How to Grow Cucurbita Lagenaria

Add moist soil to within 1/4-inch of the rim of the peat pots.

Push the Cucurbita lagenaria seeds 1 inch into the soil and cover them lightly.

Set the pots in a nursery flat, and cover the entire flat with plastic wrap or a large, transparent plastic bag. Place the flat in an area that receives bright but indirect sunlight. Remove the plastic when the seeds sprout and transplant the seedlings when they reach 6 inches in height.

Choose a planting location that receives full sun. Prepare the soil by removing weeds and loosening it with a gardening fork. Add 3 inches of compost or rotted manure, and mix it into the top 6 inches of the soil.

Dig holes that are the 1/4 inch deeper than the peat pots and 2 feet apart. Peel the bottom off each pot and place it into the hole. None of the peat pot should be exposed above the soil. If planting in rows, space the rows 5 feet apart. Install a trellis, 6 inches from the seedlings, if you want to save space and grow the Curcurbita lagenaria vertically.

Water the Curcurbita lagenaria if it doesn't rain. It requires 1 inch of water a week.

Fertilize the gourds when they begin sending out vines. Dig a 2-inch deep trench, 3 inches to the side of the row. Sprinkle 3 lbs. of 10-6-4 fertilizer per 100 square feet, along the bottom of the trench, cover it and water to a depth of 6 inches to soak the fertilizer into the root zone.

Harvest the Curcurbita lagenaria when the stems turn brown and dry.