Gourd Crafts

More Information

Dried gourds have both an interesting shape and hard woody texture when dried, making them a long lasting durable material to decorate for projects such as bird feeders, houses and much more!

Learn how below!

Harvesting and Drying:

Break the gourds from their vine once they have matured and turned a tan brown. Leave 3 to 4 inches of stem on each gourd. Clean the surface of the gourd with soap and water, and dry it off with a towel. Apply a light coat of rubbing alcohol to help speed up the drying process. Set the gourd out to dry for a week, in a warm, dry well-ventilated spot, and in indirect sunlight. Place the gourds in a single layer in a dark, well-ventilated area for six months. There should be room left in between the gourds to help the air flow around them. Turn the gourds every other week to prevent uneven drying or any rotting. If a gourd develops any moldy spots, remember that this is just a natural part of the drying process, and wipe off with soapy water. After about six months shake your gourds, once you hear the rattle of the dried seeds your ready for decorating.

Preparing for decorating:

You can use drills, keyhole saws anything really sharp to make holes or to carve a gourd. Be sure to wear a mask and protective glasses as the gourds will be very dusty inside.

If the hole you’ve cut is small, you’ll need to remove the membrane and seeds with a wire coat hanger or a long-handled metal spoon, the bigger holes allows you to just shake out the insides.

Lightly sand your gourd, using sandpaper or steel wool – this will process with help your paint adhere, also giving a shine to the outside. Now paint, decorate – use your imagination! An acrylic craft paint will probably work best, once complete use a protective clear coat on your painted gourd, such as varathane, this will protect your paint from the outdoor elements.