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You can start seeds inside four to six weeks before the last frost occurs in your area, which is normally after May 10th for Rappahannock residents. The seeds should be planted in 5-inch pots to avoid repotting, plants resent being disturbed and will literally stand still for two to three weeks after being transplanted.
Plants should be “hardened off” before planting outside, this is accomplished by setting the potted plants outside during the day when temperatures permit, then returned inside at night. The plants should not be kept indoors after the vines begin to grow or they will be weak and spindly. Digging and filling holes with garden compost or well-rotted manure will prepare sites for your gourds.
If planting seeds directly in the ground, plant about eight seeds to a hill to allow for poor germination. Hills should be six feet apart and the depth of planting is about two times the length of the seed.
Fertilizer is not necessary and should not be added if the soil is high in nitrogen, although a low nitrogen fertilizer dissolved in water (one cup to two gallons of water) may be added when the gourds begin to form. Never add fertilizer late in the season as it causes excessive vine growth and delays gourd maturity. It is best to pull weeds by hand around young plants, roots run laterally and could be damaged with close cultivation.
Planting sites should be in full sun, preferably with a fence or trellis for the vines to climb. Gourds grown off the ground will be more uniform in size and color, and possibly escape insect blemishes. Insects that bother melons will find gourds.
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