Gourds

[daffodil]

Well, I was all excited to plant gourd seeds to make things from in the fall until I got a few books on them at the library and found the dust made cutting them is toxic as well as the insides and the mold on them. I've decided not to try it but if anyone is interested I have the Dipper Old Fashioned Favorite seeds I paid $2.00 for if anyone wants them. Just contact me and send a SASE (Sorry I'm so broke at this time I don't even have money to just send them!) and I'll send them to you. Hate to see them go to waste.

Another question: I also bought the small fancy gourd seeds. Does anyone know if these get the mold on them like the dippers? And can I just dry them like they are without removing the seeds? And then paint the outsides or will they rot?

[flatwater]

I have worked with gourds for years and have not found any yet that didn't have mold. You can cut the mold down to almost nothing if you scrape them while they are still freshly picked , scrape them down good then dip them in bleach water. Whats even more fun is scratch a design in the skin right after you pick them , let them mold up then in the spring scrape them using a dust mask to keep the mold at bay and you end up with a pretty neat design.

[daffodil]

I think I'm going to pass on the gourds! I've got enough mold around this place! Someone suggested painting rocks. That might work a bit better for me :)