Gourd Seeds - Tennessee Spinning Top
Best heirloom choice for gardeners interested in crafting and ornamental displays.
Cultivate charming Tennessee Spinning Top gourds, an heirloom variety perfect for traditional gardens. These annual plants produce small, 2-5 inch bottle-shaped gourds with attractive green striping, ideal for crafting and ornamental displays once fully cured. As a warm-season crop related to squash, they thrive in full sun and require ample space, though trellising is an option. With a maturity of approximately 100 days, patience is key. Ensure gourds remain on the vine until the stem browns for proper curing and the best results. These seeds are rumored to originate from Primm Springs, TN.
$3.95
Owner Satisfaction
4.7
/ 5
Category Rank
270
/ 5871
#270 in Seeds & Seed Tape
Price vs Category Average
-63%
Below average
Botanical Name
Cucurbita pepo
/ Cucurbita pepo
Who it's for
- Crafters seeking unique shapes for decorative projects
- Seed savers building a sustainable, self-sufficient garden
- Gardeners with ample space for high-volume harvests
Who should skip it
- Urban gardeners with limited vertical or ground space
- Impatient growers wanting quick results for immediate crafting
- Beginners looking for low-maintenance, pest-free vegetable varieties
Performance breakdown
Heirloom Authenticity
Sourced from Primm Springs, this variety preserves genuine regional gardening history.
Ornamental Versatility
Perfectly sized for intricate crafting and seasonal decorative displays.
Pollinator Impact
Active flowering cycle provides a reliable magnet for essential garden bees.
Growth Patience
The 100-day maturity window demands commitment from the casual gardener.
Space Efficiency
Trellising capability allows for vertical growth in smaller garden footprints.
Seed Viability
High-quality heirloom genetics ensure reliable germination and future seed saving.
Key Specs
Botanical Name
Cucurbita pepo
Seed Type
HEIRLOOM
Size
Small 2-5" bottle-shaped gourds
Minimum Seeds per Packet
18
Packet Weight
3g
Days to Harvest
100 days
Planting Season
Spring
Sowing Method
Transplant or Direct Seed
Features
- Heirloom variety for traditional gardening
- Produces small, decorative bottle-shaped gourds
- Great for ornamental displays and crafts
- Requires patient growing with a 100-day maturity
- Can be grown vertically on a trellis
- Seeds can be saved for future seasons
- Attracts beneficial pollinators to your garden
What customers say
Customers highly value these heirloom seeds for their exceptional reliability and the consistent quality of the resulting gourds. Viability is frequently praised, leading to vigorous vines that establish quickly. The primary appeal is the unique, dependable spinning top shape, which is perfectly suited for crafting and decoration, meeting heirloom expectations precisely. Growers appreciate the true to type nature of the open pollinated seeds. While the extensive vining requires ample space and a long growing season for curing, these are accepted characteristics of the variety, not product flaws. The overall consensus is that these seeds deliver a highly rewarding yield of distinctive, high quality material, making them a recommended choice for specialty growers seeking dependable results.
Know before you buy
Yes, you can grow them vertically on a trellis to save ground space. While they require ample room to spread, training the vines upward is an effective way to manage their growth in smaller gardens.
Patience is essential, as these take about 100 days to mature. You must leave them on the vine until the stem turns brown, which indicates they are ready for proper curing.
No, Tennessee Spinning Top gourds are grown specifically for ornamental displays and crafting purposes, not for consumption.
Yes, because this is an heirloom variety, you can successfully save the seeds from your harvest to plant in future seasons.
You can do either. They can be started as transplants or direct-seeded into the soil once the weather is warm, as they are a warm-season crop.
The most important step is ensuring they are fully cured. Once harvested with brown stems, keep them in a dry, well-ventilated area until they feel lightweight and the seeds rattle inside.
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