Loofah sponges are great within the shower and handy within the kitchen, but did you recognize you’ll grow them in your garden? A loofah sponge is that the fibrous interior of a loofah gourd, which are produced on vining plants that are closely associated with cucumbers and squash. Growing loofah gourds isn’t difficult but they are doing need an extended season . I grow them successfully in my short season garden by starting the seeds indoors in mid-spring, giving the plants many sun, and providing consistent moisture during the summer months. If you would like to find out the way to grow this unique – and edible! – gourd, read on.

loofah gourds on a vine

The vigorous vines of loofah gourd plants can get older to thirty feet long. In my northern garden, I typically get six fruits per vine but during a region with an extended season, one plant can produce up to twenty gourds.

Types of loofah gourds

There are two species of loofahs grown around the world: sing-kwa is understood because the ridged or angled loofah and Luffa aegyptiaca, the graceful or common loofah. Ridged loofahs can get older to 30 inches long, although in my zone 5 climate I’ve found 18 inches is more common. The fruits are slender with deep green skin and sharp ridges that run down their entire length.

Smooth loofahs, as you’ll have guessed, have smoother skin with visible, but not sharp, ridges. The fruits also are wider and get older to 2 feet long. There are several cultivars of smooth loofahs including an additional long cultivar with fruits that mature to almost three feet long. It needs an extended season than I can provide so I stick with quicker maturing varieties.

Growing loofah from seed

Loofah, or luffa or loofa gourds, need an extended season and it’s best to urge a start by sowing the seeds indoors. the primary step to success is buying fresh seeds. within the past, I’ve had trouble germinating seeds that were older than two years so I always buy a replacement seed pack each spring.

• Sow seeds five to 6 weeks before you plan to transplant them outdoors. Don’t start them too early as over-mature seedlings won’t transplant well.
• Soak seeds for twenty-four hours before seeding. Begin with a predicament. you’ll also scarify the seeds before soaking by running the edges of the seeds along with medium-grit sandpaper. This thins the testa and may hasten germination. Just a few strokes on the sandpaper is enough.
• Plant the seeds in four-inch pots crammed with pre-moistened seed starting mix. Sow them a half-inch deep. Loofah seeds also can be grown in soil blocks.

Cover trays with wrapping or a seeding dome to extend humidity.

Increase germination rates and speed up the sprouting process with a heating mat. Gourds are heat-loving plants and I’ve found a heating mat to be a game-changer when sprouting seeds. They germinate best when the temperature is about 85 F (30 C). I’ve had loofah gourd seeds germinate in as little as five days with a heating mat and as long as three weeks without. The average germination time is 7 to 14 days.
Once the seeds have germinated remove the wrapping or dome to market good airflow. Keep an eye fixed on soil moisture getting to keep the soil lightly moist but not wet.

Begin feeding when the seedlings have developed their first set of true leaves. i exploit a liquid organic at half the recommended rate. I also fertilize just before I transplant the seedlings.

loofah seedlings

Loofah may be a long-season vegetable that takes months to yield its crop of fibrous sponges. It’s best to offer the plants a start by sowing the seeds indoors or buying seedlings from an area nursery.

When to transplant loofah seedlings to the garden

When the spring weather has warmed and therefore the risk of frost has passed, it’s time to harden off loofah seedlings and move them to the garden. Hardening off is that the process of acclimatizing indoor grown plants to outdoor conditions. Learn more about the way to harden off seedlings during this article.

Because the plants are sensitive to cold temperatures, don’t rush them into the garden too early. By the time I transplant, it’s usually a few week after our last frost date. And for extra insurance, I place a mini hoop tunnel covered in clear plastic or a row cover overtop the bed for the primary week or two. This creates a microclimate round the plants and helps reduce the danger of transplant or cold shock. I’ve got all the small print on using garden covers and creating simple mini tunnels in my book Growing Under Cover. you’ll also cover individual plants in garden beds or containers with cloches.

young gourd in garden

This immature loofah gourd might be harvested for the kitchen or allowed to mature into a sponge.
Finding the proper site for growing loofah

Loofah gourds are produced on vigorous plants which will get older to thirty feet long. It’s important to supply, a sunny spot and encourage fast, consistent growth by maintaining soil moisture and feeding the plants regularly. I give my plants an honest start at planting time by digging in several inches of compost or aged manure.

The plants are robust climbers and happily scramble up or across a robust support sort of a chain link fence, trellis, arbor, garden arch, tunnel, or other structure. It makes an excellent summer screening plant if you’re trying to find more privacy in your yard or adds shade to a pergola over a seating . you’ll also let the plants roam freely over the bottom , but be warned they cover tons of space. They fruits also grow straighter if trellised.

Growing loofah in containers

You can grow loofah during a container but choose one that’s large enough to accommodate the rootball of this sizeable plant. Select a pot or grow bag that’s around 20 gallons or 18 to 24 inches across. Fill it with 2/3 potting mix and 1/3 compost or aged manure. I might also suggest adding some slow-release organic to the growing medium.

A potted loofah plant grows very large so keep that in mind as you select where to put your pot. Ideally, it might be near a trellis or fence, but you’ll let the vine trail over the edges of the pot. Just be mindful it make take over your patio or deck!

Growing loofah plants: summer care

Whether you’re growing during a pot or garden bed, you’ll got to maintain moisture and feed regularly. I check the soil a few of times every week in summer, watering deeply if it’s dry once I insert a finger at the bottom of the plant. Loofah gourds appreciate consistent moisture but don’t want to be sitting in saturated soil. I also apply a liquid organic every two to 3 weeks. If you’re meeting the growing needs of your loofah gourd plants, they’re more likely to pump out many flowers and produce the most important gourds.

gourd flower

Loofah gourd plants have separate male and feminine flowers. to make sure pollination I hand pollinate by transferring pollen from a male flower to a female flower (pictured).

Hand pollinating loofah flowers

Besides watering and fertilizing, there’s another summer task I do to make sure many gourds – I hand pollinate. Why? Several reasons: 1) I sleep in a northern zone where the season is brief. Hand pollinating helps make sure the first flowers produced are pollinated and may become gourds. 2) Local bees and pollinators who adore my cucumbers, squash, and pumpkins, aren’t as keen on my loofah gourd plants. I’ve found if I don’t hand pollinate, I buy fewer fruits.

Hand pollinating loofah gourds is quick and straightforward . you are doing got to know the difference between boy and girl flowers, however (I bet you didn’t know you’d be getting an interview on the birds and bees during this article!) A female loofah gourd flower features a baby fruit beneath the bloom (see the photo above). A male loofah gourd flower has no fruit, just a straight stem.

To pollinate: Use a clean, dry small paintbrush or cotton swab to transfer pollen from a male flower to a female flower. Or, you’ll pick a male flower, remove the petals and press the pollen against the feminine flower. I attempt to do that when the flowers are fresh and recently opened. Once the flowers are produced in abundance in early to mid-summer, hand pollinate a few of times every week .

Pest and disease problems of loofah gourds

While gourds are low-maintenance plants, I do keep an eye fixed out for problems, taking action where necessary. Here are three potential issues you’ll encounter when growing loofah gourds:

Powdery Mildew – This common fungus appears as a greyish-white dusting on the tops and bottoms of leaves. It doesn’t outright kill the plant, but looks messy and reduces the plants ability to photosynthesize. which will reduce overall yield. to scale back the occurrence of mildew , water the soil, not the plant when irrigating. Also, attempt to water early within the day so if water does splash on the leaves it’s time to dry before nightfall. It’s also important to space plants properly so air can flow well.

Growing loofah gourds up a trellis may be a good way to market good air circulation.

• Downy Mildew – This disease affects crops like gourds, cucumbers, and squash and is caused by a fungus-like mold. It mainly affects the foliage of the plants and first appears as small yellowish spots on the highest of the leaves. It’s commonest during times of humid weather and may spread quickly. Eventually, the leaves are covered in yellow lesions, turning brown and crispy. Production is declined. like mildew, avoid watering the foliage of the plant and instead irrigate the soil. Space plants to make sure good air circulation and grow vertically if possible.
• Cucumber Beetles – As loofah gourds are closely associated with cucumbers, cucumber beetles also can be a drag. Not only can they damage plants, but they will also spread diseases. Striped and spotted cucumber beetles are the 2 common species in North America and both chew holes in leaves and eat blossoms. Place row covers or insect barrier netting immediately over seedlings after planting (bonus – the duvet also keeps the heat-loving plant warm). Remove when the vines are able to climb or when the primary blossoms open.

powdery mildew on leaf

Powdery mildew is often a problem on crops like gourds, squash, and cucumbers. Avoid wetting the leaves when watering and space plants so air can flow well.

Harvesting loofah gourds

There are two main times to harvest loofah gourds: 1) as a tender young vegetable for stir-fries and curries. 2) for the mature gourds to be used as sponges. Yes you can eat loofah gourds! The immature fruits are not only edible, but delicious with a squash-like flavor. That said, I don’t harvest the first fruits that develop on the plants for eating. This is because loofah gourds grown for sponges need a long growing season and I want to give those first fruits plenty of time to develop and mature. Once I’ve got a dozen or so set on my vines, I’ll start to harvest newly set fruits for the kitchen. Pick when the gourds are four to six inches long for optimum tenderness. 

After we’ve had a few harvests of baby gourds, it’s time for some tough love. About six weeks before the first fall frost (mid-August in my garden) I cut the plants back to the last gourd that I think still has time to mature into a sponge by the end of summer. Going forward, I also pinch or snip off new flowers that develop. This directs the energy of the plant into maturing the existing gourds, not trying to make new ones. This is an essential step when growing loofah sponges in a short-season climate. 

When are loofah gourds ready to harvest?

If you wish to grow your loofah gourds for sponges, let the fruits mature on the vine. They’re ready to pick when the skin has turned from green to brown or yellowish-brown and the gourd itself feels light when lifted in your hand. In short-season climates like mine, sometimes a hard frost is forecast before the gourds have completely browned. In that case, I pick all of the fruits and bring them inside to be processed. Frost can damage the gourds and reduce their quality.

How to peel and process loofah sponges

Before you can start using your homegrown loofah sponges, you need to process the mature gourds. Here are four steps to cleaning and drying the sponges. 

• Start by removing the skin. The skin of gourds that have browned and dried on the vine is relatively easy to crack and peel away. If the fruits are mature but still green, you may find it easier to hang them for a few days in a warm space to dry a bit more before you remove the skin. 
• Remove the seeds. Mature sponges have dark brown or black seeds in the interior cavities. Shake them out, saving fully mature seeds for planting the following season. To save the seeds, spread them out on a piece of paper towel or paper plate to dry for a week. Once they’re completely dry, store them in labeled envelopes. 
• Once the sponge is freed from the outer skin and the seeds have been removed, use a hose or strong jet of water to rinse it clean. If the sponges are discolored, you can soak them in a 10% bleach solution for a half-hour. Rinse with clean water after soaking. 
• Hang clean loofah sponges to dry in the sun or place them in a warm site, turning often so they dry quickly and evenly. 

Use your homegrown loofah sponges in the bath and shower. Tie a cord to the sponge for easy hanging in between showers. You can also DIY loofah gourd soaps from your garden-grown loofahs. These are perfect for scrubbing dirt-caked hands after a day in the garden. Of course, loofah sponges are also handy in the kitchen for scrubbing pots and pans.