Live Self Sufficient

I have discussed bottleneck gourds a number of times on this site for several reasons. They are fun to grow and they are great if you enjoy craft projects. With just a bit of effort, you can turn your bottleneck gourd into a decorative birdhouse for your yard.

You will spend your whole summer watching your gourds grow. When you see them change from their standard green color into a pale tan color, they are ripe and ready to be picked from the vine. Be careful when you do this. You want to leave at least 4 inches of stem on your bottleneck gourd which you will later use to hang it!

Now you have to wait. Take your gourd and place it in a safe location for it to dry out. The location should provide the fruit with good air circulation and should be a bit warm. After a couple months, give your gourd a shake. If you here seeds rattling around inside, your gourd is ready to be turned into a birdhouse.

Wash the skin of your gourd well with warm soapy water and dry it thoroughly. Use a drill with a 1.5” bit to create a hole in the side for the birds. Take a small spoon and insert it through the opening and clean out any gourd guts that are still in side. You can also drill several tiny holes in the bottom of your gourd for drainage purposes.

Now that your bottleneck gourd has been prepped, you can have a bit of fun with it. Take some paints and create a design on the exterior. That’s really all there is to it!

Related posts:

1. Turn your bottleneck gourds into birdhouses
2. Tips for growing bottle neck gourds
3. Preparing to harvest your pumpkins and gourds
4. Claim your pumpkins and gourds while still on the vine
5. Cross pollination between pumpkins and gourds