Harvesting the Gourds: I Grew a Pair

It’s pouring today. (I love it). Good thing I cleaned the garden box when I did. After a midweek frost, the birdhouse gourd vines shriveled up. I cut down the last of them and brought the pair of gourds indoors for drying.

Tidied Garden

I have a good giggle whenever I pass them. They look exactly like a pair of bowling pins.

Lindy keeps an eye on the “bowling pins.”

Earlier in the year, one of the vines grew up and over the telephone line. Eventually one of the two large gourds took hold, putting weight on the lines. I came up with a quick fix using garden twine and a mesh bag, pictured below.

birdhouse gourd in the bag

It worked really well, allowing the gourd to grow unhampered and at the same time it kept my internet up and running. I have my priorities.

What I didn’t expect was the honeycomb pattern the bag left on the gourd. It’s not imprinted but rather faded from the lack of sun. Isn’t that interesting?

Honeycomb Patterned Gourd

Now we wait. While the gourds are drying, I’ll be dreaming of a way to decorate each one. Here are a few ideas:

Debbie Almond: Birdsmiths

Linseed Oil finish from Fun In The Making

Natural Finish (from my ever changing garden)

One thought on “Harvesting the Gourds: I Grew a Pair”

Still raining…wow, that’s awesome for you. I’ve finished wrapping tonight, Jim’s off to bed and I’m catching up, glad I have something from you to read. I love that picture of Lindy and the bowling pins. I wonder if it’d be hard to paint one to look like Lindy? That would be kind of fun…she’d have a twin in the garden with birdies living in her tummy

Pretty amazing that the sun has left the mesh bag outline on the skin…it’s like designer gourds from Gardening Nirvana. I like yours with the long necks -vs- the short ones. Can you hardly wait to see moves in? I Googles ‘My Ever Changing Garden’ and snooped her wildlife Gallery. I saw the Chickadee there and sighed. I use to buy a giant back of striped seed for them in the winter…I hope they are getting something to eat out there. I miss the birds….I don’t see any downtown really…maybe a magpie.

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Boomdeeadda | December 23, 2012 at 10:48 pm

Still raining…wow, that’s awesome for you. I’ve finished wrapping tonight, Jim’s off to bed and I’m catching up, glad I have something from you to read. I love that picture of Lindy and the bowling pins. I wonder if it’d be hard to paint one to look like Lindy? That would be kind of fun…she’d have a twin in the garden with birdies living in her tummy

Pretty amazing that the sun has left the mesh bag outline on the skin…it’s like designer gourds from Gardening Nirvana. I like yours with the long necks -vs- the short ones. Can you hardly wait to see moves in? I Googles ‘My Ever Changing Garden’ and snooped her wildlife Gallery. I saw the Chickadee there and sighed. I use to buy a giant back of striped seed for them in the winter…I hope they are getting something to eat out there. I miss the birds….I don’t see any downtown really…maybe a magpie.

LikeLike