Gourd Birdhouses

Looking for a simple and attractive birdhouse for your yard? Why not try one made out of a gourd?

For this you need:

• a dried gourd (you can plant gourds in your garden in the spring, and dry one of those out, or you can purchase already dried gourds.
• a drill
• a small spoon or stick
• cord or wire

First step is to clean your dried gourd. Was it with warm, soapy water, and let it completely dry.

Drill a hole in the gourd that is 1-2 inches in diameter. The hole should be placed about just a big above the halfway point on the gourd, as most birds like to hop down into the gourd. Clean out the inside of the gourd (using a stick or a small spoon).

Drill a couple of really small holes in the bottom of the gourd. This will help with drainage, and will keep the inside of the gourd dry.

Drill two small holes in the top of the gourd that you can thread your cord or wire through. This will be used to hang the gourd.

Put two layers of varnish on your gourd, to help it last longer. Wait at least 24 hours between each layer of shellac so that it dries completely.

Your birdhouse is now ready to hang!