How to Grow Your Own Bird House Gourds
Growing your own bird house gourds is super easy and really fun. The kids and I have had a great time making our own bird houses out of the gourds we have grown in the past. Check out how much fun it is!
The vines take a bit of space to grow, check out how we grew them here. There are also links to seeds you can get to grow your own, or you can check these out. Once you harvest them you dry them out for about 6 months. It's best to hang them under your eaves outside or in your attic or garage. They need a warm, dry place.
The next step is to drill a hole for the birds to get in and shake out all the seeds and membranes inside. Also they need a way to hang, so we drilled two small side holes so we could string wire through there to make a hanger. This was super fun for the kids. They shook them like maracas to get them ready.
Next you need to paint them with some type of permanent outdoor paint. If you want to attract purple martins, the usual bird, you can paint them white and hang them really high up. If you don't care what type of bird uses them, you can choose another color. Then it's time to decorate how you'd like. We used paint pens to draw on them this time when we made them. We also painted the main color with spray paint, but you can use house paint, or whatever you have on hand.
This has been a favorite activity of ours many times. I hope you enjoy growing your own bird houses.
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Just wanted to share in case you may be new to gourds. Be very careful cleaning the seeds out. The dust from the well dried gourd is caustic and you should use a decent mask when cleaning. My favorite is the apple gourd. Have fun!
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Good tip.
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Also, when they are drying, the are covered with mold. And you don't want to breathe that in! I made an outdoor rack that ain't hung them on. Against a sheltered part of our home. And I covered it with a tarp to keep the rain and snow out! After they dry, you scrub them, wear a mask and use gloves!
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
What did you use to drill the bird opening.
Would I be able to grow them in an old claw foot bath tub? Love the idea but I have no yard at all. Was planning on tomatoes in the tub but these would be fun to do if possible. Thank you.