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Has anyone had any success in preserving gourds? I don't mean for consumption I mean as a display.OH wants a display of some of the small gourds we have grown this year. I have been told to varnish them but am unsure if this will work. Any tips please.

Leave them to dry naturally like you would a squash or pumpkin to form a hard skin. There is no need to varnish them unless you want a shiny surface, infact I think a varnish might even encourage them to rot from the inside by trapping moisture inside, far better to let them dry naturally by leaving them in an airy place not touching each other so they thoroughly dry out.

varnishing works (we use this for thanksgiving decorations in america) but they last for ages if you just let them dry anyway

And if you varnish them you cant compost them  ;)

Looks like there is no need for me to varnish them. Thanks for the advice much appreciated.