Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tracey z6PA on June 12, 2009 at 7:38pm

Brenna - I love gourd birdhouses, too! I've never seen one that bumpy before - how unique! I've never made one, but I hear there's a gourd farm around our area somewhere, hold on and I'll check for a link: http://www.amishgourds.com/site/1278922/page/45030

There it is! Oh Brenna, you have to check it out! This place looks amazing

Permalink Reply by isabelle hooper on August 21, 2009 at 8:17pm

hello this looks like two different gourds to me the topper looks like part of an actual birdhouse gourd the other i have grown justin a mixed group of seeds. i dont know if this is common knoledge of not but you harvest gourds one season but they take months to cure and the look like they are rotting but thsy arent they turn all black spotted and moldy but it is worth it the finished product is beautiful you can paint or poly them in sunday school with pre school they painted them and then we used those rub off decals they were cute sorry im not a typist cant sp either lol isabelle i'll try to find a picture to show the one you have is cute

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Permalink Reply by Margaret Hibbard on October 9, 2009 at 1:29pm

We had a gourd birdhouse when we lived in AZ and the sparrows really liked it! However if you are planning to clean your own gourds please use caution, the mold on them can be very harmful to your lungs. So use water to keep the mold spors from becomming air born. Use a tub of water and a green scrubbie and clean away!

Permalink Reply by Cherie Harris on February 17, 2010 at 8:58pm

That's so cool, but all I would attract in FL is wasps!!!

Permalink Reply by Lisa Andresen on May 5, 2010 at 10:22pm

Very easy to make. Two gourds: the top of a birdhouse or similar gourd and a warty gourd. Cut a hole to size in the bottom gourd for the birds to enter. Using silicone adhesive attach the gourd top to the full gourd. Drill parallel holes 1-2 inches from top, drilling through both gourds. Using exterior paint/varnish/marine spar decorate the exterior as desired. Cut a plastic straw/plastic tubing to fit inside the gourd from hole to hole. Using leather, multiple threads of fishing line, or wire thread through hole, straw, hole and out to top and connect. Decide on what type of hanger style you want, hand and enjoy! If you google "decorating dried gourds" you will find numerous patterns for houses and feeders.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Andresen on May 5, 2010 at 10:24pm

Margaret Hibbard said:

We had a gourd birdhouse when we lived in AZ and the sparrows really liked it! However if you are planning to clean your own gourds please use caution, the mold on them can be very harmful to your lungs. So use water to keep the mold spors from becomming air born. Use a tub of water and a green scrubbie and clean away!

Permalink Reply by Lisa Andresen on May 5, 2010 at 10:33pm

I grow a wide variety of gourds here in south west Wisconsin for drying. When they are completely, and I mean completely, ripe, I place them on wooden pallets/skids and leave them in the field. The cold dry air during the winter dries them easily and I don't have to lug gourds around and try to find places to put them. I also have less rot using this method. I wipe them down with a 50/50 bleach - water solution before placing them on the skid. When they are dried and ready to be cleaned, I spray them with a bleach-water solution again and use a steel brush to clean off the exterior skin. The bleach has two results: kills all the nasties that may come off during the cleaning process and helps give a brighter, cleaner look to the gourd. I have a dremel tool and similar drilling/sanding tools to cut holes and designs. They really are very easy to work with/on and inexpensive.

Permalink Reply by William Brooks Zone 7/OK on December 14, 2010 at 5:44pm

Tracey I just got home sick for a few minuites after going to the site you posted for the Amish gourds. You see I was raised in PA went to school in Connellsville 50 miles SE of Pitt. I have an uncle that lives in Lancaster along with his family.The pics in the Amish site were familiar to me some what. I always wanted to grow guards maybe I'll do that in the spring. If they will grow in OK where I reside now. Zone 7

Tracey Yasi z6PA said:

Brenna - I love gourd birdhouses, too! I've never seen one that bumpy before - how unique! I've never made one, but I hear there's a gourd farm around our area somewhere, hold on and I'll check for a link: http://www.amishgourds.com/site/1278922/page/45030

There it is! Oh Brenna, you have to check it out! This place looks amazing