Organic Club Calabash - Ferme de Sainte Marthe seeds

The Bottle Gourd, also commonly known as the Calabash, is a non-edible variety intended solely for decoration. It produces beautiful pale green fruits that are 40 to 80cm (16 to 32in) tall and 10 to 20cm (4 to 8in) in diameter at the base, resembling a large club. This trailing variety produces 4 to 6 fruits per plant. Once dried, it is often used to make musical instruments or toys for children. Sow it from April to June to harvest it from September to November.

The Bottle Gourd is a herbaceous plant belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family. It is a distant cousin of the squashes, pumpkins, and gourds that we are familiar with. Often called a gourd or bottle gourd, its ornamental fruits have a plethora of uses once dried. Bottle gourds can be found in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. It is an annual creeping or climbing plant thanks to its tendrils. Its leaves are widely pubescent and produce a fairly characteristic smell. In spring, after flowering with large white flowers, it produces round fruits, or with a neck resembling a bottle or amphora. Some varieties can be consumed when very young, like zucchinis. However, some are toxic and therefore not edible. On the other hand, when harvested much later, all bottle gourds can become kitchen utensils, musical instruments like the Kora - an African harp - or the Berimbao accompanying Capoeira fighters in Brazil, candle holders, containers for mate tea etc. This is only possible when the fruit has completely dried and the flesh has disappeared. Bottle gourds can also be used to adorn trellises and pergolas.

Harvesting: Bottle gourds are fruits that need a lot of sun to give their best, like any plant originating from tropical regions. For consumption as a vegetable, the fruit will be harvested when immature with a slightly tender skin. The taste of bottle gourds is not very pronounced, but it is an experience to try if they are edible. To make utensils, you will need to wait until the peduncle has completely dried. Harvesting should be done as late as possible.

Storage: If they are harvested for consumption, the skin must still be tender, and the fruits will only keep for a few days in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator. Once completely dry, bottle gourds can be stored indefinitely. They can be carved, painted, or pierced, etc. It's up to you to use your imagination to make them into the object that suits you. When dry, they become very fragile, so handle them with care.

Gardener's tip: Bottle gourds should remain on the plant for as long as possible, but bad weather can also cause them to rot. In that case, you can dry them indoors by hanging them. They are generally vigorous plants with very decorative fruits and flowers. Provide them with a trellis so that they can climb, sprawl, and let their fruits droop like lanterns. Bottle gourds do not like moisture, so make sure to give them only the bare minimum in the summer.