A gourd can be used as a number of thing, including bowls or bottles One of the best for growing for bird house making is bottle gourd, sometime called a Mexican gourd, or seed may be packaged as ''birdhouse gourd'' .Bottle gourd are used in many different part of the country for birdhouses. In the southeastern united state it is thought that native Americans fashioned bird houses from gourds to attract purple martins to nest near their planted fields. The purple martin help scare away crows and blackbirds that like that like to steel seeds at planting time. Birdhouse gourd are becoming so popular that instead of the scientific name of the plant on the seed packet, it simply says birdhouse gourd.
To dry the bottle gourd for your bird house you need to lay in a warm dry place with good circulation. The natural process of drying can take several months. If you give it a good shake and seed rattle around in side you'll know it dry. In the natural drying process the gourd may have some moldy and unsightly spots on it. Soak the gourd in hot soapy water for about thirty minute, and then scrape with steel wool or a dull knife to remove the mole and outer skin. At this time you can crave, paint, wax or decorate your bottle any way you like.
Once dried they make an ideal birdhouse for purple martin,swallows, chickadee and wrens. Besides bringing beauty and interest to your home, these reputedly birds will eat thousand of insects each day.
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