merce3

luffa? Luffa - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

i just had someone give me some seeds so i have 6-7 sprouted... i always thought they were some type of sea sponge.

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pmurphy

I tried growing them a couple of years ago but even with starting them inside in late winter, they needed a really long growing season. By the time the weather was turning cool they were just starting to produce their 'luffas' so all I got was a couple of golf ball sized fruits.
.....I might try again in the fall to see if I can get something well advanced for next spring

RogerEvenBove

Luffa. I did rather badly on these until last summer. I planted the seeds in the ground in a small area where I grow squash and, I wish, edible gourds and I let them climb on a lattice. The Luffas managed to hide their fruit rather well so they were long past the edible stage by the time I found them. The consequence is that I have two 18 inch fruits drying in my storage area and no idea how to make them into sponges. I gather that I should have peeled them at the end of the summer. Of course almost none of the squash produced.

from the sea

When they dry all the way out the skin brakes off and you have a sponge.

my buddy's mom grows them and they do ok, and each year is better, I just toss the seeds out of them back on the ground and they pop up in spring.