Re: Drying Gourds


In a message dated 1/6/99 12:25:25 PM Eastern Standard Time,
collinsr@execpc.com writes:

<< Subj:	 Drying Gourds
 Date:	1/6/99 12:25:25 PM Eastern Standard Time
 From:	collinsr@execpc.com (Richard J. Noffke)
 Sender:	owner-pumpkins@mallorn.com
 Reply-to:	pumpkins@mallorn.com
 To:	pumpkins@mallorn.com
 
 Anyone with experiences:
 
 I'd like to hear from anyone with experience drying down birdhouse gourds. 
  Any special treatments, time to harvest, or temperature ranges that are
 best?
 
 Thanks,
 
 Rick >>

They need to be mature so the shell is thick enough so it wont collapse when
you dry it.  This takes some practice to be able to tell it's thick enough.
One way is to squeeze the fruit and it should not depress inward with pressure
from your hand.  Tapping on the shell can also give you some indication of the
thickness. as fas as drying goes I have forced hot air heat and I put them
right over the register or put them on top of the heating ducts down cellar.
It may take 6 or 8 weeks for them to dry completely.  When I use them for
birdhouses I sometimes shellac them but many times I don't treat them at all
and still get 3 or 4 years out of them.

George
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