Luffa cylindrica (Sponge Luffa)

**Durgan** · 09-12-2009, 06:17 PM

Luffa cylindrica (Sponge Luffa)
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?AVITH 12 September 2009 Luffa cylindrica (Sponge Luffa)
There are about seven large fruit, but they must dry on the vine before making sponges. The growth has been poor this year due to cool weather and not enough sun. The trellis should be completely covered with vegetation in good year.

**Judi Dial** · 09-12-2009, 10:51 PM

but it didn't work.

Did you know that you can eat young luffa?

Judi

**frugalfranny** · 09-13-2009, 12:10 AM

Thanks Durgan. Have always wondered what they looked like when growing. Have grown other gourds but not those.......they take longer than some I have grown.

What are you going to do with them when dried?

**Durgan** · 09-13-2009, 06:46 AM

Originally Posted by frugalfranny

Thanks Durgan. Have always wondered what they looked like when growing. Have grown other gourds but not those.......they take longer than some I have grown.

What are you going to do with them when dried?

Make sponges. That is the purpose of growing them.

**Durgan** · 09-13-2009, 06:48 AM

Originally Posted by Judi Dial

but it didn't work.

Did you know that you can eat young luffa?

Judi

There a many other plants that are far more tasty. I suppose if one were starving they would be fine.

**pat in east texas** · 09-13-2009, 10:03 AM

One year when we had a huge garden I grew these. It was a good year and we got a lot. Used them for dish sponges, bath scrubbers, veggie scrubbers and it took forever to use them all up.

**Durgan** · 09-13-2009, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by pat in east texas

One year when we had a huge garden I grew these. It was a good year and we got a lot. Used them for dish sponges, bath scrubbers, veggie scrubbers and it took forever to use them all up.

Exactly my experience, the second year they were grown. Out of five years there has only been one that was exceptional. The sponges do last for a long time. I have one in the bathtub which must be three years old. It is a joy making them. I wash them in the automatic clothes washer, and dry them on a line outside. They are perfect if one has vine dried fruit. My season is usually too short;in spite, of starting the plants indoors.

**Judi Dial** · 09-13-2009, 07:04 PM

Got the link to work this time. I wonder what the problem was?

My knowing that you can eat them probably comes from the fact that want to grow plants with as little waste as possible. If I can eat the small ones and then only dry what I need, then I've gotten more use out of my time and money.

Many plants are the same way and I try and use all of a plant that I can: carrot greens, etc. It's a quirk of mine!

Thanks for the pics.

Judi