Luffa is a versatile plant that can be grown for food or sponges, with its unique characteristics including a sponge, fruit, and flower. It can be grown outdoors against a sunny, sheltered wall or fence, or in a greenhouse. The plant requires rich, fertile soil with good drainage and can grow up to 3 meters in height.
Luffa plants require full, direct sun for good growth, as too little sun will result in large vines with many leaves and flowers falling off just before or after. Young fruit is edible and can be cooked like okra. A minimum of 2g per packet (about 30) is required for the plant.
Luffa plants need two inches of water per week during the growing season, but it is best to water at the soil surface. Fertilizing and pruning are essential for maintaining the plant’s health. Fill a growing tray with well-draining, nutrient-dense soil and place one seed per cell. Mist the soil gently with a spray bottle of water and continue to water.
Once planted, care for loofah plants is simple: fertilize them two to three times during the growing season and train them to grow up the trellis. Sow them indoors from late winter to early spring into small pots of moist seed compost, keeping them at a temperature of 20-24°C. Apply a liquid organic fertilizer every two to three weeks and keep the soil consistently moist.
Luffa vines thrive in full sun, occupying a lot of space and requiring a trellis for support. Plant one to three plants in a hill, spacing hills 6 feet apart. Mulch should be used away from the stem.
📹 HOW to PLANT and GROW LUFFA (LOOFAH), plus WHEN to HARVEST and HOW to PEEL
Best tips for Growing Luffa Introduction 00:00 What is luffa/loofah? 00:50 When do you plant luffa/loofah? 01:03 How do …
Do loofah plants like sun or shade?
Luffa, a slow-growing vegetable, matures well into autumn and requires ample sunlight, hot summer temperatures, adequate water, and well-drained soil. It can grow up to 30 feet in height and can create a natural shade canopy when provided with an overhead trellis. The fruit, which is elongated and light-yellow, attracts bees, ants, and other pollinators. As the fruit ripens, it loses water weight, lightens in color, and hardens.
The shell separates from the interior fibers, and the vine starts to dry. However, waiting too long can lead to overhardening of the outer shell, making peeling difficult, and dark spots can indicate decay when the fruit is left on the vine.
How often do you water a loofah plant?
Luffa plants have varying watering needs, with seedlings needing consistent soil moisture for strong roots, mature and flowering plants needing more water to support burgeoning fruits, and post-fruiting plants needing less water. To avoid overwatering and underwatering, aim for moist but not soggy soil. Use a moisture meter or touch test to ensure you’re hitting the mark. Consistency is key when watering luffa, mimicking a gentle rain to provide enough water to penetrate the soil and reach the roots. Avoid shallow watering, as it can lead to weak root development and a less robust plant. Remember, luffa’s water needs are dynamic and should be balanced with the plant’s life cycle.
How long do luffa plants last?
Luffa are annual plants that live their entire lifespan in one growing season and do not overwinter due to cold temperatures. If frost threatens, cover them lightly at night. Common pests and plant diseases include downy mildew, powdery mildew, alternaria leaf blight, and angular leaf spot. Invading pests include cucumber beetles and spider mites. Crop rotation and avoiding overhead irrigation can help reduce disease spread.
How do you take care of a loofah gourd plant?
Loofah seeds can be grown indoors from late winter to early spring in a warm, well-lit place under cover. Harden off before planting outdoors after frost has passed. For more reliable results, plant in a greenhouse or polytunnel. Water regularly and feed weekly to boost fruiting. Harvest young fruits for eating or leave to mature for sponges. Grow a loofah plant outdoors against a sunny, sheltered wall or fence, or in a greenhouse. Plant in rich, fertile soil with good drainage.
A large, sturdy support, such as a trellis or galvanized wires, is necessary for a 3m height plant. Harden off plants under cover for 10-14 days before planting in early summer. Water immediately after planting.
How can I make my loofah grow faster?
Loofahs thrive in tropical environments with high temperatures and sunshine. To ensure optimal growth, plant them in full sun in a greenhouse or polytunnel. A well-drained, organic soil is ideal for loofahs, as they require ample water and nutrients. Harvesting loofahs is an exciting experience, as they can grow quickly on mature plants but take time to reach maturity. In some regions, loofahs eat young fruits, known as bitter gourds, which are eaten by the locals.
What conditions do loofah plants like?
Luffas are a type of vegetable that thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, with compost or manure. They grow like winter squash or hard-shelled gourds and require ample space for their vigorous vines. Luffas require a long ripening season, lasting 150 to 200 warm days. In northern areas, seeds are typically started indoors a few weeks before planting and transplanted outdoors once the weather is warm and settled. Luffa seeds can be found at local nursery or garden centers, or online from Amazon, Burpee, or the Sustainable Seed Company.
How many loofahs will one plant produce?
Luffa sponges are a popular and sustainable way to reduce waste and produce enough sponges without buying them. Each plant produces several gourds, with each gourd producing 100-300 seeds on average. However, growing luffas is challenging due to a germination rate of 2 out of 3, even for professional gardeners. Luffa gourds typically grow in countries with average temperatures between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius and require at least 200 frost-free days to become compact and firm enough for sponge production.
To try growing luffas, they should be planted in mid-February at the latest to harvest them in late November or early December. A worldwide movement called the luffachallenge, powered by star gardeners on Instagram, aims to create a community that can supply itself with sponges. In February, amateur gardeners’ Instagram accounts were filled with images of luffa gourds growing.
Do loofah plants need to climb?
Luffas are vine plants similar to cucumbers, grown in a structure with full sun and soil moisture. They are easy to grow and can be eaten if young. In summer, they bloom yellow flowers, which bees love to pollinate. Luffas have male and female flowers, and after pollination, little green fruit appears behind the female flowers. They take 90 to 120 days to mature, and they thrive in gardens. They require constant soil moisture, and when dry, they can be watered with a hose. Luffas are easy to grow and can be eaten if the fruit is young.
What do you feed a loofah plant?
Luffa fruits are best harvested young for their ideal texture and flavor, around 3-4 inches long and no bigger than 2 inches in diameter. They develop a fibrous texture and should be left to mature, becoming a multipurpose sponge. Once they dry out fully on the vine and have a crunchy outer shell, seeds can be harvested. Luffa seeds are best enjoyed roasted, and harvested once the gourd has had significant time to dry out on the vine and develop a hard outer shell.
To remove seeds, break off the bottom end of the luffa and shake vigorously before soaking in warm water to remove the hard outer shell. Shake out as many seeds as possible to keep the biggest and healthiest for next season. After soaking in warm water, gently peel away the outer shell for a rewarding and relaxing experience.
Why is my luffa plant dying?
Yellowing leaves and wilting in Luffa plants indicate potential root rot, which is often caused by overwatering and poor drainage. To prevent further rot, prune roots and adjust soil. Symptoms of root rot include visible red lights on leaves and stems, stunted growth, and discoloration and decay. Roots should be firm and white, not mushy and brown, as they are the plant’s distress signals. Discoloration and decay are the smoking guns, while a foul odor is a dead giveaway. Prune roots and adjust soil to treat and prevent further rot.
📹 I Grew My Own Luffa Sponge | Luffa Gourd Harvest & Growing Tips
0:00 – Intro 0:48 – Plucking From Vine 1:09 – Luffa Challenge 2019 2:55 – Luffa Challenge 2020 4:00 – Luffa Growing Tips 6:01 …
Very thorough article, thank you! You just saved me from harvesting too early! I’ve grown luffa a couple times, but now realize I always harvested too soon, making peeling and drying out take forever. We grow luffa for our pet chinchillas. They’re safe for them to consume and chinnies LOVE chewing on them. It’s good for their teeth as well. Luffa is also a great treat/toy for bunnies, Guinea pigs, and birds. A lot of toys are sold in pet stores that are basically just luffa slices and some wooden beads for $30 that the pet will destroy in 5 minutes. This is way more economical and I don’t have to worry about chemicals. It takes quite a while, but it’s worth it!
We grew loofa for the first time this year. We have a palm tree that my husband grew the loofah up and now we have a Loofah Palm. 🙂 We have over a dozen loofah gourds growing on the palm such that they look like decorations hanging from the palm branches. We are in one 9a and so we have a lot of sun and time to grow. We had a blast growing these and it amazes me just how long these vines will get if you let them. Have plenty of trellises for them to climb (even if that trellis is a tree) because they will go nuts. We will definitely be growing these next year. Thank you for the information in the article. Knowing when and how to harvest is welcome information. The first gourds I harvested I allowed to dry on the vine and are a little hard getting the skin off. I am looking forward to implementing the information from this article in harvesting the rest. Thanks for the information and sharing your beautiful garden.
Not sure how well I will do living in MS, however, I want to start a community compost project. I want to provide our neighbors a bucket to collect their compostable kitchen scraps in. When the scraps are emptied into the compost bin I plan to use the loofah to clean the buckets out (using rain water that I have collected of course) for the next person to use. And once the compost breaks down and turns into amazing organic material to use I plan to have a community garden spot. Just an idea I’ve been kicking around.
This article was so good. Everything I needed to know was here. I grew luffa this year for the first time. 1 seed on a whim. It didn’t take off right away, but now, early Novemeber it has gone crazy. Tons of luffa on this one plant. We are having our first frost tonight, but yesterday I saw honey bees on the flowers. I plan to cover the vine with sheets tonight and tomorrow night, but I doubt my luffa will finish maturing. If I get 1 good luffa I’ll be happy. If not, the bees had a good summer and autumn feast and it was fun to watch it grow. Thank you!
I’m so excited to try this! I bought seeds in September and just threw them in to see if anything would happen (no patience really) and they grew quite a bit, so I can’t wait to start them “right” next year. I’m in Arizona too, just out of Sedona so you being in a hotter spot helps so much with actual growing info so late in the year!
Thanks. You provided me more info than other sites. I waited too long on my first pick and the skin was brittle while the sponge was moldy. Now I am off to the garden to see what I learned from you will apply. BTW: My luffas are volunteers growing on tomato cages in a row. The tomatoes died while I was away but the luffas flourished.
I’m learning so much from you! Thank you for being so informative – especially when it comes to growing in the desert! I’m in Chandler, and most YouTube websites (while they’re great) don’t understand how hot it can get…I always get confused when I hear them say “it loves full sun” (but i end up frying my plants bc full sun here is on another level lol) so it was nice to hear “it loves full sun-even here in AZ” 😂 I definitely want to try growing luffa this year!
Oh well…I just bought loofah seeds but I’m in Indiana zone 5b. Even though I live in a very different climate I find your articles to be informative and inspiring! I am adding a trellis (cattle panel) and square foot grid to my raised beds for spring. It looks like loofah would fill one trellis all by itself so best to set that idea aside. Could you tell me how you plant/space winter squash in a square foot grid with a trellis? Thank you!
Thank you so much for this informative article. I live in South Texas and it gets very hot here and I’m glad that these plants love sun. I planted my luffas this spring and already have some nice looking gourds. I planted in planters (no space anywhere else) and trained them over trellises that go over a bench swing. They are doing nicely but I see that the leaves get droopy every single day. We’ve already had some 100 degree days and it’s only May so I wonder if they’ll make it through the summer. Do they require a lot of water?
Hi! I’ve been growing luffa for years, but I have come across a totally new situation I’ve never seen before. I am peeling a completely dried luffa. It’s been drying for more than a couple months in a cool dry place. I snapped the bottom off to first shake the seeds out and there is white cotton like material inside. I assume this is a mold of some kind. Is this harmful? Do I need to dispose of this luffa and it’s seeds? Any insight regarding this is most appreciated. All the other luffas I’ve peeled have been fine.
I am reviewing with the intention of planting some Loofa seeds from last year’s harvest, and wanted to tell you something funny. I guided a loofa vine up my date palm tree, and it wound around the top enough that there were Loofa growing in a way that made it look like I decorated it for the holidays! LOL “Oh, yeah. That is my Loofa Palm!” LOL
I live in central NC and have my first crop of Luffa on a trellis. The leaves are turning brown on the outer edges. My plants are in very large pots and the vines grow up a trellis. I do have several gourds growing but the leaves don’t look very healthy. Do they need a certain type of fertilizer? High in nitrogen maybe? Weather has been in the 90s all June. No rain at all. I water 2 x a day and spray the vines when they look wilted. Any other suggestions for healthier vines?
We have a had a few very cold evenings and forcast says frost the rest of this week. None of my Luffas are “ready”. When i pick them is it Best to peel them and then let them dry or can i leave them in their shell for a bit until they dry out? I’ve watched so many luffa articles and i can’t find the answer – hoping you know what’s best!
I have luffa seeds that I ordered. I soaked them for 24 hours and then germinated in a wet paper towel in a plastic bag. I am going to plant them indoors and I excited to see if I get a good harvest. My concern is, why are my seeds not black? They look like pumpkin seeds but they are definitely labeled as luffa seeds. I will be very disappointed if they are not luffa.
Luffa poem! Oh, the luffa vine, a wonder to behold, With leaves so green and tendrils bold. From tiny seeds, it starts to grow, In warm soil, it finds its flow. With sun and water, it thrives and climbs, Reaching for the heavens, in perfect time. Its delicate flowers, a sight to see, Bees and butterflies, buzzing with glee. As days go by, the luffa fruits appear, Green and slender, growing near. They hang in clusters, like nature’s art, Promising a harvest, a fresh start. With patience and care, they slowly mature, Turning from green to a golden allure. When the time is right, they’re ready to pick, With a gentle twist, they come off quick. Now, the magic begins, as they dry and age, Transforming into luffa sponges, stage by stage. With fibrous insides, they’re tough yet soft, Perfect for scrubbing, exfoliating aloft. So, if you seek a natural way, To cleanse and rejuvenate, day by day, Consider growing luffas, a unique delight, A journey of growth, from seed to light.
My wish is that all gardening websites would be identified by latitude and longitude. Or maybe the city/town/county and state. That way those with very very similar conditions and environment will benefit. All though this presentation is helpful to your neighbors. It’s essentially misleading for those located elsewhere. Specifically speaking to growing and the drying method. It’s not an attack on you. Wish websites better identified themselves.
try young luffa soup. when it’s soft, green and before the fibres develop. the flesh is a soft vegetable. if you harvest it young enough, even the seeds are baby soft. i peel it, chop or cube it, then sautee it in onions, garlic, ginger, an optional bit of meat. add broth. bring to boil. add thin noodles. some people add moringa leaves. yummy healthy treat.
This is so fun! Congrats! I grew my first luffas this year. I live in Redlands, which is about 2 hrs north of you and has a hot inland climate. I started 4 plants in March and transplanted them twice (once into bigger pots because my raised beds weren’t finished yet, and then finally into my raised beds). Those things turned into monsters and took over my garden! I started harvesting in August and the vines are still covered with more gourds; I’m at the point where I’m cutting off the new baby luffas because I can’t handle any more. I think I’m going to end up with about 75 luffas, many of which are over 2 ft long!
I was so happy to see this article. A whole article on luffa. Thank you. I germinated three luffa; gave one to a neighbor, and planted two in large pots which I placed at the base of a wood arbor swing. I remember seeing your luffa climbing a tall trellis in your front yard garden in the spring and felt encouraged to give this plant a strong place to grow. I only got two total sponges to grow from both my plants, but my neighbor reports he got two from the one plant I gave him! Kevin, you encouraged me to keep going when I couldn’t get any female flowers to open, and I’m glad I waited. In anticipation of the fall NJ weather I had to bring in my luffas. Because they were in pots I was able to bring one of the entire plants in, so that sponge is still green and healthy. The second is starting to soften, but thanks to this article, I know now not to peel it until it looks like a banana. I will definitely be growing more next year, so I will follow along with your challenge in 2021. Cheers!
Hey Epic Gardening! Your website is so helpful. I’m 13 years old and decided to grow radishes and beet (People said they grew fast). I planted them. The beetroot germinated, but soon died. I planted the radishes and some of them died, and some of them are alive. I think I overwatered them (I gave them water everyday). I did it because i saw the soil was dry (People said keep their soil moist). Did I over water them or under water? If anyone could respond or even you Epic Gardening it would be helpful 😀
I usually plant these every year, but with Michigan’s weather, tons of rain these past 3 years, it’s been a super challenge to get anything to grow fully let alone to ripen. Thankfull I have new polleninaters this year and it’s fun again . A joy to be in the garden again.🥰 LOVE YOUR website, KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK
Thank you for this article! I just looked up I can probaly grow luffa in zone 6 but we shall see LOL… I tried a luffa sponge to replace my kitchen sponges and end up loving it. TBH they last waaaay loooonger than my dish sponges because they don’t stink up after a long time of uses!~ TBH they don’t scrub as well but it does a good job for everyday dishes.
Plant Daddy !!! Congratulations on your newborn Luffa! 2 years is a long gestation but at least the delivery was quick and painless. How long before Baby Luffa #2 gets her cord cut? Look at all those seeds! Get them planted when the time is right and you’ll be a Plant Grand-Daddy next year. perusal this is the most fun I’ve had in ages!
I love growing luffas! Last year I had roughly 40 luffas and 2 of them yielded a sponge but it was educational. I live in north Georgia and we had a rare freeze in October that zapped the vine. I figure i was a couple of weeks away from a great harvest. I let them hang on the vine until December hoping they would continue to mature but once the vine is zapped they stop maturing. This year i was able to get them in the ground earlier and I’m hoping for a normal freeze. I just wish these gardening websites would announce their grow zone in the description so we can know if we’re roughly starting from the same zone. Besides that thank you for sharing!!
“Let’s go asmr” (N.E.V.E.R stops talking!!!!) “I’ve gotta be quiet” (STILLLLL yammering!!) Lol. Thanks for the article. I didn’t realize how finicky these were to grow. My grandmother used to grow them. She had 8 kids/kid-in-laws and 15 grandchildren and every year for Christmas we ALL got a new loofa and so did her friends in Sunday school and her neighbors, all in a climate that has harsh winters. I just assumed they grew like weeds.
My mother in law grows them in the back yard and has no issues growing them. She gets a huge haul growing them from the ground here in the Houston area. They get to be HUGE. You have to cut them down to 4 pieces. And yes, you shake them and hear the seeds rattling around. Let them dry out a lot more in the future.
I have had fantastic luck with loofahs this year … my first year growing them. I have about 50 growing from four seedlings that took. Two matured and pealed so far. So satisfying. Ideally, everyone will be getting a loofah for Christmas. I hope to make soaps with them too. Then there’s my pumpkins. I’ll be lucky to get two!
the Tags on all my vines washed away (thanks sharpie PERMANANT MARKERS) So I broke leaves and smelled/tasted them to help guess. I thought the huge vine was a butternut squash… but it still hasn’t flowered mid september. Then I remember I planted a loofa too… and they dont flower till days are shorter. My 5’x5′ greenhouse only has 2 sun loving plants in it, and it’s completely full because I trained the vines on the shelves (and out the windows to climb more). Only have one Cantaloupe on the other vine getting pretty big so far but nothing yet on the loofas. I just bonemealed and added a new layer of soil, Fingers crossed they start flowering.
Third time’s a charm I guess, because this year has been the first bountiful one I’ve had growing these. I’ve been growing these on, oddly enough, a north facing wall that only gets direct sunlight until roughly 1PM. I have them growing in a Kratky hydroponic system, and the root system in the bucket is insane. The vines are reaching 15′ at this point and show no sign of stopping. The flowers open around dusk and the bumblebees can’t get enough of them! I have one luffa about 16″ in length. These have been so fun to grow!
I’m so stoked for you!! I totally want to grow my own loofah someday!! It really is amazing that such a tiny seed can produce something so epic!! Also, I’ve personally learned so much from your websites and thank you for the amazing content!! I’m bushing my basil plant out because of you teaching me how to!! 💜💜 So amazing perusal these little leaves grow bigger each day and perusal news tiny leaves come up every few days.
Grew our first luffas in our MG demo garden this year here in San Jose. Transplanted them in late May along with an apple gourd and a birdhouse gourd. Plants have been prolific and we harvested our first 2 luffas last week. Peeling was super exciting, just like you in the article! Looking forward to many more ripening in the next few weeks.
I totally understand your excitement, I also planted one summer 2020 and like you I also transplanted it, it took but was very sad looking, Had 1 flower and a fruit which….yup, you got it. It fell off. Because I live in zone 5a and need to start indoors and not knowing they did not like to be transplanted. I will not give up. Will try again this year but start it in the container that I will just move outdoors. Love your articles.
I started mine inside. We had a hot spring, so I set it out and then 2020 gave us the cold spell… And it sat and sat and sat – I thought it was done for… And then it took off again! I got 5 luffa (2 are 18″, and 3 are 3 ft long!!!). Only the little ones turned color, the big ones stayed dark green. Due to cold temps coming on and having freezing nights a couple times, I brought the green ones in (today) and manually cleaned them out and have luffa. WOO HOO
My first year growing luffa was also a bust. 🥴 I live in Michigan and our growing season is short so I start my seeds inside to give it a head start. I can’t wait for them to dry out on the vine. I do a lot of soaking and cutting the skin off. I harvest about 10-20 luffas a year. The most amazing plant ever.
I saw that article of that eastern european guy with a luffa farm. He grew these massive ones and i believe fermented them in a large cauldron. I had always thought sponges were either artificial or had come from the ocean. Once I realised there was an eco friendly way to make sponges, I became much more open to the idea
I ordered some seeds from somewhere online and a long time later I received a small envelope from China that said “Jewelry” on the label. It was about 20 seeds. I will be taking it to our county ag office to determine if they are really luffa seeds or some crazy imposter seed. Don’t recall who I ordered them from.
looks amazing! I was talking to a grower at the Santa Barbra farmers market who was selling luffas and she said she likes to peel them at this stage, and not completely dry and brown because the fibers aren’t damaged by sticking to the peel as much and its easier to peel. I haven’t grown one yet maybe next year, but I think you picked it at the perfect time. looking forward to the tips and tricks next year. encouraged that you are able to grow it in containers!
I’m celebrating your failure as well as your success; It’s heartening to know that even an expert like you can have challenges and missteps. I’ve been beating myself up for not having all positive outcomes to my garden this year. perusal a article like this, where you admit when things go wrong, coupled with your expertise to correct the problems, gives me hope! Thank you!
We grow Luffa primarily for food. Its young fruits, young leaves, flowers can be cooked in several ways. When we cannot consume all, we just let the fruit mature for seeds, and for fibre production. We use the fibre as a body sponge/scrub when taking a shower or bath, use it to wash and scrub utensils as well. My family in the Philippines have been doing this since 1960s to the present. All organic. No need to buy any kind of inorganic sponge material. Good for the environment.
So cool. I am even more excited to open my luffa. I live in Canada and just barely in an area where you can grow. I started mine insides in Feb when there was snow on the ground. And when the weather got warm I planted outside. I started with 10 and lost 5. They also grew really slow at the start. I got lots and lots and lots of flowers before I finally found now I have about 10 luffa on 5 plants and they are everywhere. 2 are crawling into my pine tree one along my fence. They are taking over the garden so much my husband wants to cut them away. I just want to get to the end and peel my luffa.
I’ve grown luffa successfully for about 8 years now. They take a long time to germinate and they LOVE the heat! They have a long grow season. I’m on the gulf coast of Texas so they do pretty well for me. My only issue is that there is no market for them. I gift them to relatives and friends at Christmas and use them for tons of things around the house.
Congrats Kevin on your tenacity and success!! I have to laugh, because, we all have had a challenging plant that simply won’t work for us and our anxiety is exactly the same. But to have the wrong seed put a years growing opportunity in the toilet is beyond the pale!!! After all, it’s more than enough to deal with weather and pests….but wrong seed? Just too insulting!😬 I look forward to your forthcoming article on luffa growing. Enjoy that sponge!!!!!👍🏻
💚💚💚I an happy for you and your success in growing luffa this year. This is my second year trying to grow luffa as well. It’s late October and I just got male andd female flowers coming in, which I only had a handful of male flowers last year. I’m still excited and keeping hope alive in zone 8A lol. Congratulations 🎉🎉🎉.
hahha congratulations! I feel your frustration and sense of relief when something that doesn’t work out for the first (or several) attempts to grow that finally does. I struggle growing Anything from seed to fruiting…I don’t have a setup to start indoors and I need to work on getting consistent water dialed in out side. With all that said, I finally got a watermelon, some beens and zinnia flowers from seed to grow! I only got 1 melon, and a hand full of beens harvested but several bouquets- small victories LOL
🤣 you are so funny！ great job! The peeling is absolutely appealing! Luff is extremely productive if you get them the right condition! One plant can give you 10-15 large fruits. You need to give it space to crawl and pinch off the main stem when it gets over 3-4feet. Actually Luffa start fruiting when the nights get shorter and the day/night temperature differences gets larger. That’s why you don’t see those female flowers in the beginning when it is still in the mid of summertime. BTW, young luffa fruits are super yummy! Chop that green one up and make a stir fry or soup out of it! You won’t regret!
This article just made me realise how we often take for granted things we get easily. Out here it’s not a challenge to grow luffa, they will just start growing from the seeds from last harvest. We grow them as vegetables and when we get tired of eating them everyday we just leave them out to mature and dry and don’t hardly bother about the sponges. 😳
Dude I 100% identify with your luffa issues! I got my luffa seeds from a Reddit seed swap and had zero germination for months. Finally one single seed sprouted around late July and the vine grew vigorously. Then it produced only male flowers until late September. Now I have one large green luffa and 4 smaller green ones. The vine is dying so hopefully it will start drying out soon! Congrats on finally getting your luffa!!
Totally loved this article and quite hilarious at times. Love your excitement and you tought me about something i never knew grew on a vine. I thought it was man made😂. I have learned so much perusal your website and will use all this info into my garden next year. Thanks. Btw i kinda wanna grow a loofa now😁
OMG! Is there a reason it looks green in some spots when you peeled it? I love how excited you are about this hahaha! For next year, maybe you could grow a calabash? They grow in my home country, but I wonder if they can do well in Southern California? It would also be a thing you can use in the house!
I’ve grown these a couple of times. Both times I planted 1 seed, and both times the vine went absolutely crazy and took over and the gourds were HUGE. Unfortunately the vines always ended up getting infested with cabbage moth & 28 spot ladybug larvae and ended up an ugly mess which I had to rip out… and the gourds ended up kinda nasty from the rain when I neglected to harvest them. Oh well, the bees certainly enjoyed the flowers though haha
I tried last year with some seeds I got from Amazon. I’m in Florida zone 9b. I grew it in a large pot next to hog fencing. It grew, flowered and had a few fruit but when they got half size they started rotting and feel off. I tried to clean the rotten parts off but wasn’t left with much. I tried again this year with the leftover seeds and none grew😞
I Love perusal your articles and learning. I’m a new gardener, so have tons to learn. I’m amazed by this plant. I used to purchase them not having a clue they’re an actual plant!!! By the way I would Love to try to grow some. Where would I find seeds? Thank You so much for all your informative articles.
I think it has something to do with the climate, in the Philippines we grow these vines like grass and if you happen to have planted it near your house’s wall it will cover up the wall so fast if you’re not paying attention to it. The fruit grows humongous as huge as a grown man’s forearm, which also tastes really really good when used on soups especially with pork and chicken. Contrary to the luffa’s texture, if you harvest it while it’s not dry yet the inner texture is really really soft whilst the outer part is almost like a thin layer of chayote.
This was my first loofah grow and I got alot from just 3 plants. However! I didn’t know it takes ssoooo long to grow and dry🤦♀️ I’m in 6b and they’re still growing in my outdoor greenhouse. Thought it would have died by now but nope..theyre still green tho. My question is being that its cold now and the loofahs are still green, would they ripen and dry off the vine/left on the plant till the plant dies from the cold? I guess we’ll find out😆
Thanks for article and tips on growing ! Bit of humor on why should should label your plants. I was certain a plant I was nursing like a baby as a loofah thinking it had such pretty flowers. Well by September with only flowers but no loofah I uploaded flower image into an app and I was growing a Zinna 🤣
I thought it was because of our stupid zone 3 climate – I completely failed in 2019 and this year my starts were great but all died in the raised bed…but now I realize they died because of transplanting and probably our wind at the beginning of the season – Planning on doing all over in 2021 – so glad for your articles to help out!
So I live in New York had to start them indoors started them in December last year it’s not October my vines are huge and just started making fruit, I did transfer from the little disc that I started them in into the ground but it’s my first try and it will be an every year thing because it’s so damn fun!!
I grew over 100 from seed In a green house. I Sold over half and transplanted 1/3. They all died. Too cold. After that frost, we are talking April here in southern Oregon, I transplanted another 1/3 and we got fricken snow. They all died. I waited….. they were in My green house. I transplanted the remaining when the weather got warm and they all took. I have soooooo many. Waiting. It’s October 10,2022 and they are all huge and still green.
Hey Eric – We got some Luffa seeds and I plan to sow them directly into my raised garden bed that gets full summer heat and sun (we live in SoCal as well). Two questions: As you know we can get “May Gray” and “June Gloom” fog in our area, so when would you suggest to plant them? Also, can you just use the same supports as I would for tomatoes or cucumbers (how high should they be), and/or would it be better to plant along a fence where I have a long trellis. Thanks!!
This is crazy, I live in Cincinnati and I grow these like mad! I only grew one vine this year and I have about a dozen and the largest is over 2 feet! Wish I could attach pictures. The bees love the flowers. I have tons of seeds, is there a way to share them? I obviously have some amazing seeds, maybe because I’ve been collecting them for 7 years from my loofah. I’m in zone 6. BTW – I can’t grow zucchini 😩.
I think it’s because you planted in a bag. I tried in large containers and they failed, planted 2 in the ground and vines spread to 15 feet and I got 7 two foot long loofahs (so still not a massive haul), but I think they need the room of the ground to feel they can spread and grow vines as they had 30 flowers every day, but many more male than female.
You crack me up! “This is all I wanted in life!” Man, that’s easy. I was rooting for you until you filmed the unwrapping in portrait mode and then I realized you were a psychopath. LOL!!! Enjoy your loofah! (BTW, what a cool last name. I would love to have a cool name like Espiritu…but I’m stuck with Luna! Still a good one, I guess.)
How awesome! Love it and yes, very satisfying! Makes me feel better that you failed at this a few times, too. I tried it from seed and failed my first time, too. I have some more seed, so perhaps I will try again next year. Right now, it is Collards and Kale for me. Well, actually, it is recliner, an air cast boot and crutches for me. I broke my leg on Monday while out watering our grass seed. 😖 I was wearing old, crappy shoes, and the spongy ground just slid as I was walking. I heard a loud pop and was like….uh oh….can I get up? I did….hurt like @#$%, and proceeded to finish watering the grass thinking it was a sprain. Oh, nope…..the x-ray showed a stable spiral fracture of the fibia (the tiny leg bone). Just another Monday during a pandemic……lol!
I started my Luffa back in June, and I have been banging my head for months. I had all but given up due to female flowers opening weeks before any male flowers. I was getting ready to pack up the garden for the year (as our first hard freeze is tonight) to discover a single young Luffa on the vine. I am trying to keep it safe in my GreenStalk in the garage. Hopefully I can get a Luffa as good as yours.