1. The birdhouse gourds need to be of good size, this will provide plenty of space for soil and provide more stability while on the hanger during any wind and rain.

2. If you have grown your gourds they will need to be given several months to dry. Once picked they will need to be hung or spaced separately in a dry area until they have dried. Alternatively, you can purchase an already dried gourd for this project.

3. Sand the gourds, removing any flaking that occurs during the drying process. I use a ¼ sheet of 180 grit sandpaper and quickly remove any flaking that might cause issues with the paint.

4. Next, you will need to decide the best location for the plant to be displayed from the gourd. Look for wide flat spots that will allow the plant to spread out across the surface of the gourd, this will make for a prettier display.

5. Once you have decided on the location for the hole using a 2 ½ inch hole drill bit to create the opening for the dirt and plant. If you can control the speed of the drill (keep it slow) a drill will work great but if you can’t, use the hole bit and a pair of pliers.

6. If you are using a drill you will need to keep the pressure light between the drill bit and the gourd. If the pressure is too heavy, the bit will bite into the gourd and jerk the gourd from your grip, possibly harming you.

7. The gourd will need several ⅜ inch holes in the bottom for drainage.

8. Now that you have the hole made it’s time to remove the seeds. Some of the seeds will just fall from the hole with no effort but the majority will need to be broken loose, this can be one with a tool or piece of wood.

9. If you are going to paint your gourd now is the time to get your paint ready, you will also need a place to hang the gourd(s) while they dry. If you have a spare closet or shower they can be hung in these places until dry.

10. Once the paint has dried begin filling the gourd with potting soil or compost. Take your time, once the gourd is filled you will want to insert the plant into the gourd. Depending on the container the plant is coming from you might have to reshape the shoulders of the root mass to create the clearance needed to insert the plant. Once the plant is in the gourd fill in any gaps with your growing medium.

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