What is the reason for the bitter taste in ridge gourd?
The most common reason for bitterness in gourds (if they are not supposed to be bitter) is stress to the plant. Too much heat, too little water or uneven watering are the most common reasons for this stress.
I am residing in Bangalore, India. I am growing creeper vegetable plants such as bottle gourd, ridge gourd, snake gourd, and double beans (Lima beans) in pots on the terrace. I have erected bamboo poles with ropes for the plant to spread. How should I make up the soil without any chemicals? What are the nitrogen fixing plants that can be planted? The size of the cement pots are 20 inches (length) by 20 inches (width) by 20 inches (height). I have used wood shavings in the bottom, and ground soil on top with vermi-compost. The pots have a good drainage system that I devised my self. The yield is not satisfactory.
For pots, what you should get is well rotted manure and that will help raise the nitrogen levels. With nitrogen fixing plants, you would need to leave them in the pots to decompose after they grew, and that would not be practical.
Avoid using green manures or nitrogen-rich fertilizers. Beans have a mutual exchange with soil microorganisms called nitrogen-fixing bacteria which produce the soil nitrogen beans require. If there is too much nitrogen, lima beans will produce green foliage but few beans.
Do you drink coffee? Just save your coffee grounds and sprinkle them around the top! It's a great way to give your plants a slow-release nitrogen boost! No need to work them into the soil...
If I plant two different type of gourds, say one of them is bird house and the other is a dipper gourd, will they come out as different gourds or will they be something thats looks altogether different?
When cross pollination occurs, it will affect the seeds of the cross pollinated plants, not the fruit. If the fruit from this year's plants will look normal, but if you plant their seeds, you may get something that is a cross between the two plants you have this year. Here is more information:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/cross-pollination.htm
Is there any way to control squash (also gourd and cuke) vines? Is there some type of barrier they can't grow through, around or over? Every year they overtake the whole garden. Also, how far away from gourds should they be to eliminate cross pollination?
If these vines are overtaking the garden, then you may want to consider growing the compact or bush varieties rather than the vining types. You could also grow cucumbers on a fence or trellis.
Here are some articles that you may find helpful: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/cucumber/planting-cucumber-fence.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/squash/can-squash-cross-pollinate-with-cucumbers.htm
Premature dropping of vegetable flowers after growth of 4-6 inch of bottle gourd plant. . . . Send me the solution to stop falling until its mature.
As with squash plants, this is typical behavior. They will produce mostly male (non-fruiting) blossoms early in the season (which normally fall off) and will gradually start to produce more female blossoms as the season progresses. Give it some time and you will see it start fruiting.
I read your excellent article about making gourd canteens. I am wondering how long would it last and how could I make it even more durable on the exterior and the interior to contain water. Would bees wax be enough to contain water for a month or two? And the exterior would need some type of coating? I would like to fashion my own canteens for excursions and expeditions.
Yes, that should work fine. As for the outside, a coating of polyurethane should be sufficient.
This year I was trying to grow some birdhouse gourds. I followed the directions to a T. I have very healthy vines, but as soon as the gourds are the size of a cherry tomato, they turn brown and fall off. What have I done wrong ? Thanks. I live in the Pittsburgh, Pa area.
This article should contain the answer you're looking for: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/squash/squash-fruit-falling-off-the-plant.htm