Can you eat gourds in your garden?

Question

I bought gourds for decoration last year. Afterwards cracked them open and put them in my garden. Now I have beautiful gourds. Can I eat them??

Answer 1

It all depends. Some are edible. The so called "dish rag gourd" or Loofah is delicious in soups, stews and stir fry if harvested when young. It's only when it gets too old for eating that it makes a good sponge.

Answer 2

No..most gourds are not edible.  They are grown for their decorative properties. If you want decorative and edible, do what I did this year and grow ornamental popcorn...really looking forward to that!

Answer 3

Yes you can eat gourds in your garden, however, I prefer to eat them inside my home, preferably in the dining room or dinette area. The last time I ate gourds in the garden I got stung by a bee. Also you may want to identify the variety of gourds you have to determine edibility.