How to Harvest Birdhouse Gourds
After a long few months of watching gourds appear and grow on the vine, you may be itching to pull them off and turn them into birdhouses. Harvesting birdhouse gourds is a simple process which takes practically no work at all. The best thing about harvest is that the hard part of growing is already done. Once the gourds are harvested you'll be ready to turn them into natural birdhouses for your winged garden friends. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Gloves
- Knife
- Warm, dry location (basement, garage, etc.)
- Newspaper or cardboard
Instructions
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Start checking the plants regularly approximately 85 days after you planted the seeds, or 55 days after you transplanted seedlings. Gourds generally ripen in 85 to 100 days from seeds and 55 to 70 days from seedlings. Look for the signs of the vine starting to dry and change color as a clue you are nearly ready to harvest.
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Keep a close eye on the drying plant and notice when the stems of the gourds themselves turn tan. Pull the gourd gently from a tan stem to release it, or cut the stem with a knife if it won't release easily and frost is imminent.
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Take the gourds to a warm, dry location and set them on a few sheets of newspaper or a piece of cardboard in an out-of-the-way area. This area should be dry and protected from the elements.
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Shake the drying gourds every few days until the seeds rattle inside like a maraca. Once you can hear the hollow rattle of the dried seeds the gourds are ready to be turned into a birdhouses.
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Tips & Warnings
Growing gourds is a wonderful opportunity for getting children involved in the process of planting, harvesting, shaking, preparing, and decorating birdhouse gourds. This involvement not only shows them the reward of a finished birdhouse, but also enhances their appreciation of gardening.
