Are Gourds self fertile?

[CapnChkn]

I bought a packet of seed from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange for the Bradshaw's Ornamental Martin Gourd (Lagenaria siceraria). That was two years ago. I planted half the seed last season, had plants that grew 15 feet up and back down a trellis, put out blooms in profusion, and otherwise were magnificent, but didn't produce but one little gourd that simply rotted.

I figured I either didn't get pollinators, or they weren't growing for long enough to get the gourds up and going, though I notice a lot of the babies aborted. So I've started what's left in the packet only to have 1 out of 10 seeds sprout. The seed exchange is sold out, and I'm stuck. Will this plant be able to set seed from self pollination?

[Worth1]

Yes it will, your problem is lack of pollinators.

[Wi-sunflower]

And/or the wrong temps when they were blooming.

I normally grow at least 15 varieties of winter squash with no issues. But several years ago I tried a new-to-me variety with no success at all. I had planted about 20 seeds in an isolated location so I could save the seeds. The plants got big and wild but it was a hot summer and none of the baby squash set. There were pollinators there as 2 other species grown next to this 1 set fine. Then around Labor Day when it cooled down a bit, the squash set. But of course by that time it was way too late for them to mature. My conclusion was that variety just didn't like the really hot weather.

Carol

[CapnChkn]

I planted the vines in May from newspaper pots, so I was plenty certain I had the time, but never saw anything. I'm in the middle of the suburbs now, and in a town where they spray for mosquitoes, I am wondering if there's not a campaign from the city, or from some overzealous neighbor.

I will hand pollinate.

[imp]

Most cities, if you either call the department or write them, will skip your place for spraying. I have to do this due to allergies and my asthma, which the spray can really aggravate. Might want to try that as well.

[CapnChkn]

Yep! Thank you, I'm a beekeeper, and since I'm registered with the state, they send me a letter every year telling me I'm on a list where they'll not spray 100 yards before and behind the location of my hives. That's right in the middle of the garden.

The problem here, I find, is the people around me are producing pests on a level I've never had the experience. The Small Hive Beetle, or SHB (Aethina tumida), is a pest of Honeybees, introduced in the middle 90's. When I was on the farm, I would open a hive and see maybe 20 or more beetles running for cover. Now here in the city, I open a hive and find 100 or more.

I planted Stowell's evergreen sweet corn 3 times one summer, the army worms ate it down to the ground. Dipel, Thuracide, and Deadbug just slowed them down. I watched the wasps hunting them until they were glutted.

I came out to find my next door neighbor's son or something with a machine on his back. He was spraying stuff all over the yard, standing 10 FEET FROM MY HIVE WITH BEES FLYING IN AND OUT! I shouted until he turned the thing off, and said, "Don't spray in this direction! I have bees here." He looked, and said, "I didn't even know they were there!"

Since the main pollinator for the gourds would be Sphinx moths, the ones that look like hummingbirds, they would be flying all over the area. I can't imagine what may have happened for my gourds, either I planted out of the time frame for their feeding on my flowers, or there was simply no population to pollinate them.

[tarpalsfan]

I grow gourds. Lagenaria Siceraria (I can't spell it) Anyway, the hard shelled gourds are not self fertile. They are night blooming, visited by moths, and other night critters. Good luck with your gourd growing! They are a lot of fun

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by tarpalsfan

I grow gourds. Lagenaria Siceraria (I can't spell it) Anyway, the hard shelled gourds are not self fertile. They are night blooming, visited by moths, and other night critters. Good luck with your gourd growing! They are a lot of fun

I think what they mean by self fertile is if the plant can fertilize itself like most peach trees can.
But still need some sort of animal pollinator, or the wind such as in pecan trees that aren't self fertile.

[CapnChkn]

Yes, what I mean is are the plants capable of pollinating themselves. Tarpalsfan, I am guessing you are thinking I'm asking if they're self pollinating.

Yeah, I know they have different flowers, it's just the seeds I bought and saved are not sprouting, just one. If that's the only plant I can get hold of, I will have to use it's male flowers to pollinate the females.

I asked at Southern Exposure, and they seem to be having the same problem. "I think what we'll probably be able to do is to offer seed with lower germination and put extra seed in the packets to make up for the lower germination."

I still have the rest of the seed on the heat. It's been long enough the first has produced it's first true leaf, and no mold, or roots from the rest of it's siblings.

[tarpalsfan]

Originally Posted by Worth1

I think what they mean by self fertile is if the plant can fertilize itself like most peach trees can.
But still need some sort of animal pollinator, or the wind such as in pecan trees that aren't self fertile.

Oops, I misread.