Unique 25kg 'giant' gourds in Can Tho, southern Vietnam

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Mr. Huynh Tai holding one giant gourd (Photo: Lao Dong)

Mr. Huynh Tai, 60, from Chau Van Liem ward, O Mon district, Can Tho city, is the owner of the 300-meter-square garden.

Talking about where he first got the seeds of the giant gourd, Tai told Lao Dong he accidentally found a dry gourd on the altar, thinking it was a normal species of gourds. He then took out the seeds and went sowed them in the garden. Not longer after germinated, the vegetable grew and started to bear fruits.

“As the gourds grew bigger and bigger, I could not believe in the 15-25-kilogram gourds. There were even one that weighed 30kg”, Tai recalled. Stricken with both surprise and excitement, he decided to sow another batch of the seeds taken from the newly-picked giant gourds.

There isn’t much difference in the way Tai takes care of these giant gourds compared to the common species. It’s just that he spends more time catching snails, and scare away birds and mice lest they’ll eat the gourds.

“I wanted to grow more of that huge gourd to give my friends and relatives”, he said, adding that he doesn’t grow the garden out of business purpose but to have more relaxation during free time.

It takes only three months to harvest this species of gourd and six months to have the fruit dried enough to make seeds. Tai also chooses some beautifully-shaped gourds to dry, paint and use as interior decorative items.

(Photo: Lao Dong)

Tai dries and paints some good-shaped gourds to display as interior decorative items (Photo: Lao Dong)

Mr. Tai's gourd garden is also home to a special species of bitter melon, whose fruits are nearly 2-meter long. Its seeds are, according to Tai, given by one of his friends. There are dozens of bitter melons that stretch for nearly 1m or even 2m in his garden.

“I’ve been growing these ‘long’ bitter melons for 2 months now. They are very adaptable and easy to take care of. The thing is, the fruit is very crunchy, delicious and offers a special taste that no other species can have”, he smiled.

The garden is kind of like a retailing place Mr. Tai head for whenever he feels stress or worry. “Doing the gardening, looking at the ‘unique’ fruits and the green vegetable are like a mood booster whenever I feel down”, he said.

Mr. Tai and the long bitter melon (Photo: Lao Dong)

The special species of bitter melon is crunchy and tasteful (Photo: Lao Dong)

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