Gourd Seeds

I've asked this question on the gourd saving forum, but apparently they don't get much traffic over there. I've also tried Googling, but I can't find the specific answer I'm looking for.

Are the ornamental gourds that you buy at the market this time of year at the correct maturity stage for saving seeds? I bought several cool looking gourds to display beside my mums, and thought I'd like to take a stab at growing them myself next year. But I have no idea when that type of gourd is harvested or if they're considered "mature" when they're picked. All the articles I've read explain how to save seeds from your OWN gourds, but I'm wondering specifically about the ones that are commercially harvested for fall sales.

The way I got seeds was letting the gourd dry out over the winter and in the spring I drilled a hole in the bottom and got all the insides out. Be sure you do this OUTDOORS,. Do a search on drying grouds. I dont think you can take them from a ripe gourd and dry them yourself. I may be wrong. Cant wait to see what others advise..
Christine

Hi Christine, thanks for replying. I got most of my information yesterday from a little online tutoral (http://reviews.ebay.com/Saving-Gourd-Seed-4-How-2-Do-It-Guide-Step-By-Step_W0QQugidZ10000000007588957) which basically said that you can take the seeds before OR after the gourd is dried...hang on I'll copy/paste:

"Interestingly, the first step to saving gourd seed is the one that most people get wrong. Nearly everyone instinctively leaves the gourds to dry before cutting them open. This will not yield the highest quality results. It will however, work, and work quite well. It is not the end of the world to allow the gourds to dry completely, and only then open them up for the seed. High germination rates and good results can be had, and are had regularly. That said, it is best to open the gourd as soon as possible after the season is over. It is only necessary to wait long enough to feel satisfied that the gourd is mature, and will, if allowed to dry fully, be a prime example of the variety.

The season is over when the gourd plant is completely dead, and the vines and stem connected to the chosen gourd are fully brown and clearly no longer providing nourishment to the gourd. Remove the gourd from the plant, and with a hand saw or jigsaw, cut a hole in the gourd which is large enough to extract the seeds from inside. This step will be a wet yucky mess. A good deal of innards and guts may have to be extracted to get at all the gourd seeds. Suck it up and glop it out."

So that takes me back to my original question. Were the gourds I bought at the market mature enough when they were cut from the vine? This guy says "The season is over when the gourd plant is completely dead, and the vines and stem connected to the chosen gourd are fully brown." If these particular gourds were cut before the plant had died does that mean the seeds won't be mature?

My usual thought with something like that is, "just try it and see what happens," but after spending $2 a gourd I've decided I really want to grow my own next year. If these seeds aren't going to be viable I'll shop around and purchase some instead.

Thanks again...let's see if anyone else chimes in.

p.s. LOL at the above author saying to "Suck it up and glop it out."

Very interesting, I learned something new today :>)
Christine

LalaJane, there are going to be LOTS of seeds in the gourds you bought. What I would do is go ahead and pull them out and do a quick germination test so you get an idea what percentage are viable. If your germ test is low then either take that into consideration next year and double-sow or just go ahead and buy fresh commercial seed.

Also, keep in mind the some gourd growers/sellers will carry over their gourds from season to season. In other words, what didn't sell last year will easily store until next year (or what didn't sell five years ago will store also!) but those older seeds won't be as viable as a fresh "this year's harvest" would be.

Shoe (who just noticed your post was a few weeks ago but hope this has helped anyway!)