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Apple Large Gourd Seeds

Scientific name Lagenaria siceraria

About this variety

Apple Large grows hefty, apple-shaped gourds with mottled green skin and a broad, rounded body. Fruits commonly reach about seven inches tall and six to eight inches wide, making bold autumn decorations and generous surfaces for painting. Give the vines plenty of room and a long, warm season to harden their shells. Once thoroughly cured, these gourds become...

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Alliance of Native Seedkeepers  |  SKU: GD12
$200 USD

At a glance

The facts most gardeners need first

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15 minimum seeds per packet
Germination time

5-13 days at 75-85 F seed-zone soil temperature

  • Germination
    5-13 daysa seed-zone soil temperature of 75-85 F
  • Sun
    Full sun
  • Support and spacing
    Trellis recommended · space 36 in · rows 72 in
  • Growth habit
    Vining or climbing · Annual
  • Planting season
    Late Spring · blooms Summer · Tender
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Triple-tested seed qualityRegular quality and germination checks support every packet.

We regularly test seed quality and germination as lots move through storage and packing. We stand behind the seed we send and want customers to contact us when a packet does not perform as reasonably expected.

1-year seed warrantyCoverage begins on the date of purchase.

When properly stored, planted, and cared for, we guarantee reasonable germination and true-to-type growth for one year from the date of purchase. Conditions outside our control—including extreme weather, pests, unsuitable storage, and gardener error—are excluded. Contact us when something is not right so we can review the situation and work toward a replacement, refund, or another fair resolution.

Non-GMO / BE seed policyWe do not buy or sell genetically engineered or bioengineered seed.

Every seed variety we sell is non-GMO.

USDA’s National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard defines bioengineered foods as containing detectable genetic material modified through in vitro recombinant DNA methods in ways not achievable through conventional breeding or found in nature.

  • Hybrid means parent lines were conventionally crossed; hybrid does not mean GMO.
  • Heirloom and open-pollinated describe how a variety is maintained and reproduced.
  • Organic certification is separate and is shown only when verified for the individual product.

Read how we define heirloom, hybrid, and GMO/BE seed · USDA BE Standard

Packed in Colerain, North CarolinaPrepared in our seed room for gardens across the country.

Seeds are packed and shipped from Colerain, North Carolina. Our packets use forestry-certified paper, and we use recyclable paper mailers where appropriate. AONSK is also a 1% for the Planet partner while continuing to reduce waste in packing and fulfillment.

Garden tools

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Use the garden-fit planner and soil calculator to turn the recorded growing facts into a practical plan.

Open garden tools Uses this product’s recorded growing information. Local weather and garden conditions may vary.

Variety field guide

What to expect from Apple Large Gourd Seeds

Apple Large grows hefty, apple-shaped gourds with mottled green skin and a broad, rounded body.

Read the complete product descriptionTraits, flavor, garden use, variety notes, and the full catalog record

Apple Large grows hefty, apple-shaped gourds with mottled green skin and a broad, rounded body. Fruits commonly reach about seven inches tall and six to eight inches wide, making bold autumn decorations and generous surfaces for painting. Give the vines plenty of room and a long, warm season to harden their shells. Once thoroughly cured, these gourds become lasting craft materials, connecting a summer garden with projects that continue long after harvest.

Grow an autumn harvest for lasting handmade projects.

Growing facts

  • Botanical name: Lagenaria siceraria
  • Maturity or display: About 110 days to mature gourds; curing takes longer
  • Mature size: Fruit about 7 in tall and 6-8 in wide; vigorous spreading vines
  • Spacing: 36 in between plants; rows 72 in

About the variety

Apple Large belongs to the hard-shelled bottle-gourd species, grown for generations as containers, utensils and craft materials. Its apple-like form gives a familiar shape to this old tradition of turning a garden harvest into useful objects.

Starting seed

Sow 1 in. deep after frost in soil at least 70 F. Sprouts in 5-13 days. Space 36 in.; rows 72 in. Use full sun, steady moisture and a sturdy trellis or room to spread.

Care through the season

Provide fertile, well-drained soil and water deeply during dry spells. Install supports before vines become large. Mulch to limit weeds and fruit contact with wet soil. Remove protective row covers when flowers open so pollinators can reach them.

Harvest and use

Cut mature, hard-rinded fruit with a short stem attached. Cure with good airflow for several months, until light and seeds rattle. For crafts, not eating.

Saving seed

Gourds cross with other varieties of the same species. Isolate flowering Lagenaria siceraria varieties or use controlled hand pollination to preserve the form. Keep fully mature fruit from several healthy plants, extract the mature seed, and dry it thoroughly before cool, dry storage.

Common problems

Watch seedlings for cucumber beetles and inspect vines for aphids and leaf diseases. Water at soil level and maintain airflow. Poor fruit set may reflect cool weather or inadequate pollination. Discard any gourds that soften or rot during curing.

Frequently asked questions

When should I harvest?

Cut mature, hard-rinded fruit with a short stem attached. Cure with good airflow for several months, until light and seeds rattle. For crafts, not eating.

Can I save seed?

Gourds cross with other varieties of the same species. Isolate flowering Lagenaria siceraria varieties or use controlled hand pollination to preserve the form. Keep fully mature fruit from several healthy plants, extract the mature seed, and dry it thoroughly before cool, dry storage.

How much space is needed?

36 in between plants; rows 72 in. Provide fertile, well-drained soil and water deeply during dry spells. Install supports before vines become large. Mulch to limit weeds and fruit contact with wet soil. Remove protective row covers when flowers open so pollinators can reach them.

Garden toolsOpen the garden-fit planner, planting-window questions, or soil calculator only when useful

Uses this product’s recorded growing information. Local weather, soil, and garden conditions may vary.

Garden-fit planning for this variety

Will Apple Large Gourd Seeds fit your garden?

Check vine space, warmth, pollination, water, support, and harvest use. Start with the essentials, then open only the detail groups that matter to you.

Rules-based · no AI · optional answers

Add an optional ZIP code and planting date for a broad frost-window check.Use local forecasts and measured soil temperature for final planting decisions.
1Essential fitTiming, light, and space
2Temperature and exposureOptional microclimate detail
3Soil, drainage, and waterRoot-zone readiness
4Questions for this vining crop seedCrop-specific decisions
5Seed-starting fit and patienceMatch the propagation work
Soil test, pH, drainage, and amendment calculator Have a laboratory soil report? Enter pH, nutrients, texture, bed size, and site observations here. Open soil tools
Recorded soil typeLoamy
Recorded pH range6.0–6.5
Water needsHigh
LightFull sun

Laboratory report interpreter

Soil readiness for Apple Large Gourd Seeds

Lagenaria siceraria

Enter only the values your report provides. The result compares them with this crop’s recorded needs and keeps laboratory recommendations authoritative.

Core report valuesStart here
Advanced laboratory valuesOptional method-aware detail

Full growing record

Complete growing and seedkeeping record

Starting and plantingSeed preparation, sowing, germination, transplanting, spacing, and early establishment
Sow 1 in. deep after frost in soil at least 70 F. Sprouts in 5-13 days. Space 36 in.; rows 72 in. Use full sun, steady moisture and a sturdy trellis or room to spread.

Provide fertile, well-drained soil and water deeply during dry spells. Install supports before vines become large. Mulch to limit weeds and fruit contact with wet soil. Remove protective row covers when flowers open so pollinators can reach them.
Season-long growing guideWater, fertility, support, weather response, pollination, containers, and care through maturity
Sow 1 in. deep after frost in soil at least 70 F. Sprouts in 5-13 days. Space 36 in.; rows 72 in. Use full sun, steady moisture and a sturdy trellis or room to spread.
Harvest, storage, and usesRecognizing maturity, harvesting cleanly, handling and storage, kitchen uses, and garden roles

Harvest and storage

Cut mature, hard-rinded fruit with a short stem attached. Cure with good airflow for several months, until light and seeds rattle. For crafts, not eating.

Gourds cross with other varieties of the same species. Isolate flowering Lagenaria siceraria varieties or use controlled hand pollination to preserve the form. Keep fully mature fruit from several healthy plants, extract the mature seed, and dry it thoroughly before cool, dry storage.

Uses and garden roles

Apple Large grows hefty, apple-shaped gourds with mottled green skin and a broad, rounded body. Fruits commonly reach about seven inches tall and six to eight inches wide, making bold autumn decorations and generous surfaces for painting. Give the vines plenty of room and a long, warm season to harden their shells. Once thoroughly cured, these gourds become lasting craft materials, connecting a summer garden with projects that continue long after harvest.

Cut mature, hard-rinded fruit with a short stem attached. Cure with good airflow for several months, until light and seeds rattle. For crafts, not eating.
Seed savingSelection, pollination, isolation, full maturity, cleaning, drying, labeling, and storage
Gourds cross with other varieties of the same species. Isolate flowering Lagenaria siceraria varieties or use controlled hand pollination to preserve the form. Keep fully mature fruit from several healthy plants, extract the mature seed, and dry it thoroughly before cool, dry storage.
Pests, diseases, and troubleshootingPrevention, diagnosis, environmental disorders, common damage, and first-response checks
Watch seedlings for cucumber beetles and inspect vines for aphids and leaf diseases. Water at soil level and maintain airflow. Poor fruit set may reflect cool weather or inadequate pollination. Discard any gourds that soften or rot during curing.
Frequently asked questionsDecision-focused answers that supplement the detailed guides above
When should I harvest?
Cut mature, hard-rinded fruit with a short stem attached. Cure with good airflow for several months, until light and seeds rattle. For crafts, not eating.

Can I save seed?
Gourds cross with other varieties of the same species. Isolate flowering Lagenaria siceraria varieties or use controlled hand pollination to preserve the form. Keep fully mature fruit from several healthy plants, extract the mature seed, and dry it thoroughly before cool, dry storage.

How much space is needed?
36 in between plants; rows 72 in. Provide fertile, well-drained soil and water deeply during dry spells. Install supports before vines become large. Mulch to limit weeds and fruit contact with wet soil. Remove protective row covers when flowers open so pollinators can reach them.
History and provenanceBotanical identity, cultivar history, regional or cultural context, uncertainty, and source records

Scientific name: Lagenaria siceraria

Apple Large belongs to the hard-shelled bottle-gourd species, grown for generations as containers, utensils and craft materials. Its apple-like form gives a familiar shape to this old tradition of turning a garden harvest into useful objects.

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