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too thin will be flimsy and will not hold up well against the elements. The general shape of the gourd is entirely up to you.

When your gourd has fully matured, you need to cut the stem. If you plan on hanging the gourd from the stem or vine, make sure that you leave 3-4 inches to secure your hanging wire to. If you purchase your gourd, you obviously will have less control over the length of the stem. However, many people choose to hang the gourd by drilling a hole in the upper portion and threading wire through it. This way will actually most likely make your birdhouse a little sturdier. In this case, the length of the stem is purely aesthetic and is completely up to you.

To begin the drying process, place the gourd in a warm, dry place where there will be good air circulation. There is no definitive timeframe for how long the drying process will take, but it typically requires several months. You can tell when your gourd is dry by shaking it. If you hear a rattling sound, which is the seeds and other debris bouncing around inside, the gourd is ready to be transformed into a cozy home for our little feathered friends.

At this point, your gourd isn't going to look very attractive. Residue will accumulate on the outside skin of the gourd as a natural part of the drying process. Don't fret over any moldy or discolored areas as they are unavoidable and are not a sign that anything is wrong with your gourd.

That being said, we still want to get rid of all that junk that is jeopardizing the appearance of the gourd. Doing so is quite easy and requires only a steel wool sponge and a bucket of warm, soapy water. If you don't have any steel wool, it can be purchased for a few bucks at your local grocery store.

Letting your gourd sit under some light running water for an hour or so (an outdoor sprinkler works great), will help loosen up the residue, making it easier to remove, however it is by no means a mandatory step in the cleaning process. Don't worry this amount of exposure to water will not soften or ruin the gourd in any way.

Fill your bucket with warm, soapy water, submerge the gourd and start scrubbing away. Try not to be too rough, but some of the residue may take a little elbow grease to loosen up. You may want to wear a pair of rubber kitchen gloves to protect your hands from the rough steel wool. Don't try to remove every single blemish. Some of these imperfections are discolorations of the skin and will not come off regardless of how hard you scrub. If you plan

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