Birdhouse Hard-Shelled Gourd Seeds

Name: Birdhouse Hard-Shelled Gourd Seeds
Brand: Botanical Interests
SKU: 1256
Price: 2.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 3.67 (9 reviews)

Heirloom

#1256

(9 reviews)

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Availability: In Stock

Once properly cured, hard-shelled gourds, such as 'Birdhouse', can last for decades and can be painted, carved, cut, or drilled as you would do with wood, for hundreds of craft projects. 'Birdhouse' gourd of course makes a great birdhouse—leave natural or paint any color you want. Grow 10'–16' vines on the ground or up a very sturdy trellis to produce mature gourds in 80 to 140 days. Also attracts hummingbirds!

$2.99 2.5 grams (~11 seeds)

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Botanical Name: Lagenaria siceraria

Days to Maturity: 95–110 Days

Family: Cucurbitaceae

Native: Zimbabwe

Hardiness: Frost-sensitive annual

Plant Dimensions: 10'–16' vines

Variety Information: Light green gourds have a 10"–12" diameter, round base with narrower neck. Turns tan when dried.

When to Sow Outside: RECOMMENDED. 2 to 4 weeks after your average last frost date, and when soil temperature is at least 60°F, ideally 70°F.

When to Start Inside: 2 to 4 weeks before your average last frost date, recommended for areas with short growing seasons. Sow in biodegradable pots that can be planted directly in the ground.

Days to Emerge: 5 – 10 days

Seed Depth: 1"

Seed Spacing: 4 seeds per mound

Thinning: When 3" tall, thin to 3 per mound

Harvesting: Hard-shelled gourds should remain in the garden as long as there is any life left in the vines. Some gourd growers leave gourds in the garden during the winter, which adds to their characteristics for craft projects. Use a sharp knife or pruners to cut stem leading to gourd, leaving 1"– 3" of stem for a handle.

Stratification and Scarification

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Birdhouse Hard-Shelled Gourd Seeds Reviews

9 reviews

Birdhouse gourds

Aug 24, 2019

Sadly these seeds speed directly in ground along fence did not come up for me. I was disappointed and think perhaps it was just not a good spot? Would be interested to know if others had success or not. Will try again next year!

Renee from GA

Owner Response: Comment: Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We are sorry you didn't get to enjoy the wonderful gourds. Gourds need very warm soil (which lags behind air temperature in the spring) of at least 60 degrees F, ideally 70 degrees F and because seeds have such a hard seed coat they should be nicked (scarified) to allow water to enter the seed. We will be in touch with some more germination tips shortly.

Good harvest

Sep 27, 2019

Grew 2 of these in the community garden, with other gourds from Botanical Interest, on an 8 foot trellis. . I got 3 huge picture perfect birdhouse gourds and 3 smaller ones but can still make good crafts. If you don't trellis it will cover your whole yard.

Derek from CA

Did well!

Nov 2, 2020

These are great! Fast-growing and they have produced plenty of gourds for me. I soaked the seeds in water, per the instructions, and am very pleased with how these seeds have performed.

Jennifer from TX

Splittig wood

Nov 2, 2020

Very difficult to germinate!

M Barrera from TX

Owner Response: Hi M, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. Gourd seeds have evolved with a very tough shell that does take a bit of extra effort to germinate. The tips to either file and or soak seeds found on the seed packet are essential to opening up seeds so they can absorb water. We hope this helps and want to remind you that we are always here to help troubleshoot issues like germination. Happy gardening!

Birdhouse Gourd

Jun 7, 2021

Sprouted but got eaten by an evil squirrel

Mona from CA

Great!

Aug 6, 2021

I got these seeds at Urban Hardware on Haynes Bridge in Alpharetta and I started them in my backyard in a raised garden bed with sand on the bottom and a sand soil mixture in planting hole.I started them with 3-6 seeds each hole and they all grew 5-12 inches. I took them out and transplanted to my new home and they are planted in a raised garden where I had and still have peppers and planted on other side of yard -planted near mint, lemon thyme, and pineapple sage. They are growing very large and have gourds now which are very- very large. I recommend using stakes because they like to climb and most of mine are growing on the ground but stakes will help strengthen the plant and you will get hanging fruit. Awesome seeds!

Michael from GA

Great Success on Sheep Panel Trellis

Oct 8, 2021

I grew these in two different garden locations - the one with most direct sun had greater success, but not disappointed in the one adjacent to it - just the one in front blocked it a bit more. Initially, saw a few hummingbirds, but not many. My BIGGEST QUESTION is... we've had SO MUCH rain recently before the vines can dry, I wonder if that is going to hinder the process of being able to harvest these before they turn to mush. I have two smaller gourds that are definitely dry, but I don't hear seeds in them. I left them outside, sadly in the rain because I was distracted by a severe cut/bleeding finger and ran into the house; but hoping they might dry and be OK. I have SO MANY, I was hoping to give them to family and friends to be painted and used. Sure hope they survive.

cat from NC

Owner Response: Thank you for sharing your experience! It can help prevent rot to raise the gourds off the ground. You can find more tips inside the seed packet and on the growing info. tab on this product page. Happy gardening!

Perfect crop

Oct 30, 2021

Very satisfaded with the seeds, I have collect a lot of gourds!!!

Rosa from CA

Easiest vine I have ever grown!

Jan 15, 2022

First time growing gourds. Super tough and hardy! Produced flowers in multiple waves when the temp was in the 80's and 90's. Did not show any signs of stress in 100 degree plus weather. Grew on a trellis as well as on the corner of a raised bed. I have around twenty of them from two plants. Some have completely dried and some are curing still in the carport. This variety has thick leaves and the aphids hardly bothered it unlike some of the other gourds I grew. Tip: best to cut off watering several weeks before harvesting or let them hang out on the vine to partially dry.

Sharon from CA