Grow the raw material for your next garden craft
Dipper gourds develop a rounded base and a distinctive long neck. Once fully mature and properly dried, their hard shells make an appealing starting point for decorative dippers, painted ornaments and other crafts.
Why grow Dipper gourds?
- Unusual fruit brings interest to a sturdy trellis or spacious garden.
- Mature shells can be dried and decorated.
- A 50-seed packet gives you plenty of seed for planning a generous planting.
Plant details
Botanical name: Lagenaria siceraria, Dipper type
Life cycle: Annual climbing vine
Light: Full sun
Use: Ornamental gourds for drying and crafts
Growing from seed
Sow after frost when the soil is warm, in fertile, well-drained ground. In short-season areas, begin in individual pots indoors and transplant carefully after hardening off. Give vines ample space and a strong support; trellising lets the long fruits hang freely. Water consistently during active growth. Plan for a long, warm growing season of at least 100 frost-free days; maturity depends on conditions.
Harvest and cure
Let fruits mature until the rind is hard and the stem begins to dry. Cut with a short stem attached and handle gently. Cure in a dry, well-ventilated place until thoroughly dry; large gourds can take weeks to months. Shapes and neck lengths naturally vary.
What's included
One packet of 50 Dipper gourd seeds.
