I’M MAKING UNUSUAL BIRDHOUSES
Harvesting cucurbits may be a distant memory, but it’s time to take a look at the ‘birdhouse’ gourds that have been ripening in the shed. These large fruits have an incredible hard skin and make great birdhouses around the garden once prepared. If you’ve never grown and used them, the fruit begin to get lighter in weight as the insides dry out and the outsides start to go mouldy and change colour; this is normal! Let the skin go mouldy and hard, then scrape this off to reveal the dry gourds, which are ready to be carved.
Drill holes in the bo om to let any rainwater drain out. Birdhouse gourds are a brilliant crop to grow inside or outside.