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Birdhouse Gourds

Preparing Gourds for Crafting

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I raise birdhouse gourds and love painting and decorating them as birdhouses.

However, the polyurethane finish I used last year did nothing to protect the birdhouses once outside.

The designs disappeared under what appeared to be a layer of mold.

Is there a way to finish them that will last?

Jeannine

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It sounds like you’ve been growing and painting gourds for some time but it was just last year that you ran into problems. If the only difference last year was the type of polyurethane you used, I suppose that could have been the cause. However I suspect it was something else.

Not knowing the process you use, let me go over all the steps of making gourd birdhouses. Hopefully, you will have an “ah-hah!” moment when you recognize what might have gone wrong.

Hardening Off the Gourd

Proper curing, or “hardening off”, is the most critical step of gourd crafting. It is best, though not necessary, to let gourds harden on the vine. Toward the end of the growing season, the vine secretes an enzyme into the gourd, halting its growth and triggering the hardening process.

Moisture drains from the gourd primarily through the stem, but also through the pores of the fleshy shell. At the same time, the internal membranes gradually shrink against the outer shell and “harden off”. The gourds are fully cured when the shell is very hard; the gourd is very lightweight and; if shaken, you can hear seeds rattling around inside.

Curing on the Vine

Gourds cured on the vine are almost always better quality for crafting than those cut from the vine to dry. This is so because, left on the vine, each gourd gets its maximum dose of hardening enzyme. As well, the attached vine acts like a straw to wick moisture out of the drying gourd. Commercial growers allow their gourds to harden on the vine. An early freeze may slow the curing but will not harm mature gourds which have begun to harden off.

Gourd Rot

You can always expect a small percentage of your crop to rot. The tiniest scratch or cut on the still-tender flesh allows nasty micro-organisms to enter and thrive. If any gourd develops a soft mushy indentation, there is no saving it from rotting. Pluck it from the vine, compost or throw it out. Do not let it come in contact with your healthy gourds.

Curing off the Vine

If you must cure your gourds off the vine: wait as late as possible in the season before cutting; leave as much vine as possible to wick moisture; and do not let the gourds touch each other (and spread rot).

If you decide to cure your gourds off-the-vine, do so outdoors. Good ventilation is the most important element for curing and is best obtained outdoors. Also, the odor of curing gourds is somewhat offensive – especially in enclosed spaces.

To halt incipient rot, you can dip the harvested gourds in a solution of one part bleach to ten parts water. More importantly, don’t let the gourds touch each other and be sure air can circulate freely around them. Some growers lay harvested gourds on wooden pallets for this reason.

Some gourd crafters recommend drilling holes in partially hardened gourds to allow drainage (messy) and to speed curing (more likely to induce rot). I say, let nature do her work. Sometimes, there’s just no improving on Mother Nature!

Suitable Gourds for Birdhouses

Most gourd birdhouses are made from bottle gourds (often called birdhouse gourds) of the Lagenaria family. Lagenaria are fleshy gourds containing about 90% water at harvest time. The high moisture content necessitates a long drying/curing time. Gourds of the Cucurbita family can also be used for birdhouses. They have a lower moisture content and therefore cure faster.

Mold on Gourds

Mold on curing gourds is actually a good thing – if handled properly. The mold is just a sign that the curing process in underway. Moisture is escaping from the interior of the gourd. If the air is humid, the moisture will remain on the surface and mold can grow. Such mold can create lovely patterns on the surface; so you can just let mold be – to fully develop.

[Do I hear an “ah-hah” out there? Could you have put the polyurethane on last year before the gourds were fully cured, thereby trapping the mold and encouraging it to keep growing?]

If you see mold on a gourd, don’t panic. You can wipe it off if you like but it will keep coming back. After a while (i.e., when Mother Nature has finished her work), some of the mold will kind of melt into the gourd’s hardened shell. Amazing, isn’t it?

Your Turn – Making a Birdhouse out of a Birdhouse Gourd

Once Mother Nature has done her job, it’s your turn. Drill a hole in the side of the gourd for the birds’ front door. Remove the dried seeds and any loose fibers. Drill two 1/4-inch holes about 1 1/2 inches up from the bottom of the gourd for ventilation and drainage.

Paint the gourd to attract your feathered friends or amuse the eye of human birdwatchers. Apply two coats of polyurethane and let the paint and polyurethane cure.

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