3,049. Gourds Among the Vegetables

Hilchos Kilayim 4:2

Let’s say that someone’s field was planted with vegetables and he wanted to plant a few rows of gourds. In such a case he must remove from the vegetables a place to plant the gourds and separate between it and the vegetables with a ditch. He leaves a 12-cubit patch of vegetables (about 18’) and he plants a second row of gourds, separating it from the vegetables with a ditch. He does likewise until the place he wants, with the result that there will be 12 cubits between the rows of gourds. Less than this would be prohibited because the leaves will tangle with the vegetables on either side and it will look as if he planted mixed species.

Hilchos Kilayim 4:3

If there’s a row of gourds planted, or even just one gourd, and he wants to plant grain next to it, he must leave an empty space large enough to plant a quarter-kav (about a third of a liter) of seed. The is because the gourd leaves extend and take over a large area. Anything in this area sufficient to plant a quarter-kav that is left empty as a separation between the two species – like a grave, a rock, etc. – is considered part of the area.