How Hardy are Cured Hardshell Gourds?

I answered some questions from Maura in How and When to Safely Remove Mold from Gourds. She had received a bunch of hard shell gourds from a friend over eight years ago and would like to start making something from them.

We've got an ongoing gourd forum going. Feel free to chime in with your comments and questions.

Maura Asked: What is the best way to store gourds before you clean and are ready to work on them?

Eileen Answered: The gourds you got from your friend may have been partially cured on the vine. That's the best way.

Left on the vine, each gourd gets its maximum dose of hardening enzyme. As well, the attached vine acts like a straw to wick moisture out of the drying gourd. Commercial growers allow their gourds to harden on the vine. An early freeze may slow the curing but will not harm mature gourds which have begun to harden off.

If the gourds must be cut from the vine before they are hardened off, they should be left outdoors to finish curing. The odor of curing gourds is somewhat offensive – especially in enclosed spaces.

The key to hardening gourds off the vine is to provide good air circulation. Storing them on slatted or wire shelves is good. Don't let uncured gourds touch each other. This can encourage and spread rot.

Once the gourds are fully cured, you can store them anyway you like, e.g. in boxes or plastic tubs. You can tell the gourds are cured when the shell is very hard; the gourd is very lightweight and; if shaken, you can usually hear seeds rattling around inside.

Maura: Can gourds freeze?

Eileen: I think you answered that question yourself when you told me your gourds have been stored in a tub in an unheated garage and had survived several winters with -20 to -30 temperatures.

Of course, at extreme low temperatures, they would become brittle and shatter. Remember the high school science demonstration where the teacher freezes a flower or racquet ball in liquid nitrogen (-321 F)?

Maura: Once the gourd has completed its live mold stage will the patterning that sets into the gourd continue to change? I think mine are still changing.

Eileen: That is possible since you haven't cleaned the gourds of mold yet. If the gourds have been in humid conditions, the molds could still be growing. New molds may have joined the party as well.

We already talked about wearing protective clothing in "How and When to Safely Remove Mold from Gourds".

If you're curious, why not take a photos a week apart or two and compare the patterning.

Maura: Once decorated and finished would the mold ever return beneath the decoration?"

Eileen: There are no guarantees in life, but if you've cleaned the gourds well, they should be fine.

Remember, people have been using and crafting hardshell gourds for millennia. I hope you're not thinking, "Yeah well they're all dead, aren't they?!

Maura: Thank you again for your help! I hope I am not asking too many questions! Please know, I really appreciate your time and answers and have already learned so much from your site and blog.

Eileen: I'm so glad, Maura. Feel free to write again.