How to Grow the Tennessee Spinner Gourd

Craftsmen and artists love Tennesse spinner gourds, Cucurbita pepo, because they are small and can be used in a number of ways--from jewelry, holiday ornaments, home decor items to toys. Tennessee spinner gourds range in size from one to three inches tall and are green with white stripes when fresh; they dry to a light shade of tan. Tennessee spinner gourds require a long, warm season, from 90 to 100 days, and lots of garden space on which to spread. Plant the gourd seeds in late spring.

Spade
Manure or compost
Rake
Fertilizer
Knife or shears

Instructions

- 1
  Choose an area of the garden that receives at least six hours of sun a day. A location next to a fence or trellis is ideal if you want to grow the plant vertically.
- 2
  Dig up the soil to a depth of 10 inches. Crush large clods of soil with the spade.
- 3
  Spread a three-inch layer of manure or compost over the bed and use a rake to blend it into the top six inches of soil. Rake the bed until it is smooth and then walk over it to remove any peaks and valleys.
- 4
  Plant the Tennessee spinner gourd seeds one-inch deep and cover them lightly with soil, setting them two feet apart in a row; the rows should be five feet apart. Water the area to a depth of three inches and keep the soil moist while the seeds germinate, which should occur within 10 days.
- 5
  Add a side dressing of 10-6-4 fertilizer at the rate of 3 lbs. per 100 square feet of garden space once the vines develop. Apply the fertilizer early in the morning or evening to avoid burning the plants and water to a depth of six inches after application.
- 6
  Provide the gourds with one inch of water a week if there is no rain. Withhold water during the last two weeks before harvest.
- 7
  Harvest all gourds when the stems turn brown and cut them from the vine with one to two inches of stem attached. Use a knife or sharp shears to cut them from the vine.

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