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In India and other parts of Asia, gourds are grown as food rather than just as decorative fruit. They are all Members of the cucumber family, known as cucurbits. All of these vegetables produce vines that run along the ground or climb. It is best to train them on a trellis or fence, thus keeping the fruit off the ground.

You can plant seeds in the summer directly in the garden after all danger of frost. Alternatively seeds may be started indoors 6-8 weeks before your 1st frost free date. Cucurbits need full sun and well-drained soil in order to thrive. Before planting, add organic matter for best results.

Cucurbits produce separate male and female flowers, but they both occur on the same plant. To distinguish the male flowers from the female flowers in cucurbits, look at the flowers closely. It is behind the flower where the differences between male and female flowers can be observed. Behind the flower,the female flower possesses an ovary that looks like a miniature version of the fruit that will eventually form. Pollen must be transferred from the male flowers to the female flowers to obtain fruit. Pollen transfer is done by bees and other insects. If necessary, one can hand pollinate female flowers transferring the pollen from the male flower using an artist's brush.

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