Wow sounds like you had a good year.

I found a cute thing to do with little spinners, dried of course,.......clean them, paint them white, add ghosty eyes and mouth, and put them in a pint jar, and close with a flat and ring.

and

now

you

have

a ..........

Pint of Spirits!

You are sooooo lucky! I planted 15 seeds of the little African mini gourds and only one sprouted! I coddled that thing like you wouldn't believe. Finally it was big enough to plant out (I had it in a huge pot) and it climbed up my arbor out back. It had lots of blooms. I pinched it back to make it branch. Well, guess what? I have not a single gourd out there - not one! I am sure there were female and male flowers but I was not able to go lurking in the back yard, flitting from flower to flower, pollinating! That could have gotten me arrested! If your little gourds are a nice cream color you are very lucky. I did get a few that someone had soaked in 10% hydrogen peroxide - they are gorgeous! I am on the hunt for some extremely tiny spinners to make into ear rings ... so if you find some that will make up as pairs how about dropping me an email so that I can buy them from you?

Now - as to the comment from Indiana - about the Pint of Spirits ..... grrrrrroan! I can't believe you said that!

Cheers - Rita in Michigan

Yup, Rita, I said that! And by the way, I actually live in Illinois.

Another person said I could also call them a.....
......
..........Pint of Boo-o-o-o-o-s

Jan

My spinner gourd vines didn't produce much. I did get many nest egg gourds this year. I've got a few bird house gourds too. I've still got gourds forming and so we'll see what I end up with.

Hey All,
Good for you melinda:) I had the same as Rita, lots of vine and only one huge long handled dipper gourd out of about a hundred blossoms. Can you hand pollinate? I dont care what my neighbors think they already know i;m crazy:) I will flit all over if I could get more gourds. What do you fertalize with? Do they need something to set blossoms once they bloom? I want to grow lots for etching and dying for decoration. I did get a few egg gourds, they dried very easily. Lisa

Pint of Booooooos????????

Jan ... Aaaaaargh - now I think I've heard it all!

(Always thought you were in Indiana! If you move, it will help me out with my memory!)

Speaking of fertilizer - and Lisa was ... I was reading that lots of organic growers like to use MILORGANITE - not only for gourds, but for everywhere in their gardens and flower pots. It never burns. (You have to be careful tho as it reeks at first ... I dig mine in a bit, kinda scratch it into the soil, but the odor is usually gone the next day. One good thing - the deer and other critters keep away because they don't like the smell. Go to the Milorganite site and read all about it. I have been using it since we moved into this house 40 years ago.

Have fun with your bottles of boooos and your spirits.
(Empty bottles are from departed spirits by the way!)
Rita in Michigan

Rita,
We met in Indiana, (Kokomo) last spring, while you were beading that lovely gourd. Have you done more of those?
I'm still debating on making the trip to South Bend next spring.

I guess my little spirits didn't depart fast enough!

Jan

Hi Jan - Yes, I know who you are!!! I remember how nice it was to have you come and sit with me while I was working on that gourd and I enjoyed meeting you finally! I always thought you were from INDIANA tho - don't ask me why - I just did! You may move - humor an old woman please!

I never did finish off that gourd - the one that we were working from looked like it was a pale lemon (like whipped eggs) and mine was blotchy and had a lot of markings on it - silly me - I thought it was PAINTED and it turns out the original was green peeled! I gave up on it when I found that out ... I figure if I try to paint it or put a "wash" on it that I will wreck the beads and gem inserts. Heck - it is wrecked looking now as it is so I guess I can't go too wrong! I would ask the instructor but I don't want to admit that I never got it finished!!! I hate eating humble pie!

If you have any ideas please drop me an email!
Cheers - Rita in Michigan
(MagicKiwi1@yahoo.com)

nice to hear how everyone's crop has grown or is still growing...
we finally had our BIG FROST, killed all of the vines.
So, the big tally, no i didn't count them, but should. We got a half a bushel. Some, are already browned and light as a feather, others are the cream color i was talking about earlier, and some are still green w/stripes and heavy! also got some small bird house gourds,(didn't see them before)

I did an experiment this yr w/rabbit poop. I had heard that it would work great. but i was afraid it would produce all leaves and no fruit! I was wrong. got lots of fruit, so if you know anyone with rabbits, ask about their waste!!! and I've also heard that Sheep waste is the same, not a lot of acid in it! (haven't try that!)
Melinda