Things Needed
Tip
constitutive compost may be used as mulch for loofah plant if grass clippings are unavailable . Only loofahs that appear on vines in early summertime will have enough clip to amply ripen , so you wo n’t be capable to relieve every one . Clean the fully mature specimens immediately after harvest or store in a coolheaded , teetotal location until ready to use . If growing loufah sponge as an edible vegetable , harvest them before maturity when the yield is still gullible .
Loofah , also love as luffa or lufah , is the fruit of a tropic vine maturate for use as a kitchen or tub sponge , and in some berth as an comestible veg . Loofah plants require a farsighted growing time of year and may not reach matureness in surface area with short summers . However , they are easy grown and harvest in many temperate climates around the populace . Loofahs are most commonly grown from black watermelon - like seminal fluid , which can be find at garden centers . They are exchangeable to cucumbers in growing habit and take only minimum care to expand in the menage garden .
Step 1
overcharge loufah sponge semen in warm piddle for 48 time of day to speed sprouting . Plant them in peat muckle and identify the pots in a warm , brilliant and damp location . Start luffa sow indoors in spring about three weeks before the last frost in your area .
Step 2
position a sturdy trellis at least 5 to 6 foot high along the back of the planting area , which should have full Lord’s Day and have prolific , well - drained soil . An area along a fence can also be used , as loofah plants ask to climb or they will whelm the garden .
Step 3
Plant loofah seedling 8 to 12 inches apart and water deeply . Continue watering once per daytime until the plant are well establish , and then thin watering to once per week . Avoid overwatering established loufah sponge plant life , as excessive moisture can get beginning disease and poor outgrowth .
Step 4
spread out a 1 - column inch layer of mulch around the loofah plants right away after planting and watering . lead off the mulch layer about 3 in from the radical of each plant to permit way for outgrowth and forestall bow hogwash . apply grass clippings to mulch loofa for the best results and nullify heavy bark mulches .
Step 5
Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer to loofah vines once per time of year when xanthous flowers appear , usually around summer solstice . Water thoroughly both before and after app to prevent radical burn and distribute nutrients throughout the soil .
Step 6
dispatch all the first prime that come out and the first four lateral branches of each works to increase the takings and lineament of fruit . Snip off branches using pruning shear and bump off flowers by pinching them off with your fingers as unaired to the bow as possible . Remove any damaged or spy yield from the vine immediately , as it can not be saved .
Step 7
Harvest loofah sponges when they have age on the vine , usually around the end of fall . Look for lightweight yield with dry , dark yellow or brown skin . Leave the yield on the vine as long as potential , but remove all loofahs directly after the first frost or they will begin to decompose .
References
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