at least eight feet apart. The seeds will germinate in one to two week. When the seedlings have sprouted leaves, thin the plants to two or three in each group.
5. 5. Water the seeds every few days. Water the seeds when first planted and then every two to three days for the first week. Once the plant is rooted, provide about an inch of water per week.

Even though gourds provide robust fruits, they are relatively low-maintenance plants that require minimal care after planting. Some tips to best care for these sprawling plants include:

1. 1. Fertilize your gourd’s flowers. Gourds produce both male and female flowers, which requires the transfer of pollen to grow fruit. If there are not enough pollinators where you live, fertilize the female flowers—identifiable by a small ball-shaped gourd under the bloom.
2. 2. Add a trellis to your garden. Gourds are sprawling plants, and they need room to grow. To prevent gourds from taking over the ground, give them a solid trellis to climb. Their vines can reach 20 to 30 feet in length.
3. 3. Cut back the vines. To encourage side growth, cut the vines back when they reach 10 feet.
4. 4. Harvest your gourds according to size and season. Harvest small gourds when they’ve reached their full color and the exterior is hard. Small gourds can be consumed or dried, cured, and preserved as decorations. Harvest large gourds at frost time. A good rule of thumb is to harvest the gourd when the stems and tendrils around the fruit begin to turn brown.

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