Tag Archives: luffa

Growing Luffas for the Sponges

A long time ago, 2017 to be exact, a fellow seed saver sent me luffa seeds (Luffa aegyptiaca). Although I had been interested in growing luffa for a long time, for some reason I just never got to it. Then it occurred to me that if I don’t sow these seeds, they may no longer be viable.  This year, in April, I sowed the seeds indoors under lights, much like starting tomatoes. Despite being 5 years old, the seeds germinated quickly. I transferred the seedlings into larger containers and moved them outside in May. After they hardened off, I planted them in the ground in my garden in several places.  There are some plants by a low, wooden fence, several are draped over a metal A frame, and one is climbing up a trellis. Luffas are vines with grape-like leaves that need vertical support. Continue reading