I grew a ton of birdhouse gourds this year that are currently sitting on a rack to dry (or rot if I’m unlucky). If everything was easy to grow as gourds! I figured I’ll try making a Purple Martin colony. Anyone have experience with these to share?
I’ve done some reading on the topic and I’m currently putting together my mental blueprint of what it’ll look like. I don’t expect a ton of pest control from them, but it’ll be a fun project if they show up. There are currently Tree Swallows nesting in this area and Barn Swallows nearby, so we’ve got a good population of swallows passing through.
I made a bunch years ago ,the martins never moved in.
I think I am just out of their flight path and they never found the gourds.?
May be just as well. I hear they eat bees, and I keep bees !
Make sure they are dry befor making holes.
A hole saw really helps
Then pressure wash inside ,let dry ,and paint .painted ones lasted longest.
Pouring paint inside to coat the bottom ,and let in drip out the drain holes
Now I use them for other small birds in the orchard.
Seems like if they are hanging by a wire ,swinging around, some birds won’t nest in them, iam guessing they think it’s going to fall down.
So I just put a small branch through the hole were the wire would go.
And leave them on the tree
