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Posted: Aug/23/2006 3:01 PM PST
I'm asking this for a friend, she asked me these questions yesterday and I said I had no clue but knew some of my GG friends would know the answer. How do you know when to pick the gourds and how do you dry them and what do you do to them after they are dry? If I remember correctly, my grammie used to dry them and then shellac them once they were dry to keep them longer. These are the small assorted gourds. Thanks everyone |
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Posted: Aug/23/2006 7:21 PM PST
Whats a gourd? |
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Posted: Aug/23/2006 7:46 PM PST
O gourd is similar to a squash except they have a woody type shell. They are none edible but make nice decorative items. Once dry they are almost as hard as wood. MG, I wait to pick mine until the plant starts to die back. They should have a bit of a hollow sound to them at this point. Then you have two options. 1) rinse in a mild bleach solution, dry and place in a cool are with plenty of air cirulation to dry. This way tends to still develope mold. It won't hurt the final product except in appearance. If you are goping to paint them any way, it won't be a problem. It also can take up to a year for them to fully dry this way. 2) (This is my prefence though it does mean a little more work). I peal the skin off by just lightly pulling a knife across the gourds surface. By pulling the knife instead of pushing it you reduce the risk of damaging the shell. Once the majority of the skin is off I soak in mild bleach water for about 5 minutes then dry with a clean towel. This will remove any last tiny bits of skin and bacteria that may be on the gourds surface. Then place in a cool airy place to dry (not in direct sunlight, they will dry to fast and crack). This way is MUCH less likely to mold and they dry much faster. They can be ready to paint in as little as 6 months this way. |
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Posted: Aug/23/2006 10:27 PM PST
if you are interested in crafts, there are usually alot of things you can find over the internet around halloween for gourds. Pretty neat stuff |
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Posted: Aug/23/2006 11:14 PM PST
THanks everyone, I will pass along the info to her |
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