The Landings Garden Club

For the Birds

Landings Garden Club Bird House Project

The Bird House Gourd Project was created by two creative Landings Garden Club members, Pat Wolters and Jean Deitch while touring Pat’s backyard bird sanctuary.  Pat heads the Orphan Bird Rescue on Skidaway Island and Jean is former Chair of the Club’s Birds & Conservation Committee.  Jean is always up for an interesting project.  With approval to proceed from the Garden Club Board, Jayne Rogers, Club member and Master Gardener, joined the group and the planning began. Pat and Jayne had grown gourds in the past so the group was enthusiastic but unsure how difficult the project would be in the hot, humid climate of Coastal Georgia.

Seeds were started from both Burpee and an Ohio Amish farm and cared for indoors beginning in January 2020.  In March, a plot at Skidaway Farms was prepped with compost. And forty-five 6-inch seedlings were planted in 8 rows with fencing and stakes for support.  The three volunteers hand watered the plants every other day for the first month until blossoms formed on the vines.  The growth was so fast and furious that the vines topped the 6-foot fence requiring additional arched fences to be added.  Within a month the rapidly growing vines collapsed the arched fencing, requiring a creative support system to be added.  Fertilizer was also added in May, but due to the vine’s prolific growth, the group decided with the advice of Jane Kollman of Skidaway Farms to discontinue future application.  By mid-June 10” gourds were growing, and by early July the stems of the bright green gourds began to brown.  It was time to harvest.

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