Hi Jan. I started some seeds in peat pots a month ago today and added a few more each week. Total of about 45. Having sporadic luck. Only about 17 have germinated so far. I dug a lot up and found that many seeds have rotted. Been starting seeds for years and never had this problem. Got my gourd patch ready to go. I have two "A" frame trellis that are 5 ft high and 10 ft long and covered with nylon web for vines to climb. This year I set them 6 ft apart and put a 6 by 6 ft section of chain link fence on top. Am planning on planting some long handled dippers and some snake gourds around them. I have already put 3 ft wide plastic where the gourds are to be planted (warms the soil) and have started putting dried grass mulch and horse nurky on the rest of the ground to keep out the weeds. If we get the warm weather they are predicting for next week, I may plant some the larger gourds which have 3 or more true leaves. We've had loads of rain this past week or so and the ground is in good shape. Anxious to get going. Gene (I have some pix of my little gourd patch and of some of the gourds I grew last year on my picture trail site if you're interested) www.picturetrail.com/genepa