Rocky Mount Gourds & Treasures of Louisiana

I hope we are all following and waiting for the arrival of the Purple Martin Scouts.  I am thankful they are not here yet, a couple of hundred miles south at Baton Rouge at last report.

There have been years the Martins have arrived and there has been a hard freeze here at Rocky Mount.  I don't know how, but they made it through the freeze.  I have heard of years in the northern areas that thousands of Martins did not make it because the freeze was too hard and too long.

Don't forget to keep watch on the Purple Martin Conservatory for updates on where they are seen.  If you see any Scouts, it is a good thing to report them on the website so they can keep track of them.

This is the wagon wheel where we first had our Martin Houses, next to it you can see where we have started the new line going to another pole.  I know one gentleman up north that has some 800 Martins each year, we only have about 50.

Hope you all are safe and stay warm.

The Gourd Lady of Rocky Mount

It is still too early for most of us to start planting in our Gourd Patch, but, there is still time to start new gourd plants indoors for a head start.  Peat pots or small pots with a starting mixture may be used.  If you have a green house, this is great, but you may start them indoors in a well lighted location too!!

One year I started about 1,000 gourd plants in my small 8' x 12' greenhouse, for which I am very thankful!

 Just make sure you are using sterile potting mediums, as it will not have diseases or pests hiding inside.  Yes, gourds are very prone to diseases and pests, especially the more you grow them in Louisiana!!

 In the mean time, if you have any gourds around you may want to start creating!!  Children usually love gourds too.

For now,

The Gourd Lady of Rocky Mount

If you are having trouble attracting Purple Martins to your current habitat and you have had Martin box type houses in the past you may want to try gourds and creating a new habitat.  Often predictors have invaded the habitat and the Martins will not return.  I have two neighbors that believe a snake was in their Martin Box and they are trying Gourd Martin Houses in hopes the Martins will return.

If you have access to large gourds, the preferred hole size for Martins is 2-1/4", and no perch.  The Martins love the swinging motion in the gourd.  I love to look out on the line with 20 or more Gourd Martin Houses and they are swaying with the wind.  We also have Gourd Martin Houses on our site here at Local Harvest.

 Until tomorrow, happy "sky watching".

The Gourd Lady of Rocky Mount

As we all know it is time to get ready for the Purple Martins arrival.

This is a wonderful and exciting time getting up our Gourd Martin houses and watching for the first arrival Scout!! 

If you would like additional information the Purple Martin Society is a great website to check out!!

 It turned cold today, in the low 30's, but that will not stop the scouts.

Keep looking, i usually hear them and start looking!!

Susan