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Be Silly. Be honest. Be kind.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Grow Your Own Birdhouses |
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Bottle gourds (Lagenaria siceraria) are easy to grow on
fences or trellises, and once dried they make an ideal
home for purple martins, swallows, chickadees and wrens.
Besides bringing beauty and interest to your home, these
birds will eat thousands of insects each day.
Although gourds can be grown in hills as you would grow
squash and pumpkin, gourds that are left lying on the
ground will flatten on one side and may be susceptible to
rot. If you prefer to grow them in hills, try providing
several inches of hay as a mulch to keep the gourds off
the ground. Bottle gourds will tolerate a light frost, so
allow them to dry on the vine as long as possible. Once
harvested, they will need a cool, dry place to complete
the drying process. They are completely dry when you can
hear the seeds rattle inside when you shake them. This may
take several months.
To fashion you birdhouse, drill a hole 1 to 1-1/2 inches
in diameter. Smaller holes will accommodate small birds
such as wrens, while a larger hole will allow larger birds
such as martins to take up residence. You should also
drill a few tiny holes in the bottom of the gourd for
drainage. Drill two holes in the top, and thread a cord
through them. Now your birdhouse is ready to hang. It will
last up to two years untreated, or you can varnish the
gourd for a longer lasting birdhouse.
Contributed by
http://www.gardenguides.com
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