- The best time to harvest each of the varieties of gourds is before the first frost of the cold season. But gourds also offer visual signs of when they are ready to be harvested---dry brown stems and hard skins. The Purple Martin Conservation Association recommends gently cutting gourds from the plants and leaving an inch or two of stem remaining. If you plan to use the gourds for crafts, it is a good idea to carefully handle the gourds to prevent unattractive denting, bruising and discoloration.
- It is important to note that by the time the skin of the luffa gourd has hardened at the time of harvest, the gourd will already be dried enough to remove its seeds. However, the other two types will require a curing process that will ensure easy harvesting of the seeds and preservation of the gourds.The drying process for both the cucurbita and the lagenaria will require a minimum of one month for small gourds and up to six months for larger sized gourds. Each gourd to be dried should be placed in a separate, open container in a cool, dark place. The gourds should be rotated on a weekly basis to avoid sores and allow for proper drying. You will know a gourd is ready for seed harvesting when you can shake it and hear the seeds knocking around inside.
- To remove the seeds from the luffa gourd, simply cut off the stem and shake out the seeds. The skin of the luffa gourd can then be removed with a sharp paring knife and the inner flesh soaked in a light bleach and water solution for several hours, rinsed and left to dry. The luffa can then be used as a bath sponge. As for the other two types of gourds, a hole can be drilled in each of them using a "hole" saw, and the seeds removed by giving the gourds a few shakes. The seeds can then be stored in Ziploc bags and placed in a cool dark place. Label your seeds so you know which ones are which next season.
