Q&A: Why aren’t my lush gourd vines producing fruits?

Jan 23, 2024

Why aren't gourds developing on m vines?

Please let me know what I have done wrong. Is it this dreadful hot weather, are they a cold weather plant, can I expect anything to come of it?

Eileen, e-mail

A.Eileen, gourds are a hot-weather plant. Are you feeding them too much, possible too much nitrogen that produces lots of lush foliage! Gourd vines grow like crazy on their own, so reduce any fertilizer you may be using.

Basically, your flowers are falling off because you lack pollinators such as bees.

Plant some zinnias, marigolds, petunias, coneflowers, etc. to get pollinators to your yard.

Gourds are a fruit and fruits need pollinators. Gourds have male and female flowers and pollen has to go from one to the other. You can use a small artist-like paintbrush to take pollen from the male flowers and put it on the female flowers.

Here's an Amish Gourd link that may help you with general information about gourds, including the need for pollinators.

www.amishgourds.com/site/1278922/page/456668

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