Randy's Garden in Columbus Indiana

It was a lot of fun donating the tree. (I really do miss it also.)

I wanted to get a shade tree closer to my “west” facing house. So I have to re-do the front yard and plant the new tree just a little closer (50-60 feet). Now it gives me a new spot to place another garden. Probably includes a flag pole, bird bath or two…lots of flowers, maybe some roses. I was thinking Japanese Maples….maybe a couple different varieties(?).

Thanks!!!

-- One generation plants the trees; another gets the shade; Chinese Proverb - Zone 5B

I’m enjoying. I’m enjoying!!
I can’t believe you donated that gorgeous tree! What a “hole” (empty space) must be in your yard now.. wow.

Are the gourds easy to grow?

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a) http://www.execulink.com/~yohan

Debbie that empty space is about 25 feet across…I plan on about a 12 inch raised garden for the above mentioned items in this empty space. I have two more huge Blue Spruce in my front yard! All planted the same day in 1982. The first month we moved into the house. These trees were 99 cent trees from McDonalds. It was Arbor Day week at McDonalds and an older lady, Mrs Sanders, whom lived across the street gave them to us, after she went to lunch with her son that day. Sort of a moving in present for us. The other two will stay. I put 1200 light bulbs and other items like garland and large ornaments on them this past Christmastime. (That is the total # of lights)

The City was gracious to mulch the tree and deliver part of it is to my side yard for future use.

With the gourds all you add is water and Sun. Lots of sun and lots of water. I hang them in the garage over winter and usually by Spring after they are scrubbed they are ready to paint. They grow in about any type of well drained soil. They will grow on trees, on fence on about anything. You might try the luffa sponge gourds, my wife used them to wash with. If you’d like to paint on them there are all types of these. You might check the growing season required on the ones you choose. Sometimes I grow them in large pots near the trees in the back yard and let them hand on the lower limbs. Personally I like the large black plastic pots (24” or so) that nurseries generally get their trees or large plants in. (I have a friend in the nursery business.)

One more thing….you’d want to use proper gear when cleaning or washing dried gourds. Something like your paper masks for sanding wood and plastic gloves, would probably do.

-- One generation plants the trees; another gets the shade; Chinese Proverb - Zone 5B

Love the pictures. And all of your stories! Particularly the ones about the gourds!!
I intend, again, to try to grow gourds this summer. Never had problems with the tiny one, but the other ones!!!

-- Eklectic, Follow my Bliss, South East Ontario 5a

What a lovely story about your tree, thank you for sharing.

-- Derbyshire------- English Countryside

and where do you find the seeds? Not sure that I’ve ever seen gourd seeds sold anywhere.

(that’s a great story about your beautiful little tree and he got to come back home after. Cool)

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a) http://www.execulink.com/~yohan

beautiful, just beautiful

makes me anxious for spring. I have a few gourds that I hollow out and hang in the trees for bird houses.

Nice pictures

-- Central northish Ontario

When I grow them on the chain link fence some little forgotten gourds get trapped in the mesh making for an interesting and odd shapped gourd…If I could just get them out!

I don’t have any trellises but I should either invest or make some. You have any designs?? Growing some on the tree last year nearly killed off the bottom branches.

Maybe we ought to start a gourd section on this wonderful website….(?). Just love them.

-- One generation plants the trees; another gets the shade; Chinese Proverb - Zone 5B

MsDebbieP,
I get some of my seeds at: http://www.carolinagourdsandseeds.com/index.htm

You can also cruse this website as well: http://www.americangourdsociety.org/join.html

Luckily it is in Indiana….!

-- One generation plants the trees; another gets the shade; Chinese Proverb - Zone 5B

I really like the idea of growing gourds on a fence or tree

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a) http://www.execulink.com/~yohan

Yep, it gives you a green privacy fence no painting required!

-- One generation plants the trees; another gets the shade; Chinese Proverb - Zone 5B

My in-laws have a few McDonalds trees in their yard, too. I’m usually not a McDonalds fan, but I love the idea of kids planting a tree every time they get a happy meal. We were saying we should take pictures of the trees, and the (grown) children who planted them, and see if McDonalds would bring the program back.

-- -Jerrica --Kansas City, MO --zone 5

now that is a great idea!!
Super promotional idea for them as well!

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a) http://www.execulink.com/~yohan

MsD.
Home Hardware sells the seeds for the smaller gourds. The seeds for the bigger ones, I find them in a nursery not far from here.
Try the OSC seed catalog or on the net:
www.oscseeds.com

-- Eklectic, Follow my Bliss, South East Ontario 5a

Home Hardware? Go figure. I’ll check it out

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a) http://www.execulink.com/~yohan

weeelll…I guess i should speak up…while I wasn’t born in Columbus, I grew up there. From about the age of one or two.

CNHS, class of ‘74. Just south of the North Christian Church over on Chestnut st.

No offense, but after having moved away to here and there, came back to Columbus, then IMMEDIATELY moved over to the bloomington area ( west of there) where I’ll not move again.

Also lumberjock as that is where I came here from.

I guess I’ll have to come up with something really nifty [in my soon to be maybe if i get around to it bloggy thing] and between the two of us we’ll show all these canucks what this area is all about. [i’m not harping on canadiens….I thought canada was really great the one time i was there….as a matter of fact it is one of three countries that i would move to if i ever decided i wanted a change of pace.]

-- arborial reconfiguration specialist......Zone out....(USA 5)