How to Save Gourds

Don’t throw out your gourds when you are ready to decorate for Christmas. Save them!
I put mine on sheets of newspapers in my basement and let them dry until the next fall. I usually end up with a few that rot and those get composted. I’m always pleasantly surprised at how many dry and at the color that they retain.
I didn’t buy gourds in the fall of 2008. I used some crazy volunteers from my garden for decorating.
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Here’s what they looked like on October 10, 2009 after drying for a year in my basement.
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Not so great, huh???
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It gets better!
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Put them in the sink and wash them with a sponge. I sometimes use an old nail brush to scrub really yucky places.
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All clean! After they dry, give the gourds a light coat of Future Liquid Floor Polish with a sponge brush.
Look at those rich colors!
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Now get busy and decorate!
I put some in a SL@h basket. I didn’t like them in this location, so I moved them, but look at those colors.
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I like this basket much better on my screened porch.
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The rest of the 2008 dried gourds went into an old wooden bowl. Wooden bowls are perfect for gourds this time of year.
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Read my post from last fall on this very subject for more details on saving gourds from year to year.

8 Comments

  1. Thanks for the pictorial, Paula. This post makes me want to grow gourds! I wish they didn’t take up so much space. Mr. Brown Socks doesn’t like it so much when I try to take over HIS garden! 🙂

    Donna

  2. Thank you so much, I had no idea. In fact, when I’ve tried to save them & they got the fuzzy bits on them, I just assumed that they weren’t keep-able & tossed them. I’m glad to know that all it takes is some scrubbing & floor polish (floor polish — who knew??).

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