Dipper Gourd Seeds

Discover how to plant and harvest dipper gourd seeds.

Throughout history, humans have fashioned dried and cured gourds into birdhouses, gunpowder containers, musical instruments and art pieces. The dipper gourd saw a slightly different use as a ladle for stirring foods and scooping water. Today, gardeners and artisans continue to grow dipper and other varieties of gourds to create craft items, home decorations and natural birdhouses.

Considerations

Dipper gourd seeds can be purchased from online and print seed catalogs, or you can plant seeds taken directly from dried out dipper gourds. Seeds will rattle around the inside of a dried gourd, signifying the gourd is thoroughly dried. Cut into the gourd as necessary for your crafting needs, and empty out the dipper's seeds.

Identification

Dipper gourd seeds closely resemble the seeds of other gourd varieties. Seeds are very thin and flat, with a central rib and tip that contains the embryo that will develop into another gourd vine when planting occurs. Dipper gourd seeds have an oval shape, an off-white shade, and measure no wider or longer than 1/2 inch.

Planting Recommendations

To plant dipper and other gourd varieties, wait until after the final spring frost, or start plants indoors four to six weeks before transplanting after the final frost of spring. Four to six seeds should be planted per hill, 1 inch deep, with hills placed 6 to 8 feet apart. If growing other varieties of gourds, separate crops by 300 to 400 feet to prevent cross-pollination.

References

• Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service: Gourds
• Ohio State University Extension: Growing and Curing Gourds in the Home Garden
• North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service: Growing Gourds

Resources

• National Gardening Association: Ornamental and Unusual Gourds