Need some advice....

Guest · Thu Oct 20, 2005 1:58 pm

I plan to hang 4 natural gourds underneath my coates watersedge this spring. Can someone tell me how to attach them so they will be secure.

thanks,

lanell

John Barrow · Thu Oct 20, 2005 2:38 pm

Hi Lanell. That's a commedable winter project. I hope it pays off for you. One of my earliest houses was a coates house and I liked it alot. I hung 6 gourds beneath it using two sets of "perching arms" that PMCA sells. They offer excellent stability on a round telescoping pole which I assume you are using. You could certainly get 3 gourds on a single set--maybe all 4. I believe the gourds will be helpful in luring in some martins. Best wishes. john

Laverne · Thu Oct 20, 2005 3:34 pm

Hi Lanell.

I'm a do-it-yourself kinda person. When I hung my first natural gourds, I strung them on 10-gauge wire that was attached to the bottom of one of my wooden houses. My husband used plastic wire clips that are designed for securing electrical wiring to studs in construction. These plastic wire clips attach with a short screw and they worked well for one season. Exposure to the weather causes them to deteriorate - so, we replaced them the next season.

I have to tell the truth, though... the PMs did not nest in the gourds hanging beneath my houses. It wasn't until I mounted an old umbrella frame to the top of one of the houses and hung the gourds from it, that the martins moved into the gourds. Their preference has been for gourds since then - mine, too...

John Miller · Thu Oct 20, 2005 4:18 pm

Another option. Look in the last issue of Update at page 24 of how they hang gourds from threaded rods at a high school in Texas. This should work under a coates house on a telescoping pole. I suggest 5/16," 36" long threaded rod. You'll need a metal bit to drill through the pole, then secure the rods with 5/16 nuts and washers, and the natural gourds with #10 single strand wire. One also can do something similar with electrical conduit hangers and avoid drilling through the pole -- might not be as secure. Of coursee would be easier to just hang them from house, but I don't think Coates house floor is large enough to avoid gourds bumping the pole. Keep an eye on the weight here -- maybe okay with four natural gourds but I'd be more comfortable with two.

John Miller

rickluc · Thu Oct 20, 2005 5:22 pm

Barnmomg

I'm not sure if this will work on a Watersedge. On a Musselman I took a piece of 1/4 aluminum angle iron about 2 foot longer than the house, one for both sides. Evened it up so about the same amount stuck out on both ends and drilled holes thru angle iron to line up with small bolts holding walls to floor. This got the bracket out so the gourds could hang underneath the angle iron and be aways away from the pole the house is fasten too. The angle iron is light weight but strong. You can hang 4 gourds this way.
I don't know but maybe you could lengthen the angle iron to get 4 gourds on each piece.

Guest · Mon Oct 24, 2005 5:47 pm

Thanks everyone - you all have given me good advice. My husband will have to do the real work here. At least I understand what you are talking about.

Laverne - When you hung the gourds from your wooden house, had you already had martins in the house? Maybe since I didn't have any martins in the watersedge this past spring, they will like the gourds.

I received my 4 natural gourds today and they are great looking. I just have one small question: They came with some dried "lining", if you will, inside the gourd. Some is attached and some is not. I am supposed to clean that out, right? Or maybe when I soak them it will soften and come out. Anyone's help will be appreciated. I will also read the article on the PMCA in more depth about preparing them. They had quite a few dried seeds, also. I have saved those to try my hand at that again.

Thanks,

Lanell

I also have quite a few dried seeds from them. I'll try that again.

Laverne · Tue Oct 25, 2005 8:35 am

Yes, Lanell, my colony had nested in that house previously and that could be the reason they ignored the gourds beneath it. Good point!

As for the natural lining inside the gourds - I removed the loose lining and left part of it that was still tightly attached. I thought about what happens in nature and knew that leaving some of the lining would not matter to the Purple Martins. I was worried when one of my returning pairs claimed the smallest gourd. Then, they laid six eggs in it and fledged six young from it - two years in a row. I have no doubts - Purple Martins "love" natural gourds.

Best of luck to you, Lanell. I am confident that you will have a wonderful colony in your housing one day.

Guest · Tue Oct 25, 2005 9:36 am

Thanks, Laverne. I hope you are right.

Lanell

Guest · Wed Oct 26, 2005 5:40 pm

I have just finished cleaning the outside of my natural gourds. One of them is much harder to clean then the other three. I will continue on that one tomorrow when my arm strength is back I really love the look of the natural gourds. I'm going to take a chance this spring with leaving them natural.

This has been a really fun project and I would do it again if my husband would let me (and he will if we get martins ) Anyway, still have more work to do. Maybe I will get them in the copper sulfate this week-end.

Having a blast!

Lanell