Landscaper Jamie McMurray offers ideas for using seasonal gourds for more than decoration.
Gourd Birdhouse or Birdfeeder
Materials:
dried gourd
bleach
wood preservative
drill and screws
hacksaw
Steps:
- Submerge dried gourd in a mixture of 10 parts water to one part bleach. Scrub off the remaining skin while the gourd is still wet, then let dry for a day.
- Cover outside of gourd in wood preservative and let dry. You can leave its decoration at this step or add paint or varnish.
- Drill holes in the sides of the gourd. (Drill three holes for a feeder and one hole for a birdhouse.) Enlarge the holes to around three inches by cutting with a hacksaw.
- Scrape the inside of the gourd to remove dried seeds.
- Drill another two holes through the top of the stem. Insert a wire through the holes for hanging.
Notes
- A gourd is a fruit with five distinguishing characteristics: grows on a vine, each leaf has five lobes, both male and female flowers grow on same plant, bears fruit, has tendrils.
- They can grow on a trellis, a chain-length fence or even an old swingset.
- For dried gourds, leave the fruit on the vine until the vine is completely dead and dry. If you don't grow them yourself, dried gourds are available from farmers' markets.
- Save the seeds from your decorative gourd and use them to grow your own.
- Gourds are easily manipulated to grow in different shapes--plant a gourd inside a jar and watch it take the shape of the jar as it grows.
- To attract purple martins to a gourd birdhouse, paint it white.
Guests Jamie McMurray
Landscaper/Owner
Simply Green Landscape Design and Installation
Phone: 310-403-1925
Fax: 310-388-1019
E-mail:
smplygrn@aol.com
Website:
www.simplygreeninc.org
Also in this Episode
