Paying 9.99 for a single gourd for a birdhouse is about 3 times what it should be, even if the gourd has had its exterior cleaned. Dried bottle gourds (fat on the bottom and top and skinny in the middle) shouldn't be more than a couple dollars. There are several internet sites that have bottle, and other gourds, for sale at very reasonablel prices. You might have to clean the exterior (if you want to decorate it) but you can get the gourds at a good price and in quantity.

To clean a gourd, make sure it's completely dried and sturdy with no soft areas. Decide what size opening you want and cut it with either: dremel tool with appropriate bit, a small hand saw, or exacto knife. Use a sturdy spoon or butter knife and scoop out the seeds (innards) and papery material inside. Drill two or three small holes (less than 1/4 inch diameter) in the bottom. Use sturdy wire or twine to hang the gourd from a appropriate place in the yard. If you are sensative to dust it's a good idea to wear a face mask while drilling the holes and cleaning out the innards.

No perch is needed below the access hole. A perch may make it easier for predators to access the entrance.

I grow and decorate my own gourds. Growing gourds is very easy with our long growing season here in the NW. If you decide to grow your own gourds you'll need room for the vines to run along the ground. I fertilize my plants twice in summer. It's fun watching to see what shape the gourds become as they mature. I don't harvest them until all the leaves have dried and the vines dry. After washing the exterior with a mild bleach solution I let them dry over winter either in the shed or in the spare bedroom/junk room. I use old newspapers under the gourds to keep them from the carpet or floor. It takes several months to dry gourds but when they are dry and the exterior has been cleaned it's amazing to see the coloring and designes that nature has set into the exterior.

Have fun with those birdhouse gourds. Keep looking for a cheaper supplier, I'm sure you'll find something.

Mary Hrudkaj
Belfair/Tahuya
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