Certain Time of The Year

It being that time of the year, the usual post is not here. Huzzah! It being Christmas, I was going to take a Christmas related photograph for a certain other blog. Loveliest part, I have yet to mention the fact I have been doing the 365 Project on this blog for the last two months since I have started. This certainly goes to show that I can be lazy.

Problem is, I didn’t take a photo of anything Christmas related for the 365 Project, but rather of a gourd. Why a gourd? I told myself, “I’ll take a photo of this gourd, so at least I have taken a photo for the 365 Project.” Good thing, as I got lazy with taking a Christmas themed photo.

With the gourd I photographed, a day or two ago I decided to shake the gourds I have which are of process of drying. One made a rattling sound; one gourd has finished drying and just before Christmas. It still needs a cleaning, yes. When it will be cleaned, have the top of it cut off and its innards taken out I am not sure. Regardless of what happened to this gourd, I’ll probably simply turn to referring it as “The Christmas Gourd”. Will it serve as a reminder to not be lazy? Possibly, it’s certainly not unlikely.

As for how Christmas has been, it has been a simple day yet nice in its own way, with it coming to a close in Australia I happen to live in the area where it has begun raining within the last hour. The storm shall bring plenty of rain and loud thunder, but it is better to get rain over a overly hot day.

Growing Bottle Gourds

Bottle gourds are a plant of many names, but go by the botanical name of Lagenaria siceraria. It is an easy to grow annual vine which does well in warm climates. The seeds of this plant should be grown during the early spring, with plenty of space and something to grow on such as a fence or a structure with wire.
 

Watering of this plant will need to be daily. Gourds will develop large leaves and white flowers, coming in both male and female form. The flowers typically open at night and is pollinated by insects at that time, but if no insects are around it is possible to pollinate the female flowers to allow fruiting to begin. The male flowers have long peduncles while females have short ones. 　

Flowering itself typically starts after 60-70 days and fruiting takes up to 100-180 days. If eating of the fruit is wanted, it needs to be done while the gourds are green, before they stop growing and turn white. The gourds will eventually gain mould after turning white, which is where the drying process begins. The plant will eventually have all its leaves also die, but its vines and stems stay intact allowing gourds to dry naturally.
　
Gourds need to be in a well ventilated area when drying, preferably outdoors still attached to the plant for higher chance of success when drying. Drying is completed upon when a rattling noise is heard when the gourd is given a shake.
When cutting the dried gourd open, it will be messy and it suggested to be done outside to avoid making a mess indoors. Upon opening the gourd, seeds will be what’s left along with dust.
　
Disease and pests aren’t much of a problem. Plant lice, red pumpkin beetle and caterpillars can be annoying pests, but can easily be dealt with.

Seeds, Spring and Jade

 

Today I have been lucky enough to get some seeds of giant bottle gourd, got ten seeds for the price of five. All seeds have been planted into individual pots, though small, and fed fertilizer; I have much hope for such a plant to grow well. I have also been preparing soil with mulch for when I plant gourd seedlings.

I have also been trying to raise a jade plant from a cutting and all seems well for my first try at growing such a plant. Amusingly, I have noticed quite a few jade plants in my local area once I kept a keen eye for jade plants.

All other plants I have been growing are well and I am to soon plant some chilli seeds I have been waiting until the latest of the four seasons to plant. It is the start of spring to which many flowers have popped up already and hopefully I will also plant some flower seeds, too, to bring some extra colour around the house.

I have to say, I am glad it is warming up. Even though there was much needed rain that came and I even got to enjoy walking through it a number of times, I cannot wait to see the hot days of summer. The Royal Melbourne Show is coming up very soon to which I cannot deny that I am hyped about. Truly, I am a content person.

Bottle Gourds

The calabash, or bottle gourd, is one plant that is considered quite lucky and has had much appreciation from the Chinese. It has a hard shell which can be used as a bottle and traditionally used to carry medicine, wine, water and elixirs. Not only was the gourds shell used to carry medicine but the plant has been used as medicine itself, and from what I have heard, makes a good eating.


Gourds is popular as use as a charm for warding off evil spirits and disease thanks to its Chinese name, hulu, which the character hu in itself means ‘protect’ or ‘guard’, but not only that but also ‘blessing’. Also, hu sounds like fu to which fu means ‘good fortune’ or ‘happiness’.

The legendary Sun Wukong himself once got word that demon were on their way to capture him with their magic gourd, so he disguises himself as an immortal before meeting them. These demons were unaware that this immortal was really Sun Wukong and these demons showed off their magic gourd to which Sun Wukong himself shows an ordinary gourd to these demons but claims it can hold the entire universe within it. These demons on hearing such a claim wanted to trade their gourd for this apparent universe containing one but on the condition that it is proved that it can be done. Sun Wukong, under permission from spirits, blocks out the light of the sun, moon and stars for a single hour and is able to trick these demons into thinking that the disguised Sun Wukong has bottled up the Heaven’s, thus being able to get a magic gourd for an ordinary one. This little story about Sun Wukong and these demons also is a good story to tell about how easily people can be fooled.

Gourds are also associated with old age and charms. Interestingly enough, old men many, many years back would frequently be seen carrying gourds on their backs. One old god known as Shou, also known as the Star of Longevity, is often seen carrying a Peach of Immortality and a staff of peach wood. Shou also carries a gourd himself to which people have disagreements on what is actually in it. Some say water, others nectar, I also have heard a couple claims of Shou carrying an elixir within his gourd.

The bottle gourd itself has many tales surrounding it within China and it is also a symbol of Heaven and Earth or the universe. It is also amusing as bottle gourds tend to be in the shape of the number eight, which is considered a highly lucky number in China.