Minimun Number of Gourds. New site

[BrianC]

I grew some Martin Gourds and only about 5 are large enough for martins (9 In diameter) Is this enough for a new colony? Or should I buy some gourds or add a house? This is a new site.

[Craig Haddox]

Brian, I would get a few more gourds and a house if you can. The more options for the females the better. My colony prefers houses over gourds. The gourds do get used but houses usually get picked first. Good luck.

[rrmartins]

Brian, I would get a few more gourds and a house if you can. The more options for the females the better. My colony prefers houses over gourds. The gourds do get used but houses usually get picked first. Good luck.

Craig nailed it.
I would have a house and gourds. The more options you give, the better chances you have. Once you decide and mount them, take some mud and dirty up the porches, entrances, and inside a little to make them look used.
Lots of great info here, just ask. Welcome to the forum.

[John Miller]

maybe disagreeable...maybe need more coffee. There may be value to offering a variety of housing types to start, but a starter rack of five gourds can indeed attract martins, especially if there is a colony nearby. I'd try for a few larger gourds. 9 inches probably is minimum. A few at 10 inches may stand out better to martins flying over. John M

[rrmartins]

I am only stating what I have learned from this forum and what works for SOME people. Are we saying all martins will use gourds if no house is offered?
Not starting anything here, just wondering, I don't want to give bad info. I started mine with a T14 and four gourds under it.

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

I used wooden houses for many years. The martins used them. I then switched to gourds, and the martins had no problem using them.

I started using round holes, and then suddenly switched to SREH, the martins used them.

They will use whatever you put up if they are looking for a home, if your location is open enough without many nearby trees, if your housing is suitable, and if you protect them from predators. The first problem when you put up housing will be starlings and sparrows, then if you get martins you could have a mite problem, then hawks and owls. Therefore to be successful, you must try hard keep the predators away

Back to the gourds, 9in is large enough, I have used many of them. They work very good if you attach a tunnel with a porch. The tunnel makes them safer from owls.

Many people like a house with gourds under it, that usually works good.

Good luck...

[John Miller]

RR Martins

You are correct that the standard advice is to offer a variety of housing types. But more and more I'm observing that a rack of gourds may suffice. (sounds like a Robert Frost poem - ha) I also helped a site in mid-town St. Louis attract two pairs last year to a rack of six excluder gourds -- nothing else, so I'm influenced by my own experience, as we all are.

John

[Matt F.]

[EDIT]I initially missed the point

[Anthony Neira]

Hey John & Matt F., mine 's Big Red soda right now! So, I Just went from 4 Trios & NO gourds (90% filled in '14) on my front side yard, to 7 Trios & 12 Gourds (6, 9"& 6, 11") So far, my first 6 pair are all house PMs , not even landing on the gourds...yet!.. We'll See .. Going to be Veeery Interesting! The S&S have'nt EVEN tried to land/ go inside the swaying gourds!!?!! A Long Long time ago I had both H.&G.s there ( Heath & Nature line) at 50% filled each, hmmm...
P.S, I walked what I'd talked, & put my gourd hanging arms backwards so the hub 's lower nylon buttons don't rub the front side of the pole so much, just my compulsiveness !

[suem]

My best friend lives on Cobb Island and she took me on a road between Buggs Creek and Amish area. There is a farm who sold gourds. This was many years ago but she tells me they still have the sign up. Check out the Amish community and let me know if you need more specific info. I can ask her the road name. Good luck! I started with 6 gourds and now up to 24. Just enough for me to handle.

[suem]

My best friend lives on Cobb Island and she took me on a road between Buggs Creek and Amish area. There is a farm who sold gourds. This was many years ago but she tells me they still have the sign up. Check out the Amish community and let me know if you need more specific info. I can ask her the road name. Good luck! I started with 6 gourds and now up to 24. Just enough for me to handle.

[suem]

My best friend lives on Cobb Island and she took me on a road between Buggs Creek and Amish area. There is a farm who sold gourds. This was many years ago but she tells me they still have the sign up. Check out the Amish community and let me know if you need more specific info. I can ask her the road name. Good luck! I started with 6 gourds and now up to 24. Just enough for me to handle.

[John Miller]

Anthony

I really like the neat and tidy look of your two Trios and the four gourds on on a piece of angle metal.

I've never been happy with the look of he way I hang gourds from most of my housing....have made some home-made brackets this winter similar to this -- and if this Missouri winter ever ends, will try to get some installed and provide some photos. John

[Al Denton]

I started my new beach colony two years ago with 6 Troyer vertical gourds-Conley 2 with porches raised to flush. I got one pair the first year and two last year. This year I'm adding two more Troyer gourds.

[James Rieman]

Great points John Miller and Emil Pampell. You don't need to to have an expensive set up of both houses and gourds to get started and attract Martins. Many people start with just gourds or a house with great success. What is more important is location and management, control of S&S. We are lucky to have all your years of experience here on this forum. Thank you!

[Anthony Neira]

Thanks John, that's the third MPPole I put up near my roof line. This one was too close to the roof edge, & the 2 back gourds scraped the roofs edge. I don't have time to move the round pole that I bolted the square one to, so I got a 48" alum. angle one & unbolted the 2 front original longer gourd arm brackets. 6 drilled holes later, I was happier! Edited; Here's a pic of my new setup as of 2/25.

[BrianC]

Hi Suem,

Great info, I've been over there and have seen some Amish with houses/gourds but I can;t remember where. Can you get more specific info?

Thanks again

Brian in Waldorf, Md

[suem]

Brian- Found out the road is Rt 236 between Rt 5 and 234. Coming from 5 the house is on your right. Hope they have some for you. Let me know if I can help anymore. Susan