Canteen Gourds

Gourds are very fun and very easy to grown right in your own garden. The vines of them come out lovely to add some spice to your garden and also you will be able to make crafts with them. You can decorate them into a lot of various things. One great craft that you can make from a gourd is a Canteen Gourd.

The first step in crafting your canteen is to pick out the proper one that you should grow. When making a water canteen you will need to grow a gourd with a thick and even shell. The best seeds to choose for this project are the Canteen, Chinese Bottle, and Mexican Bottle Gourd.

Once you have chosen the right ones you will need to let your gourd grow all summer and them pick them right before the fall frost hits. When you pick them make sure that you leave several inches on the stem.

Take the gourd to a dry and cool place so that it will be able to dry out. Make sure you wipe the outside with a bleach solution. The drying will take a month or two to complete. Be very careful when drilling the hole at the top of the canteen not to break it. Take a metal wand or hanger to remove all of the soft material in the inside and let dry for a few days. Lastly you will need to seal up the inside of the gourd with some melted beeswax.

After you are finished you can make a spout at the top for your canteen and add on a strap if you would like to actually use it and wear it around.