This week’s Crown of Flowers presents a sunlit spectacle of colour and texture, featuring the radiant oxeye or false sunflower with its towering daisy-like stems reaching for the sky.
Complementing this golden glory are the striking, tall dark maroon gladiolus that add a dramatic flair to the ensemble.
Interspersed among these beauties are the cheerful yellow daylilies, their vivid blooms mirroring the warmth of the summer sun.
Goldenrod stands proudly, its clusters of tiny yellow flowers creating a soft, golden haze, while fennel, with its feathery foliage and sweet, anise-like scent, serves as a delightful herbal candy that bees adore.
Together, they create a harmonious blend of hues and heights, inviting both pollinators and admirers to bask in their natural splendour.
Birdhouse Gourds
Also known as Calabash or Bottle Gourds, these hard shelled gourds have been used for multiple purposes around the world. Many varieties are edible: edible fruit, edible seeds, edible leaves. Many varieties are hollowed out after they are dried. These are used as bowls, cups, bottles for water, storage containers for rice, serving dishes, serving spoons, water pipes, musical instruments, and more.
Birdhouse gourds are believed to have originated in Africa. They were among the earliest plants to be domesticated, with evidence of their use found in archaeological sites dating back over 10,000 years. These gourds spread to Asia, Europe, and the Americas, often carried by migrating peoples or floating across oceans.
Growing birdhouse gourds involves planting them in a sunny location and providing support for their climbing vines. After harvesting, they must be dried thoroughly, a process that can take several months. Once dried, the gourds can be cleaned and crafted into birdhouses, drinking vessels, or decorative items.
Call me a nature enthusiast or a creative recycler if you will. Whenever I can transform something considered waste into sustainable, nature-loving art, it fills me with joy.
Photo courtesy Joe Bob Hall
Gourds make great birdhouses. They are strong, well-liked by the birds, and look really cool hanging outside in a tree or attached to a pole. They are also quite easy to make. The whole process can take a long time, often up to eight months from seed to finished birdhouse, but each step is fairly straightforward just with a lot of wait time in between. To successfully grow, dry, and finally make a gourd birdhouse you simply need the space to grow them, the patience to let them dry, and a bit of know how to finish them.
Growing birdhouse gourds has been one of the most rewarding and fun gardening projects I've undertaken. Birdhouse gourds are easy to grow with massive vines (often 20 feet or more!) and abundant velvet white flowers swelling into five to eight marvellously whimsical gourds per plant.
I began by planting the seeds in early April under grow lights to give them a strong start. They need a warm environment to germinate.
Gourds grow on long vines similar to pumpkins and squash. They can be grown trailing in a large garden or growing up a support such as a tree or strong trellis. Once the danger of frost had passed and the seedlings had a few true leaves, I transplanted them outside in late May around a massive teepee structure.
Birdhouse gourds are vigorous climbers, and the teepee provided ample space for them to spread out and thrive. They prefer full sun and well-drained soil, so I chose a sunny spot around in the garden with plenty of space for the vines to grow along with scarlet runner beans and purple pole beans. I watched with anticipation as their tendrils reached out and began to climb.
As the season progressed, the gourds flourished, winding their way up the teepee and creating a lush green canopy. By mid summer, the garden was adorned with large, hanging gourds, each promising to become a unique birdhouse.
Late May, birdhouse gourd seedlings planted outdoors
Aug. 1. Look at the gourds and beans climb!
Birdhouse gourds typically take about 120-140 days to reach maturity. They are heavy feeders, so regular watering and feeding are essential. I found that mulching around the base of the plants helped retain moisture and suppress weeds.
Harvesting the gourds is just the beginning of the fun. We will let them dry out in our basement for the next 4-6 months. They are dried when the seeds rattle inside. Handle with care to avoid bruising.
Once they are dried, we will drill a hole in the side for an entrance. We will scrape out what we can, but the birds will do a pretty good job of cleaning out what we don’t get.
We will also drill a number of small holes in the bottom for air circulation.
To hang the birdhouse, I drilled two small holes at the top of the gourd, threaded wire through them, and created a loop for hanging.
Many people paint the dried gourds with a variety of colours and patterns, but a simple varnish or coating of white paint will also be sufficient to seal the gourds to help prevent rot.
If sealed well and cared for in the off-season, these natural birdhouses can last for many years.
The gourd size will govern the kind of bird that will be attracted. The ball of the gourd should be large enough for a bird to turn around easily. Many birds delight in the long, deep cavity offered by some gourd shapes.
Table courtesy Missouri Botanical Garden
Hang your gourd birdhouse outdoors in early spring before the birds arrive. Attach it to a post or tree with plenty of space between houses. Position the house with the opening away from prevailing winds. Familiarize yourself with the habits of the type of bird(s) you are trying to attract as they may have different references regarding nesting. At the end of the season, clean out the old nest material and store your birdhouse in a dry spot in the garage or basement to keep it from freezing and fading.
With a little effort and a lot of fun you will have the most popular house on your block. Birds really do make gracious tenants!
Birdhouse gourds offer a delightful blend of horticulture and craft that’s sure to bring joy to your garden.
Growing and crafting birdhouse gourds has not only added charm to my garden but also provided a sustainable and creative way to support local bird populations. If you’re looking for a rewarding garden project, I highly recommend giving birdhouse gourds a try!
Aug. 1. Gourd vines reaching 10ft.
Photos by Monika Rekola except where otherwise noted.
Monika Rekola is a certified landscape designer and horticulturist, passionate about gardening and sustainable living. As a budding homesteader and garden writer, she shares her love for recycling, repurposing and birdwatching. Monika is dedicated to ecological gardening, aiming to balance our delicate ecosystem. Contact her at [email protected].
