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| Grow Gourds and Ornamental Corn
Plant your gourds in sunny spots where vines can ramble across the ground.
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Gourds fall into two categories. Hard-shell gourds such as Bottle, Birdhouse and Calabash Pipe mature in about 125 days and thrive in southern Midwest states. Soft-shell gourds such as Bicolor Spoon, Turk's Turban, warties and Crown of Thorns bear smaller fruit, are softer and ripen in 95 days. They grow throughout the Midwest.
Ornamental corn loves sun, matures in about 95 days and comes in many varieties. Combinations of burgundy, red, blue, orange and yellow kernels pack 3- to 12-inch-long ears on 4- to 7-foot-tall stalks. Our favorites include Rainbow Indian, Calico, Indian Blue and Strawberry Popcorn.
For a bountiful fall harvest, follow these tips:
- Hardy varieties of easy-to-grow soft-shell gourds include pear and apple gourds and Jack Be Little miniature pumpkins.
- Plant gourds after the last frost or from May 15 to June 1. Apply manure, or fertilizer such as 13-13-13. Add mulch. Plant seeds 5 feet apart, 2 inches deep.
- To prolong a gourd's life, harvest before the first frost, leaving 1 to 2 inches of the stem attached.
- To ensure pollination, plant corn in three or four 10-foot-long rows. Apply manure, or fertilizer such as 13-13-13.
