Jim Story Award: SINGLE Manipulated Gourds
ENTRY #1
Growing & Manipulation Techniques. I started with a rope tied around the ball then wrapped around the handle of the young dipper. Once the gourd started to grow around the rope, I untied it from the ball and tied that end of the rope to the arbor, moving it up each day till the gourd was almost a circle. To protect the ball i tied a cloth around the ball and tied it to the arbor ending with it tied back around the stem. To prevent the circle sagging in the middle I had to tie cloth around the sides and tie that out to the sides of the arbor.
Challenges. Gravity is always trying to stretch the gourd towards the ground. This was great while I was bringing the ball to the stem but soon after that the circle started to turn into an oval. Once I tied the sides out I still had to watch and adjust as long as the gourd was still growing.
I ended up with the ball cover hiding the stem so I couldn't see when the gourd was ready to harvest. Unfortunately it began to cure while still in the arbor so even though I green cleaned as soon as I harvested, the ball has mold blotches.
Challenges. Gravity is always trying to stretch the gourd towards the ground. This was great while I was bringing the ball to the stem but soon after that the circle started to turn into an oval. Once I tied the sides out I still had to watch and adjust as long as the gourd was still growing.
I ended up with the ball cover hiding the stem so I couldn't see when the gourd was ready to harvest. Unfortunately it began to cure while still in the arbor so even though I green cleaned as soon as I harvested, the ball has mold blotches.
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Entry #1
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