I've been grwoing gourds for about 25 years. The very best way to dry them is to just leave them on the vine well after a frost. I understand you most liklely have snow so after a frost kills the vine and before snow and a hard freeze, cut the stems as long as possible and hang them somewhere where they will not freeze...good air circulation is vital....keep them dry, warm and in a few months you'll hear the seeds rattle. They are ready to use. If the seeds don't rattle they are not cured and if cut into they most likely will rot. They might get mouldy but this won't hurt them one bit, don't discard them if they get moldy, it will dry and wash off when they are totally cured.....
I have a large amount of bushel basket, pengin and canteen gourd seeds, if any one is interested, I'll send them out to you for postage....
Gourds are so fun and useful for so many things. My birds love them.
arkiema

Arkiema,
Tell us how your birds love your gourds, please!

In peace from Iowa,
Elle Jaye

I made the mistake of buying a bunch of large swan gourds so I could dry them. The lady had cut them off the vines way too early and at the time, I questioned her about that. She assured me that it was no problem and they would dry just fine.

Well, all of the necks have rotted through. I am wondering if the chickens would like to eat the seeds and flesh of the bottom that isn't rotting YET???!

Elle Jay, I use them for nests and winter houses. The squirrels often are a bit destructive but even the ones they ruin are often used for mocking birds.
I put up some at 5 ft on trees and fence posts for blue birds and others higer for sparrows, towhee's and the tufted titmouse. have even had some robins use some that were broken that I nailed to the crotch on some red bud trees.......be sure to put drain holes in those.

Roberta the squirrels will love the seeds, my chickens don't seem interested. If the seeds are loose, you may be able to salvage them for future grouds if you dry them in the sun. Yes, sadly any green grouds that are cut into (one person here sells them with screw eyes in the top and he makes good money from future rotten gourds) will rot rather than ripen.......screw eys are fine, after they are dry.

The garden web has a wonderful gourd fourm also.

arkiema

Arkiema, do you put anything on your gourd birdhouses to preserve them? How badly do the squirrels attack hanging gourds?

Arkiema...I would so love some of the gourd seeds you spoke of in earlier post...just let me know how to go about getting them...thanks so much

Arkiema do you still have any gourds? I purchased my first swan gourd this weekend but unfortunately his neck broke off (I almost cried) I am in Kentucky.

kycat48 can u still use the gourd for a birdhouse even with the neck broke off. My neck fell off of mine and I dont want to throw it away it is still so pretty