Re: [gourds] Pinetree Nest Eggs
Lillian Kepp (gourds@globalgarden.com)
Fri, 20 Feb 98 20:05:10 PST
On Fri, 20 Feb 1998 18:36:22 -0600 Becky wrote:
>Lillian Kepp wrote:
>> The first year I grew the egg gourd they were about twice as big
>> as a chicken's egg, but they were from a package of mixed
ornamental
>> gourd seeds and I planted a lot of seeds in a small place.
>>
>> Since then, with better care, my egg gourds come out about the
>> size of the goose egg. I think it had to do with better care of
>> the plants when growing.
>
>I am really pleased to hear that those gourds actually grow that
large.
>They will be an excellent size to draw on, and I can't wait to grow
some
>this year. My experience, so far, has been that white & green
>ornamental gourds seem to have thicker shells than do yellow &
orange
>ones.
>
>Thanks!
>
Becky,
I just measured an "average" egg gourd from the second batch I grew.
It is four inched from stem to blossom end and nine inches in
circumference.
I have found from my experience that thehe thickest shelled
"ornamental" gourds seem to be the Crown of Thorns. The egg seems
to be somewhere inbetween the yellow ones and the Crown of Thorns.
If you cut the "round top" (actually bottom, blossom end) from the
Crown of Thorns, and leave all the "pointed" parts on, they make a
nice little container or basket. Kinda looks like a tulip or rose.
You could even leave part of the "round top" to act as a handle if
you use them for baskets. Nice for spring baskets.
Lillian Kepp
thekepps@bright.net