Questions about growing/harvesting gourds and is this edible

[SuperChemicalGirl]

First off, thank you guys for all the help you've given me in the last few weeks.

I planted a bunch of things this year and didn't really pay attention to what type of seedlings were planted where. I didn't even buy most of these seeds - they were hand-me-downs which are fun. I figured I'd have a smorgasbord of veggies if all went well this year. I know for sure I planted some squash and zucchini and some pumpkins, cukes and gourds. I had a couple of plants die, obviously I have no idea what they were.

Which brings me to my first question: Is this edible? I took it off the vine just a few minutes ago because I thought it was a squash and I know how those are ready to harvest and then 30 minutes later are the size of baseball bats if you don't pick it (at least in my experience). It's somewhat difficult to tell in this picture but the veggie in question has some divots in the skin and is kindof lime green colored on the bottom and a yellow green on the top but no distinct line between the two.

Anyway, here she is:

My second question is what to do with the gourds that I know are gourds (1 plant). I don't want to save/dry them - but I would like them for fall. Should I pick them now or leave them on the vine? If I pick them how do I store them for the next few months? If I leave them on the vine are they going to get huge and deformed and is the plant going to have less gourds on it? Obviously I've never grown these so any help is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[hoodat]

Your pic looks as though it may be an edible gourd but it's hard to tell which are sometimes. Non edible gourds wanted for decoration and crafts purposes are best left alone till the vine dies on its own. At that stage the shell will be very hard. All gourds are theoretically edible but the non edible ones are usually so bitter or fibrous you wouldn't want to.
Edible gourds are picked green like squash and usually have a mild flavor, absorbing flavors from what they are cooked with. Cuccuza is a great edible variety, usually labeled an Italian gourd but also grown throughout the Orient. It can get as big as a baseball bat and still remain tender. A single vine can produce 100 or more fruit in a single season. Snake gourd is another fairly common edible variety. Some Oriental types require you develop a taste for them such as the bitter melon which is actually a gourd and very bitter.
You almost have to know whether or not it is an edible type when you plant it or it will be hard to tell by looking.
BTW many edible gourds only open flowers in the late evening and at night so they require moths for pollination.

 

[SuperChemicalGirl]

Thank you so much for your help.

I had found conflicting information online about whether to pick gourds or leave it on the vine. I'll leave it for now. Looks like there's 3 total gourds on my known gourd vine so far.

I'm also not certain I'm going to eat the thing I photographed. I've got more than enough squash and zucchini for myself, I don't need to eat things that don't look and might not taste palatable. I guess I'll leave the rest of those on the bush too and see what happens. If they are edible I'm sure my resident groundhog will take care of them for me.


Gourds never appealed to me before this year, but I am definitely going to plant some next year. I'll look into the ones you mentioned. I promise to be better at labeling things next year

 

[wifezilla]

Thanks for starting this thread. I bought two packets of seeds...one dipper gourds and one bushel gourd. Not sure if I will plant them. I have no place to let them dry!

 

[hoodat]

Thanks for starting this thread. I bought two packets of seeds...one dipper gourds and one bushel gourd. Not sure if I will plant them. I have no place to let them dry!

That's always a problem. When they begin to harden They have to be away from dampness. If the soil is damp and they are in contact with it you will have all sorts of fungus prblems that will ruin their good looks. That bushel gourd is a trip. they get really huge. In Africa they cut off the top and use it for storing grain. When it is full they put the top back on and seal it with gum from acacia or beeswax. The sealed grain puts off gasses that kill most bugs trying to eat it.

 

[SuperChemicalGirl]

(trying to add a little humor here)

So I guess I should have PICKED my gourd. Seems Woody the groundhog is in cahoots with the chickens these days to totally ruin my garden.

The beautiful gourd:

Consequences of letting it grow along the fence where the chickens free range:

 

[hoodat]

Well that answers your question. It's edible - at least for chickens.

 

[SuperChemicalGirl]

I don't think my chickens can be the gold standard for the "is this edible question" - their answer will always be "yes."

Case in point: styrofoam insulation. They can't keep their silly beaks off it. They've been pecking it off the foundation of my house. I feel like the witch in Hansel and Gretel. Only luckily for the chickens sake, I'm vegetarian.

 

[hoodat]

I don't think my chickens can be the gold standard for the "is this edible question" - their answer will always be "yes."

Case in point: styrofoam insulation. They can't keep their silly beaks off it. They've been pecking it off the foundation of my house. I feel like the witch in Hansel and Gretel. Only luckily for the chickens sake, I'm vegetarian.

My grandmaw always said,"A chicken will eat anything don't eat it first".
You haven't lived till you've heard a goose eat a styrofoam ice chest. SQWEEEK SQUARRRK. AAARGY. It's worse than fingernails on a blackboard.

 

[SuperChemicalGirl]

I guess it doesn't really matter whether you pick them or not. The two yellow ones on the right have been off the vine over a month. All they've done is turned yellow, the ones that I just recently picked just barely started to turn yellow on the vine. The ones left on the vine longer are slightly harder than the ones I picked early but not much. I'll try and post again around Thanksgiving and let you know the scoop on stability.