Prepare the soil by digging in some rotted compost or manure and mounding it slightly. Put six plants in each mound and space the mounds about ten feet apart. If planting along a fence, space the plants about a foot apart. The seeds can also be planted directly into the soil. The large gourds need the longest time to maturity.
Large gourds have few pests.
As long as the vines are well watered you should get a nice crop. If you are growing the small ornamental gourds, start looking for them after a few months. If you see spotted beetles or if your vines start wilting you might have a problem, so be alert. They can be harvested as they color up and get hard. The giant gourds should be left on the vines until after a hard frost.