How to Plant Birdhouse Gourds
While gourds are generally inedible, many gardeners will grow birdhouse gourds for the joy of turning them into their namesake: birdhouses. Perfectly sized and shaped, these natural birdhouses are easy to grow and transform into the finished product without taking up much space in the garden. Once you've purchased seeds and know how to plant birdhouse gourds you should be able to make these garden decorations after about four months from planting. Then you can leave them in their natural state or paint decorative designs to create a fanciful garden area. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Garden bed
- Shovel
- Compost
- Five-foot trellis
- Birdhouse gourd seeds
- Hand trowel
- Water
Instructions
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1
Dig the soil in a 4-by-1 foot area of your garden bed to loosen it and allow room for the gourds' roots to grow. You'll need to dig at least eight inches into the ground, turning the surface soil under as you break up dirt clumps and remove rock or twigs.
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2
Add four inches of compost material over the bed, and mix the compost in with the garden bed. Add more compost and mix again as necessary to make your soil light and loose.
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3
Install and secure the trellis in the middle of the bed. While the trellis can be as short as three feet, a 5-foot trellis will provide enough support for vigorous plants.
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4
Plant two to three seeds approximately six inches in from one end of the bed area two inches deep and gently cover over.
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5
Plant another set of two to three seeds on the other end of the bed in the same manner leaving approximately three feet and the shared trellis between the two sets of seeds.
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6
Moisten the soil area around the seeds and keep the soil moist to aid germination for the first three weeks.
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Tips & Warnings
Dig a simple, shallow moat in the bed around the seedlings after they have sprouted and water the trench when the soil feels dry to the touch, watering as often as necessary.
Make sure to avoid getting water on the leaves, flowers or gourds by always using the trench for watering rather than spraying the entire plant with a sprinkler or shower wand.
Don't allow any direct contact between the soil and any drooping gourds or you may end up with rot or disease. If necessary, prop a board under any low gourds to keep them off the ground.
