What kind of gourds do you use to make bird houses?

What kind of gourds do you use to make bird houses?

Dried bottle gourds
Dried bottle gourds are the natural choice when crafting a bird house. The size and shape attracts various birds, including the popular purple martin. Likewise, the gourds can be grown from seed in about five months.

How do you dry a gourd for a birdhouse?

Spread the gourds out on top of newspaper sheets in a well-ventilated, dry garage. Arrange the gourds so they aren’t touching and turn them once a week so all sides dry evenly. Dispose of any gourds that develop soft, rotten spots during drying.

How do you seal a birdhouse gourd?

Spray the gourd with a water seal. This will help to preserve the birdhouse for years to come. Hang. Pull twine or fine wire through the holes in the top of the gourd and hang the birdhouse in a area that is easy for you to see but sheltered so the birds will be safe from predators.

What do you do with birdhouse gourds?

Birdhouse gourds make an ideal gardening project for the whole family. The hard-shelled hanging fruits are not edible but are wonderful for craft projects such as creating decorative homes for the birds.

How long does it take to dry a gourd?

Turn the gourds frequently and promptly remove any which show signs of decay. Large gourds can also be dried by hanging them from beams or rafters. Drying or curing will take several weeks. Approximately one to two weeks will be required for the outer skin to dry and harden.

How long do birdhouse gourds take to dry?

Approximately one to two weeks will be required for the outer skin to dry and harden. Internal drying will take several additional weeks. The gourds have been adequately dried when the seeds rattle inside.

Do birds like gourd birdhouses?

Gourds make fine homes for several varieties of cavity nesters, including bluebirds, swallows, chickadees, wrens, woodpeckers, great crested flycatchers, titmice, screech owls, kestrels and nuthatches. Learn how to turn a gourd into a birdhouse. Chickadees need a 1-1/4-inch hole and like to nest in wooded areas.

How do you weatherproof gourds?

Mix 1 part bleach to 10 parts water and use a medium bristled brush. After cleaning, let stand until fully dry. At this point, you can apply the waterproofing such as Thompson’s or Copper Sulfate. Be sure and let stand until fully dry again.

How do you make a birdhouse out of wood?

Simple Wooden Birdhouse Cut the wood to the sizes needed. Using a compass, draw a circle on one of the squares. Assemble the house. Placing the floor down, glue 5 pieces together to form a cube without a lid. Put the roof on. Paint the house. Hang up the simple birdhouse.

When to plant Birdhouse gourds?

Starting birdhouse gourd seeds inside provides a head start on the growing season. Plant the seeds about four weeks before the last expected frost in your area.

How big should the hole on a birdhouse gourd be?

The hole should be 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter. It should be placed in the upper part of the gourd so the bluebirds can jump down into the larger, round part, and so baby birds can’t fall out of the house.

What are some different types of birdhouses?

even if you do not have a lot of trees or