Growing Non-GMO Tennessee Spinning Gourd Seeds

Tennessee Spinning gourd seeds do not need stratification, though soaking them in room temperature water for 8 to 12 hours can speed up germination. Direct-sow after all danger of frost has passed, and the soil has warmed to at least 70 F. Sow seeds 1 inch deep, 4 to 6 seeds per hill, with hills spaced about 6 feet apart, then thin to the 2 or 3 strongest seedlings. If trellising, sow seeds 6 inches apart in a row and thin to 12 to 24 inches. Germination is fastest at 75 to 90 F and usually takes 7 to 14 days. In short-season areas, start seeds indoors in peat or paper pots 3 to 4 weeks before transplanting, and handle the roots gently. Choose a spot with full sun and rich, well-drained soil amended with compost.

Vines begin to bloom in early summer and bloom until frost. Water deeply once a week, giving at least 1 inch of water, and mulch to hold in moisture. These are heavy feeders, so side-dress with compost or a balanced fertilizer when the first blooms appear. If fruit set is slow early in the season, hand pollinate by transferring pollen from male blooms to female blooms with a small paintbrush. Vines can reach 8 feet or more and need no pruning, but they do need room to run.

Tennessee Spinning Gourd in the Flower Garden

Tennessee Spinning gourd is a vigorous climber that covers fences, trellises, arches, and arbors with lush green foliage and cheerful yellow blooms. The flowers attract bees and other pollinators, and the vines create a fast seasonal screen. It isn't a cut flower, and it isn't fragrant, but the tiny striped gourds that follow the blooms are the real show. It also makes a fun addition to a kids' garden or a fall harvest display.

Landscape Use of Tennessee Spinning Gourd

Train the vines up a sturdy trellis or fence to save space and grow cleaner, better-shaped gourds that stay off the damp soil. If left to sprawl, the vines will ramble across the ground and can serve as temporary ground cover, so give them plenty of room and keep them away from smaller plants. Plant them along the back of a garden bed, beside a porch or fence line, or at the edge of a pumpkin patch for a mix of color and texture.

About Tennessee Spinning Gourd Garden Seeds

Tennessee Spinning gourds are grown for ornament, not for eating, and we do not recommend them for culinary use. The plant produces dozens of green-and-white striped, bottle-shaped gourds, usually 2 to 3 inches long, that dry to a hard tan shell.

Leave the gourds on the vine until the stems turn brown and the vines die back. Harvest with a short piece of stem attached, then dry them in a warm, airy place for several months, until the shells are light tan and the seeds rattle inside. Once dry, you can paint them, use them in crafts and jewelry projects, or display them in fall displays. To spin one, hold the neck between your thumb and middle finger and snap it. Wear gloves and a dust mask when cleaning out dried gourds, as the dried pulp can irritate skin and airways.

This gourd is said to have come from Primm Springs in Hickman County, Tennessee, where children carried them to school and spun them like tops on their desks. Also called Spinning Gourd, Dancing Gourd, Spinning Top Gourd, and Tennessee Dancing Gourd. Plants cross with other Cucurbita pepo types, including summer squash and pumpkins, so if you plan to save seed, isolate them by about 0.5 mile.

Tips From Our Gardeners

"Gourds that hang from a trellis grow straighter, dry more evenly, and are far less likely to rot than gourds sitting on damp soil. If you grow them on the ground, set each gourd on a bed of straw."

- Jerry Sawyer, True Leaf Market Writer

Tennessee Spinning Gourd Seeds Per Package:

• 1 g Packet - Approximately 28 Seeds
• 1 oz - Bulk - Approximately 800 Seeds
• 4 oz - Bulk - Approximately 3,200 Seeds
• 1 lb - Wholesale - Approximately 12,800 Seeds

Non-GMO Tennessee Spinning gourd seeds are available for Fast Free Shipping on qualifying orders.