Kingdom: Plantae; Division: Magnoliophyta; Class: Magnoliopsida; Order: Cucurbitales; Family: Cucurbitaceae; Genera: Lagenaria, Cucurbita and Luffa.
Gourds
Gourds are one of the many plants in the Cucurbitaceae family which includes squash, pumpkin, melons and cucumber. Gourds are often used in crafting and many native cultures have used them for various purposes, including bottles, bowls and musical instruments. Gourds are not usually used for the food properties, but some species, mostly from Asia, are.
There are three major genera of gourds:
Lagenaria siceraria or Hardshell gourds are night blooming with white flowers which resemble tissue paper. They are pollinated by moths who are numerous in the night sky. They are the most common gourd used for crafting. There are only 6 species, but many varieties.
Cucurbita pepo or Ornamental gourds are daytime bloomers with large orange flowers. They are pollinated by bees who prefer to fly in the day. They are used mostly as table decorations, but to keep those beautiful colors they are often sprayed with a clear finish. The finish does not allow them to breath, so they rot quicker. They are sometimes used in crafts, but they should not be finished for crafts. For this reason, it is best to use ones from your own garden. This genus also includes pumpkin and many squash.
Luffa gourds are day bloomers as well, with orange flowers. Once they are dried, their skins can be peeled and the remaining sponge be used for a cleaning devise. Many people have these in their bathrooms. There are at least 4 species of Luffa.
Luffa Gourds
Other Species. There are other species of the Cucurbitaceae
family that are called gourds. These include the following species:
Buffalo or Coyote Gourd (Cucurbita foetidissima), Bitter Gourds,
including Balsam Apple, Balsam Pear and Bitter Cucumber (genus
Momordica), Wax Gourd (Benincasa hispida), Snake Gourd (genus
Tricosanthes), Teasel Gourd (Cucumis dipsaceus), Malabar Gourd,
Fig-Leaf Gourd, Angora Gourd (Cucurbita ficifolia), Chayote (Sechium
edule) and Turks Turban (Curcurbita maxima).
Tree Gourds or calabash are not a member of the Cucurbitaceae family. There are two species of tree gourds: Crescentia cujete and Crescentia alata.
Growing Gourds
Gourds will grow in most places and are very easy to grow. Ornamental gourds have a shorter growing season and hardshell gourds a longer season. In general gourds like full sun (at least 6 hours per day), slightly acid soil and regular watering. It is best to use a good thick layer of mulch to keep the weeds down. Too many weeds can weaken your gourd, making them more susceptible to problem bugs.
Drying Gourds
You should dry your gourds before using them for crafts. Gourds should dry on the vine as long as possible. If cut off the vine too soon they will not completely dry and will rot. Watch the stem. When the stem is brown and dead looking, then it is time to harvest.
Once your gourds are harvested they will need to be cured before use. This will completely dry them, so they can be used for your craft. This process usually takes several months. Let them sit for several months in an out of the way area. If they get wet, or cold, this is alright, and adds to their beauty. When you pick up your gourd and can hear the seeds rattling around inside and it feels light, then it is ready.
Mold!
During the curing process your gourd will mold. The outside will get a coating of mold. This is good. This mold is what gives the gourd its beauty. You will usually want to wash it off before crafting though. Be sure to wear gloves, goggles and a face mask to protect yourself. Remember, safety first!
Gourd Birdhouses
Utilitarian Gourds
Gourds are often used as utilitarian devices such as bowls or bottles. Often art and function are combined to create beautiful utilitarian art. Gourds have been used for thousands of years as musical instruments, bowls, spoons and many other devices. These items are often beautiful and have some ritual significance.
Kitchen
In the kitchen there are so many different items that gourds can be used for. You can make a bottle, a vase, spoon, dipper, basket, utensil holder, bowl, or a number of other projects.
Bird Houses
Commonly the Birdhouse Gourd is used for birdhouses, but there is no rule saying that you can't use other gourds. Apple gourds make nice birdhouses as do many other varieties.
Musical Instruments
There are a number of musical instruments from around the world that use gourds. Here is a small selection of them:
Sitar
Sitar
This is a string instrument that uses a gourd called toomba as a resonating chamber. Sitars are used primarily in the music of India, Pakistan and much of Persia.
Maraca
Many maracas are made from gourds. The dried gourd is filled with seeds or pebbles to give it the musical sound. Commonly heard in Latin American music and found in many children's toy chests.
Güiro
Güiro
This instrument is common in Latin American music. This percussion instrument is commonly made from a hollow gourd with parallel notches cut into it. It is played by rubbing a stick along the notches.
Sistrum
Another percussion instrument. This one is made of a gourd with sticks coming out the top. Beads are strung between or on these sticks. Shaking it makes a rattling sound.
Clothing
Koteka
Also called a penis sheath. This decorated gourd is worn my the men of some tribes in New Guinea to cover their penises.
Gourd Art
You can't talk about gourds without talking about art. Gourds are so often used in folk art and the art of many primitive cultures that gourds are a very important part of art. Often the utilitarian uses of a gourd are so beautiful that they are considered works of art by themselves. Other gourd crafts are specifically meant as art. The art can start in the garden, or after the curing is done. It is up to what you want from your gourd.
If you are interested in gourd as art, please check out one of these fine gourd books:
Training Gourds
In the garden gourds can be shaped into various forms to get the artistic look you desire. This is called hand training. You can train a gourd, such as a long-handled dipper gourd, to grow in specific ways. I have seen them tied in knots or twisted around a pole. You can also use rope or string to make it do what you want. Some projects would require you to start thinking about how you want your gourd to look before they are done growing.
Cutting
Many crafts require you to cut open the gourd. Be sure to wear a dust mask and eye protection when you do this. The dust is very fine and mold can be toxic. You do not want either in your lungs or eyes. You can use a saw or drill to open your gourd, depending on what you want.
Painting a Gourd
Many beautiful crafts have been created with leather dyes on gourds.
Pyrography Kit
Pyrography
Also called Pyro-Engraving, pyrography is the art of burning a design into your art. For this you use a burning tool that looks like a soldering iron.
Carving
Gourds can be carved easily with a rotary tool, such as a Dremel. Bas-Relief leaves the shape in the foreground, carving away the background area. With incision you cut the design into the shell.
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