Birdhouse Gourds

[Jared77]

Anybody have any experience growing them? Any suggestions to get the best shape out of them? Should I trellis them or let them grow along the ground? It's for my kids (imagine that) so really hoping to grow some good shaped ones to turn them into bird houses. Figure a few at our house, few at the grandparents houses, should be a really fun project. From seed to baby birds regardless of species that takes up residence is the hope.

 

[Lavender2]

I grew them once. Very easy to grow if you have LOTS of space! The vines get 40 feet or longer.
I started growing them on a fence. They took over the fence and tomatoes and peppers and well, most of the garden! But it was fun! I think I only had a few plants (years ago, so?) but I got 20 beautiful big gourds (all supported up off the ground).
I gave them to my brother-in-law to dry and paint. I wish I had photos!

 

[dick]

I grow them on our emu's fence.
Six foot fence but they find their way up into a large cedar tree and I end up sending some one up in the front loader bucket of one of my tractors for the harvest.
I've never tried to make them into any sort of special shapes, just let them grow.

THANX RICH

 

[Smart Red]

I grew mine on the ground. I had plenty of nicely shaped gourds -- only the neck was affected by not hanging and I liked the curved ones better than the straight necks.

 

[digitS']

I grew them for the first time this year, Jared.

The jury is still out on 'em. The larger birdhouse gourds seemed to do just fine in my garden. No way was the small variety ready for harvest by the October frost.

Have quite a few however, I am not sure about them. I sat them on the high shelf in my greenhouse. The question is whether they too were immature and will just decay.

Steve

 

[journey11]

I've grown them a couple of times. They are fun and easy. Trellis definitely and be sure to fertilize well. For them to harden properly, you need to leave them on the vine until it is completely dead and has seen a few frosts. Leave a bit of the stem to hang them with. I had a bunch more than I would ever get around to using and sold them in a yard sale for $1 each and they went like hotcakes.

ETA: There is also often an issue with mold spores when you are cleaning them out. Be sure to wear a dust mask so you don't breathe it in. I also soaked the hollowed out gourds in a little bleach water just to be on the safe side.

 

[Nyboy]

I justpicked up a packet of seeds the other day!! Will also be a first.

 

[catjac1975]

I grow them quite often. The dinosaur gourds can be a little more finicky. I have not had luck with the kettle gourds-mine have been small. Birdhouse and bottle gourds grow plentiful and easily. But as with any crop you will have great years and then only fair years. They grow well on a fence and well on the ground. The ladle gourds are very cool but I have had a hard time getting them to dry. I have found the best way to dry them is to leave them outside all winter. Lots of fun!

 

[Collector]

I have grown them the last couple of seasons here. We have not got a large enough one yet to make a bird house. Last season we were looking at some great looking goards early in the season, untill disaster struck and broke off the largest goards. Only thing I can tell you is make sure whatever you trellis them on is good and sturdy lol.

 

[Smart Red]

The one year I grew birdhouse gourds was the year of our first vacation. I had started the seeds to these and several other squash and gourds in the house, but didn't get them planted very early. Saturday of the second week of June was day we were to leave on vacation. I rushed outside, covered an area with black plastic, sunk the styrofoam cups into the soil (after tearing off the bottoms), watered well, and left them for a week with a prayer. I spent much of our vacation time worrying about my gardens. It may have been a quiet, restful place for most of the vacationers, but it was far noisier than what I was used to at home on my own property.

By the time we came home, the plants were all growing well. For a time I was able to water through the cups to all the moisture went to the roots. Later I cut slits in the low spots and watered through those as well as near the planting holes. I'm not sure how good an idea the plastic was -- I would have used landscape material if I hadn't been rushed -- but it certainly kept the weeds down in that area and the soil warm and moist.


It just may have been a special year for growing squash, because mine did really well and many large gourds ripened well ahead of the frost (of course there were still babies trying to get a start). I just set the gourds in a spot in the basement and forgot about them for a while. Ever so often I would pick one up and give it a shake. Once I heard seeds rattling inside, I cleaned the outside with bleach water and a plastic scrubby. Some the Grands painted and others I stained and polyurethaned. Some stayed as rattles and some went as bird houses. Still others were given away to a scout group.