Drying Decorative Gourds

[flygirl34q]

Over the weekend, I came across some gourds growing all over the hill in back of the campground in Branson, MO where we were staying. I picked some of them and brought them back home with me with the intention of letting them dry out, cutting a round hole in the front, and then painting them. I've seen these for sale at craft shows and they are super cute! Does anyone have any experience with drying these kind of gourds??

This is how the "birdhouse" gourds looked right after I picked them. The completely dried gourds looked brown on several of the internet photos I saw of gourds ready to paint and decorate. Can't wait to try making one of these... I dragged a bagful of these things home all the way from Missouri!

 

[AuntPeggy]

http://www.amishgourds.com/site/1278922/page/456714

 

[CJones]

My grandad used to grow and hang literally hundreds of the gourds to be used as bird dwellings for the Purple Martin. I was too young to be involved with it, so can't help you out with the process. Those suckers will last a LONG time (at least until they meet their demise via BB gun )