I decided it was time to put the last of the birdhouse gourds to use. They have been hanging up in the garage drying since last fall. This is a great project to entertain the kids.

You’ll know the gourds are ready when they have become lightweight and you can hear the seeds rattling inside. I will usually wash them in a light soap solution. It is then just a matter of cutting a round hole in the gourd using a utility knife, jigsaw or other tool you may have for the job. After the seeds are cleaned out of it you can simply hang it in a tree or other suitable location. I just drill a small hole through the top of the gourd and put a wire through for a hanger.

The kids may enjoy researching birds in the area and learning the best placement for the house.

Other possible ideas: I have used misshapen gourds as scoops for watering in the garden and feed scoops for our pets. They can be painted and used as decorations as well. A coat of sealer will keep them looking fresh.

I’ll see you in the backyard!

This is a great project that even the kids can help with. My kids enjoyed helping me with ours and it cost me absolutely nothing out of pocket.

I made a planter out of a piece of log that came down in the recent thunderstorms and high winds. These are easy to spot after a storm and you can usually get them for the asking out of someone’s yard. Such pieces come down in the storms because they are the weakest parts of the tree. Look for hollowed ot logs, split logs or even solid ones filled with woodpecker holes.

Find a place for your new planter and place it there. You can even drill additional holes in the log with a large wood bit. Fill all the holes in the log with soil or a soil/compost mix. Water it well to allow all the soil mix to settle and add more if necessary.

When the planter is ready you can add plants to it. I added some grasses and two types of vines. These were left over from my landscape on a budget project. I had taken them out of the existing landscape and have been looking for a spot for them. Just remeber to keep the planter moist until all the plants are established.

Planters such as these will last quite a while. Just be certain you are happy with the location, as moving it is nearly impossible later. As the log breaks down, it will crumble if you try to move it. But left alone it will look good for many years.

I will try to post some pictures once my planter has established for a few weeks.

I’ll see you in the backyard!

I recently finished one of my favorite projects. My gourd arbor has been planted.

It consists of two large pots planted with birdhouse gourds. As the seeds sprout and begin to grow I put a large cylindrical cage inside each pot.

The cages are made from chicken wire formed into a tube. I use cable ties to secure the wire to itself to hold the tube’s shape.

When the tubes are placed in the pots a cross brace placed between them forms the top of the arbor. Anything will work as a cross brace. I like to be creative when making the top.

If the wire tube is too short a second tube added to the top will make it taller.

As the gourds grow they will fill the cages. It doesn’t take much encouragement for the gourds to find and cross the top of the arbor. It looks wonderful to see the gourds growing across the top and sides of the arbor.

The only real maintenance is keeping the pots well watered and occasionally redirecting a vine where you want it.

In the fall you’ll harvest your gourds. After they’ve dried they make wonderful birdhouses and other craft projects. I even use them as water scoops and feed scoops.

I’ll see you in the backyard!

This is my favorite part of the spring season.

My garden is nearly all planted. All that is left are the pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn and a row of sunflowers.

The landscape project I was working on has been completed.

Now I have time for the fun stuff. Watching it all grow!

It is also time to begin the smaller projects, I’m planning an arbor to grow birdhouse gourds on. I want to build a raised bed to plant more raspberries in. I’ve also been working on a couple of rain barrels. I have lots of project ideas.

I’d better hurry before the weeds start to grow!

I’ll see you in the backyard!

I just completed building and installing a trellis in my front landscape. This is a part of my ongoing landscape on a budget project.

My total cost for this project was absolutely nothing.

I had a small pile of boards from a piece of stockade fence stored behind my garage.  Three of these boards were used as the uprights. Two more were cut in half and used as cross braces. The boards were screwed together to form a trellis six feet high and three feet wide.

I dug three small holes to anchor the trellis. A used fence post I had on hand was driven in behind the trellis for extra support. The stake was secured to the trellis.

Morning Glories and Sweet Peas were sown around the base.

This is an easy project with wonderful results. Re-using the boards gives a weathered look. This project doesn’t even require a tape measure. Any cuts  or uprights that are crooked seem to add to its charm.

When renovating or adding to a landscape, the goal is to make it look like whatever was added has always been there. This project accomplishes that.

I’ll see you in the backyard!

I noticed today that the Austrian Pines are beginning to drop their cones.

These are wonderful for holiday decorating. They also work well as bird feeders when packed with a peanut butter and seed mixture.

Now is the time to collect them and store in a dry place. They will be ready for you when you’re ready to decorate.

I’ll see you in the backyard!

Welcome to The Backyard Gardener. I hope you will enjoy this as much as I enjoy writing it.

My goal is to help everyone get the most out of their gardening experiences. It doesn’t matter whether you are growing vegetables or plants, wondering what perennials would work best in that shady spot, or have other questions about anything else; I’m here to help.

Here is a sampling of things I’ll be including:

• At the Garden Gate (page) – To answer your questions and offer helpful tips
• In the Shed (category) – Covers hand an powered tools; includes tips for care and maintenance, and purchasing suggestions
• Birds and Bees (category) – Here you can read all about beneficial insects, birds, and related items

There are many things I hope to cover throughout the year; but much will depend on your questions and requests.

Spring is upon us, so I’ll begin with typical springtime projects. When summer arrives, I’ll cover ways to get more abundant harvests from our gardens. As fall approaches, it will be time to harvest the last of our plantings, and hope to extend the growing season as long as possible. That will also be the time for lawn and yard cleanup, and preparing our tools for winter storage.

I hope to finish the year off with topics such as: choosing and caring for a live Christmas tree; decorating; and gift ideas for the gardener.

I’ll see you in the backyard!