Overview:
Also called Vegetable Sponge and Dishcloth Gourd because the skin can be peeled off after it has been cured, to reveal a usable sponge! Vigorous, rapidly growing vines form gourds that can be harvested over a long period.
Growing Instructions:
Sowing: In shorter growing seasons, start gourd seeds indoors in peat pots 3-4 weeks before the last frost. To speed germination, soak the seeds overnight. Plant the seedlings outdoors in rich soil and full sun after the last spring frost. For direct sowing, wait until the soil warms to 70 degrees F, then plant 5 seeds per hill, 1″ deep, with 5′ spacing; later, thin to the strongest plant.
Germination: 7–14 days at 75–85°F.
Care: Keep the soil evenly moist. When the vines begin to develop, either provide a trellis or lay down mulch to keep the gourds from contact with the soil; too much soil contact can weaken the shell, distort the shape, and cause rotting.
Harvest: 100+ days
