Hi!
The Purple Martin gourds, or any hard shell birdhouse gourd, requires a season of at least 100 days on average. The longer the season, the better. I am in zone 5b, in Central NY, & have to start my seeds inside around April 1st to get any kind of decent crop. Gourds can be difficult to germinate, so snip off one of their ears, & soak them for 24 hours before planting, whether starting inside or direst sowing out side. They require full sun, all day long if possible. The vines are 30', so you will need to trellis them if you don't have a big plot. The photo I posted shows how I grow some of mine. I also have more arbors & 2 patches. Hope this helps.
All the best....
Anna
