Weeds may be controlled with mulches or by hand cultivation. Mulches have the advantage of conserving soil moisture and keeping fruit clean. Hand cultivation should be done with care since gourds have shallow roots and injury can result with deep cultivation. Pollination Gardeners become concerned when gourd plants blossom, but do not set fruit. Gourds produce separate male and female flowers.
Male flowers serve as the pollinator and female flowers bear fruit.
The female flower can be distinguished by the presence of the immature fruit at its base. Several male flowers are produced before any female flowers, and it is these male flowers that drop without setting fruit. In time, both male and female flowers are produced and the first fruit is set. There are several serious pests of gourds. Insect pests include the squash bug, squash vine borer, cucumber beetle and aphids.