One of the nicest surprises for me this summer was seeing all of my ornamental gourd birdhouses being occupied. When I first grew the gourds and then dried and dolled them up, I was skeptical that a bird would be enticed to set up home in my bold colored garden ornaments, but I built them and they came. I'm thrilled.
Ornamental gourds grow as easily as zucchini. But unlike zucchini, there is no limit to what you can do with gourds. By drying ornamental gourds, you can keep them intact indefinitely. You can use them to make bird houses, containers, pots and silly, whimsical decorations that belie the ugly process they go through as they harden. Drying gourds is an easy process, but it takes time and it's not always pretty. But what a treat to see your efforts go to good use!
- Drying Gourds
- Making Birdhouses
- A Reader's Birdhouses
- Growing Gourds
Photo: © Marie Iannotti
Comments
I grew small gourds one year and didn’t quite know what to do with them. This newsletter will give me ideas. In the meantime I cut the tops off of a couple and made outdoor ashtrays for my smoking friends. I painted flowers etc on them and to preserve my “art work” I covered with clear varnish.
It’s funny how many uses you can come up with for them once you get going. Paperclip holder, candydish, rattle…
Purple martins especially love these!!!
I haven’t seen what type of bird goes in and out yet, but there’s barely any space with all the twigs inside. Must be a tight knit family.
Love the birdhouses. Thank you for the “how to”.
I haven’t figured out how to remove the old nest. Does anyone know if new birds will move into the old nest?