Things You'll Need:
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Step 1
Harvest ripe gourds at the end of the growing season after the stem has turned brown.
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Step 2
Keep a few inches of the stem attached to the gourd when harvesting.
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Step 3
Remove excess soil from gourd.
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Step 4
Attach a rubber band or string to the stem.
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Step 5
Hang the gourd in a dark, well-ventilated area such as a garage or basement.
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Step 6
Remove mold as it forms on the skin of the gourd with a 10 percent solution of bleach.
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Step 7
Tap the gourd with your hand every month or so. When it is dry to the touch and has a hollow sound, it is ready to use.










Comments
beljon said
on 2/5/2009 I have grown and dried [and have on hand now] 100s of gourds in Colorado and I have always left them out in the cold to dry. I cover them in a bed of hay and leave them until the weather warms. Then I uncover, turn, toss the spoiled to the compost, and spray with bleach solution.
dcharrison70 said
on 1/15/2009 What I sugest is, putting a small hole in the bottom of it and let the liquid drain out and continue with the drying process. DC
dcharrison70 said
on 1/15/2009 What I would do is, put a small hole at the bottom and let it drain out and then continue the drying process. DC
catlady516 said
on 12/7/2008 I live in Florida and purchased my gourds at a fruit stand. They don't have any stems to hang them from. Plus a cold, dry place is kind of hard to find. They are really very pretty and I'd love to keep them, Help!!!!!
mom1951 said
on 8/24/2008 last year my husband had a gourd..soaked it in bleach when it was dried. Cut a hole in it and cleaned it out beside the workshop. Lo and behold this year the bleached seeds sprouted with the Florida summer rains. Now the vine is dying and he cut off the 20 or so gourds. He is hanging them outside in the sun to dry. In Florida is this the best way to dry them?