Three years and still no gourd big enough!

[Rodger Drye]

Hi Sharon,
Somehow got caught up reading about your determination to raise Gourds. The thing that caught my eye was your last statement about the Martins liking the brown gourds better. My Dad had Martins as far back as the 50's & 60's and he always told me "The Birds like them Brown Gourds the Best". He had some white gourds (plastic), but got rid of them when he said the birds wouldn't use them. Someone gave him 10 or 12 Huge natural grown gourds painted white. He gave those to me and I gave them to a lady who made crafts.
Now this was back in the 60's and back then all they had was these small 6" x 6" Brown & White Plastic Gourds. Like I told you Dad lived down on the PeeDee River and he'd put his gourds up and that was it. He did no nest checks - he did put a little sulfur and seven dust in each gourd to combat lice. But let me tell you he had the PM's, hundreds if not thousands. Not sure how many gourds he had can't remember - but a lot. In fact he had so many purple martins people would drive by just to look at the birds. The town of Albemarle, NC made a Registered Bird Sanctuary complete with sign and all out of his property. There was an electrical tower right next to his property, 50 to a 100 feet high and the martins absolutely loved them. He had this old cassett tape that he would sometimes play and it would get those Martins starting to fly and they'ed dive bomb any one in sight - it was Something to See. Good Luck with you gourd growing, if I still had those large natural gourds I'd give them to you.
Rodger

[taxidermy lady]

Yes I read that the brown natural gourds will get the females attention! But they need 3/4" elbow for ventilation. I guess it would be worth a try. Let's see what others think about this! Please give us your opinion! Thanks

[tlragsdale]

Being "way up north", we have to contend with a pretty short growing season. Tried bottle gourds this year, and had some I thought were going to be big enough (thought being the key word).

Has anyone ever located a good source for large bottle gourds for purchase. It seems all the growers I see advertising gourds all seem to say the same thing ("check back next fall"). I'd love to locate a half-dozen for some projects to make the approaching winter go-by a little faster.

Hope everyone has a safe & happy holiday season.

Terry & Michelle

[Louise Chambers]

Sharon, I think you're better off going with white gourds - the entrance hole will be highlighted when the gourd is white, and it will be cooler during hot summer days. I don't think there is any data suggesting brown gourds attract female martins - do you know the basis of that theory? Just curious. Sometimes people put up a few brown gourds too, for that reason, but it's hard to say that it will work.

[taxidermy lady]

I have read it on several web sites. The one I remember is, ncpurplemartin.org. They have a gourd rack with several brown gourds with 2 pvc elbows to vent. The picture is in the gallery. They have a caption under the picture that says " brown gourds help attract martins. I am installing entrances and access ports now. I have preserved them already. They are still brown except the white entrance and access port. Will post a pic when I finish. (May take me while I only work on them a little at a time). I want to take my time so they look real nice!

Maybe I could conduct an experiment is what I thought. With my situation where I have come so close to success I may just have to try it. With me being more open may be all it takes. Took a dead hack berry down this past week end which helps to open a fly way from the neighbors about a mile or so from me. They have 3 houses with round holes. No one lives at the site and the poles are connected to a shed. SNAKES . I want all their martins!!!!

My son has a nice wood burner so none of my trees has gone to waste!! That makes me happy.

I will take any advice on the brown gourd subject! Thanks Louise, I just want a pair and want them to be happy at my site.

[John Miller]

I still think someone should make a recording of tiny martin babies cheeping. Then when a male brings a female for a look, she'll hear babies - babies! -- and she'll stay. Laugh if you want..but it's my theory and I'm sticking to it. ha ....Not sure if martin babies sound any different than any other baby birds, but probably to a martin they do.

John M

[taxidermy lady]

Yes sometimes something so simple could work. I'm game for it. Maybe there's a recording on you tube. Now I'll be looking that up

[taxidermy lady]

I found this.
This is my site. I started it about 1996 with the old Trio house and two smaller gourd racks you see on the left in the back of the picture. I had plenty of visitors, but for some reason, the females would never stay. About 2 years later, I built the two racks in the foreground. Still, plenty of visitors, but the females wouldn't stay. In 2003, I started offering brown gourds, and got many more visitors. Finally, in 2004, I had one pair that nested. After the season was over in 2004, I added the T-14 house and the gourd rack just beyond it.

Where I got this sells purple Martin stuff so can't mention the name.

[Donnie Hurdt MN]

Taxidermy lady Emil is right, (as he is about many things) about starting the gourds as early in the season as possible. I have grown some very nice gourds here in east central Minnesota in my garden that has heavy black soil with rocks and clay about a foot down. I have also found that starting them indoors and transplanting them in the garden does not work very well the plants go into transplant shock and will not grow for two weeks or more wasting precious growing season time. Emil is also right about good drainage during wet years like we had this summer my soil does not drain well and my gourd plants grew very slowly and I wound up pulling them up and putting them on the compost pile as it was getting too late for good gourds to grow.
If I can grow gourds here where I live, (if I have a good year) I see no reason why you cant grow them where you live. Good luck!

[taxidermy lady]

Thanks Donnie, I have made my raised bed. I have sand and manure layered about 2' high. Since the small plants don't do good when transplanted do you put the seed in the ground after threat of frost or start them inside and transplant? I've used peat pots and just plant pot and all so I don't disturb the roots.
We usually are frost free after May1. (Sometimes)! I'm thinking I should start the seed inside April1 so they don't get straggly.
Thanks again for the information.

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

Sharon, I plant the seeds into the ground, and start some in peat pots. Then about 5 or 6 days later, I plant some more in the ground (about 3 inches away from previously planted seed), then about another 6 days later, I again plant some seeds in the ground for a third time. The ground must be warm enough or the seeds will not sprout. After all of the separate plantings, some seeds will come up, some will rot, but usually one or the other will result in successfully having gourd plants. Seeds are plentiful, so I plant too many, hoping that some will germinate.
The peat pot plants work good and they come up quickly on our fireplace mantel where it gets real hot. I put them into the ground about 1 or 2 days after they come up. They should be planted immediately or they become stunted. If the ground is too cold, they will not start growing until the ground warms up enough.
Having raised beds should help, the ground will warm up quicker. Good luck

[taxidermy lady]

Ok will do Emil, would putting a lid on the raised bed made of clear plastic help! I do that with a lettuce bed?? Thanks

[Donnie Hurdt MN]

Sharon, I never did start my seeds in a peat pot, I never thought of doing that, I just do it more or less like Emil does just throw in a whole bunch of seeds in each planting hole and thin them out if too many come up. I suppose I could plant a little sooner if I did something to warm my soil too, but I haven't done that yet.

[Siberman]

Being "way up north", we have to contend with a pretty short growing season. Tried bottle gourds this year, and had some I thought were going to be big enough (thought being the key word).

Has anyone ever located a good source for large bottle gourds for purchase. It seems all the growers I see advertising gourds all seem to say the same thing ("check back next fall"). I'd love to locate a half-dozen for some projects to make the approaching winter go-by a little faster.

Hope everyone has a safe & happy holiday season.

Terry & Michelle

Try ROBSRAREANDGIANTSEEDS.COM ( not sure if that's a good link , I got the giant African bottle gourd seeds on Amazon ) . Germination temp is 70-85 for up to 48 days so it may be a challenge up there . They're really large though so you might get some decent-sized even with a shorter growing season .

[BrianC]

Try quarryfarmgourds.com/ and get "Martin house Giant" I start mine in peat pots in Maryland and they did great.

Good Luck

Brian in Md

[Ladybug]

I've grown gourds for several years. I would say the main needs are: 1. Good soil 2. Lots of Sun 3. No weeds. 4. Organic Compost added to soil,
5. Definitely Start Gourds as Early as Possible. 6. Lots of Water. 7. Fertilize per instructions for Gourds.
I got my seeds started late this year and ended up with 6 Huge Gourds. Very happy with results. I planted a different type of gourd seed. Will have to check my records to see what type. They are a lot of work, taking weeks to cure, for me, it is well worth the wait.
There are so many things you can do with Gourds, you can be SO Creative.. Continue to keep trying..

[taxidermy lady]

Thanks ladybug, I will keep trying. I have a nice raised bed made with cow manure and sand mixed with the soil. I have painted on the small ones I've raised and they are great for gifts! Thanks for your information!