They're easy to grow. You probably should try to give them a head start indoors and plan on planting out roughly month-old transplants, since they need a long season. As far as curing htem goes, the biggest "tip" I have is DON'T put them anywhere squirrels or mice can get to them, because they will destroy the gourds for the seeds inside.

I started some seeds indoors in March and then planted them outside in my composter so they would have rich earth, lots of sun, and I water nearly every day. I already have tiny gourds. I live near Ottawa Ont.

Oh,that's good. The warm weather this year certainly helps them -- I assume it has been above normal where you are, I know S.W. Ontario has had the warm weather as we have had.