tenacity wrote:

So, guys, when these eight million little birdhouse gourds ripen and
fall, what should I do with them? Thanks to all their foliage, I
already have eight million birds!


I don't know what others do, but this is my method:

When harvesting the gourds, be careful not to cut,
scrape or bruise the skin. I harvest them all at
the same time, at the end of the year when the
foliage is dying off.

Put them directly into an area that gets plenty of
air and is not damp. Basements are out, attics and
sheds are good.

Sit the gourds on newspaper (or alternately, hang
them) so that none are touching.

Forget about them.

Come back next spring and they will be dried out
and covered with a blotchy, black-and-grey mold.
Unless you're doing some artsy-fartsy thing with
them, you'll want to remove this mold by wiping,
sanding, washing, etc. (I've tried them all, they
all work with different results). You'll be left
with a beautifully patterned gourd, dried and
ready to carve.

Enjoy!

-Kays