Pumpkins are easy to love. Whether carved into scary faces, baked into spicy holiday pies or adding brilliant shades of orange to fall decor, they’re probably autumn’s favorite fruit.

But, there is more to this family of plants — much more. Consider pumpkin’s cousin, the ornamental gourd.

Though not edible, most ornamental gourds are part of the Cucurbita family — along with pumpkins, squash and melons. They can be dried, then painted, polished, used in crafts or to create natural fall centerpieces that last for years. No pumpkin can do all that.

Mostly native to North America, ornamental gourds grow in a range of sizes, shapes and colors, some with smooth or shiny skin while others are bumpy and covered in warts.

They are sold fresh every fall in grocery stores and farmers’ markets and grow readily here in the Mahoning Valley.

Be prepared to plant seeds early, as some gourds can take 180 days to grow to maturity. Our average growing season is slightly shorter than that.

If you purchased a large ornamental gourd this fall or filled a basket with small ones, now is the time to consider the drying process if you’d like to preserve them for seasons to come.

Start by washing the gourds in warm, soapy water, dry them, then wipe thoroughly with a cloth dampened with a household disinfectant. This will destroy organisms that could result in fruit rot; discard any gourds that have soft spots or signs of decay.

Large gourds can be hung to dry from beams or rafters in a warm, well-ventilated space. They will change from green to tan as they dry.

Smaller gourds should be arranged in a single layer on clean newspapers, also in a warm, ventilated room, spaced apart and turned frequently.

Drying or curing will take four weeks or more for small gourds and three months or more for larger ones. You’ll know the gourds are sufficiently dried when the skin is hard and the seeds rattle inside.

Mold is a normal part of the drying process for larger gourds and can leave interesting patterns on the surface of the skin. It appears dry and flaky rather than mushy.

Once cured, ornamental gourds can be displayed as they are. Smaller gourds can be waxed, shellacked, or painted. Larger gourds can be smoothed and polished with steel wool or fine sandpaper. The smooth, hard surface can then be painted, stained or waxed.

Larger dried gourds can also be used for crafts, such as birdhouses, musical instruments and kids’ art projects.

If you’re thinking of growing ornamental gourds next spring, consider buying the seeds early and starting them indoors because they require a long growing season — 110 to 140 days.

Gourds can be grown on the ground or trained to grow on a trellis or fence.

To learn more, go to https://go.osu.edu/moregourds

Hixenbaugh is an Ohio State University Extension Master Gardener Volunteer in Mahoning County.