Bottle Gourd Marenka

What Bottle Gourd Marenka is

Bottle Gourd Marenka (Lagenaria siceraria) is an annual vegetable of the Gourd family (Cucurbitaceae). An ornamental dark green calabash. The strongly climbing variety forms beautiful gourds.

A minimum space of 2-3 square metres is required. You can expect about 4-5 fruits per plant, which are relatively large.

When fully ripe it is ideal for drying.

The bottle gourd (calabash) is a fast-growing climbing squash with ornamental fruits that, once dried, are made into containers, bird feeders and souvenirs. Young fruits are edible.

Key features

• Measured germination rate of the batch: 85%
• Seeds per packet: 13–18 pcs (2 g)
• Seed origin: China
• Sowing: April; seedlings
• Harvest: October
• Position: sunny spot

When to sow Bottle Gourd Marenka

Bottle Gourd Marenka seeds are sown in April. Harvest takes place in October. The months are a guide for a temperate climate — in warmer areas sow 1–2 weeks earlier, in cooler or upland areas, later.

How to sow and grow Bottle Gourd Marenka

• Sowing method: seedlings
• Depth: 2–3 cm
• Spacing: 1–1.5 m, with support
• Germination: 7–14 days at 25 °C
• Position: sunny spot

Sow in warmth (20 to 25°C), 2-3 seeds per pot in early April. Keep 1 plant per pot. plant out after frosts outdoors. Add an organic supplement such as manure to your soil from February to enrich it. Water regularly, especially in summer.

Soak the seeds for 24 hours before sowing. Plant next to a fence, pergola or trellis in a sunny position; water generously.

Harvest and use

To dry, leave the fruits on the plant until the stalk turns yellow, then dry them in a ventilated place for 2–3 months.

Frequently asked questions

When should Bottle Gourd Marenka be sown?

The recommended sowing month is April. Sowing method: seedlings.

How many seeds are in the packet?

The packet contains 13–18 seeds, pack size 2 g.

What is the germination rate of the seeds?

The measured germination rate of this batch is 85%. The test was carried out under controlled laboratory conditions; in the field, emergence depends on soil, temperature and moisture.

How is a gourd dried?

Pick fully ripe fruits, wash them and leave them in a dry, ventilated place. They are ready when they are light and the seeds rattle inside.