A vegetable, also known as a gourd, belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family and grows on vines. It is widely consumed in India. However, there are several types of gourds found in India that are consumed on a daily diet and is known to be super healthy. Here is a story of an Urban Gardener who shared how he grows different varieties of organic gourds at home, and some important things to keep in mind.
Milan Kumar, a retired public sector executive from Dehradun, describes himself as a “urban gardener.” His adventure began about ten years ago, when he retired at the age of 58.
“Our Dehradun home has a large terrace, which I converted into a lush garden with vegetables, fruits, flowers, and other plants. I wanted to eat fresh and healthy food, and I worked hard to achieve that over the years,” he says.
Milan grows seasonal vegetables in this garden, as well as tomatoes, okra, brinjal, chillies, mint leaves, spinach, and coriander. He also grows jasmine, rose, orchids, and marigolds, as well as bonsai fruit trees such as papaya, mango, and orange.
The showstopper: Gourds
Gourds are one of the vegetables he grows. “They thrive in almost all climate zones, but thrive the most in hot climates.” Fruit production takes a long time during other seasons. The entire duration is approximately 180 days, beginning with seed planting and ending with harvest. This is due to the lengthy germination process of the vegetable,” explains the gardener.
The varieties he grows include ash gourd, ivy gourd, bitter gourd, bottle gourd, sponge gourd and round gourd. He says it is important to eat these vegetables during the summer, because they hydrate the body and provide necessary nutrients.
Milan shares his step-by-step guide to growing gourds at home:
• Selecting the right spot for growing gourds is an important step. Ideally, you should pick a wide vacant space near a wall or pillar.
• Unlike plants that can be easily planted in a pot, gourds are climbers and need trellises to grow.
• A trellis can be built using tight ropes. Grills around the garden can also work.
• While you can grow gourds on pots or the ground, the harvest and shape of the final produce can’t be guaranteed.
• Collect organic gourd seeds from nearby farmers or garden nurseries. You can even use the seeds of a healthy gourd by letting them dry for a few days.
• It is better to scratch the seeds using sandpaper as they have a hard outer shell that can make the germination process longer. Also, try soaking them in water for 24
hours before sowing. Make sure they are dry before planting, as they may not otherwise.
• Plant the seeds in a grow bag or pot filled with soil (preferably moist and not sandy), cow dung/compost, and any other organic fertilisers of your choice. Not more than two seeds are required in a pot.
• Once the plants sprout and reach a height where they can’t stand still, lightly tie or place them towards the rope of trellis arranged near the pot. Remember that the climbers will take a lot of space above the surface and make necessary arrangements for it.
• Even though they are summer plants, they need to be watered daily and moisture level of the soil has to be ensured. Otherwise, they might dry up easily.
• Add compost soil or fertiliser every two weeks.
• Look closely for pest/worm attack as gourds are prone to those.
• Use diluted neem oil as an effective pesticide.
• The climbers will give fruits within three months. This will last to a period of an additional three months, where you will ideally get fruits on a daily basis.
• The same trellis can be used for the next batch of gourd cultivation.
• Save a few seeds from the earlier batch for a fresh set.
• One trellis can be used to grow multiple gourds.
Health benefits of gourds
1. Water content in gourds can help reduce stress and hydrate the body.
2. Daily intake can ensure a healthy heart.
3. Most nutritionists and dieticians suggest the intake of certain gourd juices to increase protein level and aid weight loss.
4. Gourds are an excellent choice for better digestion.
5. Gourds can be had on a daily basis to get a glowing skin. They moisturise and remove unwanted toxicities from the skin.
