Gourds can be easily found or grown in the garden. Gourds are distinctly identified by their eye-catching colors and markings. They can even be said to resemble alien forms. This happens especially during the late summer and they can be very entertaining to the eyes.
Gourds will normally be something that have to be intentionally grown. To grow one, certain steps have to be taken and regular tending must be done. Apply fertilizer in the soil where you plan to plant the gourd. For a plant grown in the space of the garden, a half dozen seeds should be placed. Then follow properly the directions in the seed packet. Thereafter, the plant should be regularly watered and the fertilizer reapplied every month. For creating bird houses, a large gourd has to be cultivated. This type normally takes 130 days to mature.
Turning the Gourd into a Bird House
Once you have the right gourd at hand, it can be easily crafted to make a good bird house that you can put in your yard or garden space to attract the birds.
Working with the gourd is relatively easy. It is just like working with the wood. However, doing so will require some tasks to be fulfilled. These steps are necessary to make a bird house successfully out of the gourd.
1. Put hot water with soap in a pail. Get the gourds and soak them. When at least 30 minutes have passed, take out the gourd and clean it.
2. Cleaning the gourd will require the use of a scrub. Do this until the gourd is entirely clean. Just take into account the possibility of discolorations in the gourd. This will not normally take off so do not fret over the stains.
Dry the gourds after cleaning.
3. Select the dried gourds that have the right length for your bird house. a diameter of 8 to 14 inches will be proper enough.
4. Make sure that the walls of the gourds are properly measured so as to make it most comfortable for the birds. It should be at least quarter of an inch thick so as not to make the bird house too warm.
5. Next detail to work on is the hole for the birds to enter. Most of the gourd bird houses are created for martin birds. A hole of two and a half inch are normally sufficient for the martins to enter into.
Drill a hole also at the bottom of the cage for the drainage system.
6. Clean out the insides of the gourd. Scrape out the seeds inside. You can also pour water inside to make sure that the dusts created by drilling are removed.
7. Preserving the gourd is also necessary. Purchase copper sulfate from hardware shops and follow the instructions on how to prepare the mixture. Soak the gourd in the preparation for 15 minutes and let it dry.
Make sure your hands are properly protected with gloves in preparing the mixture.
8. Paint the exteriors of the gourd house. White house paint is normally used to make the bird house to easily attract the birds. Just ensure that no drain holes are left unclogged.
9. Then, make a hole on the top neck of the gourd. This is to give way for the wire that will be used to hang the bird house.
Being closer to the birds is not a difficult task. Again, you only need the gourd at hand and some handy skills. Build a gourd bird house and the birds will come to you.
There are different bird houses for different birds because not all of them have the same lifestyle and they all react differently in certain situations. A canary moves a lot so you need to buy a bird house which is a little larger than usual to assure that your bird has enough room to fly; parrots will also need a similar cage as their behavior is similar.
Rectangular bird houses are the best choice because they are cleaned easier and safer for the bird. Make sure they are made from a resistant material which is also easy to clean and disinfect. Put pieces of paper in the bird house or other similar materials but never use wood or plastic because the bird might swallow it and irritate their throat.
The bird house should be placed at the chest level. If you place it lower the bird will be irritated and will feel vulnerable but on the other hand, if you place it higher the new little member of the family will feel superior (in the wilderness, superior birds stay on the higher branches). Make sure you place the bird house in a sunny spot; also, if the bird is not sociable don't place it in a spot with a lot of activity. You also need to make sure that after you added the swings, toys and feeders your bird will still have a lot of place to move.
If you add ladders and swings your bird will be very happy as it needs a lot of places to stay and relax. Also you can place natural branches inside the bird house because it will create a more natural environment for your bird; the best materials you should use are ash tree, elm tree, magnolia, etc. Don't use plastic or other chemical products, only use natural things because the bird will chew almost everything.
The dishes which are placed inside must measure the appropriate size, easy to replace and easy to clean because these things must be done every day. Make sure that your bird knows how to use them and they are easy to fill and wash.
Every kind of bird has its own needs and each bird has its own likes and dislikes and what a bird owner should do is to make sure that the bird has all the comfort it needs and nothing can harm it. Also the bird will need all the love and care it can get; you shouldn't treat it like a decorative object but more like a friend which brightens the place.
Both Lee Dobbins - & Keith Londrie are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Lee Dobbins - has sinced written about articles on various topics from . Lee Dobbins writes for http://birdhouses.garden-g8way.com where you can learn more about bird houses and find out about more about