I am growing luffa for the first time and this video has given me the most and best info I need to grow them. So many videos are full of a lot of blah blah blah, so thank you for staying on topic and just sharing your helpful knowledge on the luffa. :)
I am growing my first loofah plant! It’s taller than my tomato cage I have over it and I’m just waiting for flowers to appear. Your video was VERY helpful!🌱
This was an incredibly helpful video! We are hopefully getting our first Luffa starts from a local gardener later today, so we went in search of “how to videos” and found yours. My 13 year old son and I are now super excited to try growing this plant! Thank you.
So glad you found it helpful! These are such a fun plant to grow. I hope you and your son have an amazing growing season and harvest a bunch of wonderful sponges!
Oh my goodness. I wish I had watched this video months ago! I didn't soak my seeds, transplanted my babies TWICE before planting outside, unfortunately we had a late frost and I really thought I lost my 3 plants. My girls took off! I harvested one loofah in early August and now all of a sudden i have 9 HUGE loofahs! I'm so excited to grow more next year the right way!!!
It's crazy how they suddenly start producing just when you think the season is coming to an end haha! Every year is a learning experience. If you don't get loofahs, you still get lessons to be able to grow even better next year. And it sounds like you're gonna get some great loofahs this year too! Thanks for watching.
Your cow panel trellis is the best idea. I attached 2 and the luffas are everywhere!! The ones laying on the ground tend to rot. Have a double length cow panel trellis (roots &refuge trellis video),has been perfect the strong vines carry the weight perfectly. Enjoyed the video. Thank you. My 1st year growing Luffa
Due to slow process, I went ahead and planted 3 more seeds.. now it’s looking like over 50 luffa. What an overload!! I love not worrying anymore. Oct/Nov/Dec harvest ? I’m in South Carolina, warm weather….super excited
This is the best video! Thank you so much for this! I'm a pretty new gardener and soap maker and I can't wait to grow my own next season to incorporate in my soaps :)
very detailed and informative video on how to grow and succeed with loofa. i'm starting the experience this year, hoping that summer temperature will not hit the max 40deg C++. Many thanks from Algeria
Outstanding video!! This is my first year growing them. I live in Montana so our growing seasons are really short. Last frost date is in June!! The seedlings are about 2" tall right now, hopefully they'll survive until I can get them outside.
So glad you enjoyed! It's crazy how the growing seasons vary in different parts of the country! But I have seen many stories of people harvesting loofahs in short growing seasons. Sometimes it requires a bit of extra creativity, but it's so worth growing this fun plant. Hoping for a successful first year for you!
Thanks for sharing! I've been interested in these for a few weeks. Just got some seeds for next year, from Menards! They had a sale so they were only a bit over $1!
Sounds like a great deal! And once you grow your first loofah, you'll have more seeds than you know what to do with and will never need to buy seeds again haha If you've got enough, I'd start a couple seeds outdoors now just to see how far along they get. Not sure how long you have until first frost, but getting a feel for the vines (albeit late in the season) can be great hands on experience even if you don't have enough time for loofahs to ripen. Plus, they're just fun to grow! Whatever you decide, hope you have a blast growing loofahs!
@@CraftersAutonomous hah! Yes, I've heard about all the seeds they produce. Luckily I've got gardening friends and local seed giveaway spots! I think I've got around 90 days till frost, and no place/trellis to grow them on prepared this year, so they'll probably wait till next year. I am definitely worried about deer eating them all, where I'm planning to plant is right where they go thru..
@@heyits_cat8966 Your mileage may vary, but I've found loofahs to be one plant the deer won't touch. Every few years, one comes along and nips off a couple leaves. But given the high deer population in my area (very rural) and their tendency to snack on plants right next to the loofahs, I've found them incredibly deer resistant! I wonder if it's the flavor or something? haha
I have solid red clay and the only area in my yard that gets enough sunlight is where I haven’t done any soil amendments so I either have to just plant it (about 6 weeks old now and 2 feet tall in a pot) in a sunny spot or plant it in a spot that gets a good bit of shade but with better soil. I think imma plant it in a spot that gets sun, some shade, clay soil but just break it up with post hole diggers and pour some perlite and potting soil in the cracks and just just hope for the best. Also planting it at the base of a dead evergreen tree with just bare branches. I think it’ll grow up it nicely.
That sounds like a great plan! I've had pretty good results growing loofahs in hard red clay. The biggest drawback is they sometimes take longer to adapt simply because the soil is so compact. It takes the roots more effort to push through the hard soil. But in the end, I've gotten some really nice loofahs that were planted in unamended, red clay! Breaking it up with the post hole digger sounds like a good plan too. Hoping you have a fantastic growing season and abundant harvest!
I am in zone 7b as well. I hope the plant them out pretty soon but tomorrow is supposed to be 85 so I think that’s a little too hot. I actually only have 2 vines
Hi! Thank you for making and sharing this detailed yet entertaining video. I'm trying to grow this, too and it is my first time, however, it looks like mine isn't going to reach fruiting (stage) due to (probable) diseases from other plants surrounding it. It is currently yellowing (referring to some leaves) and some are already dry and brown, so I'm guessing it is on the verge of dying. I'm sad. I started planting this October of 2023. I'm from the Philippines and Luffa, we call it "Patola" locally, is one of my favorite vegetables. You might want to do some research on how to cook it the Asian way. I believe it is widely used in many Asian dishes. You might want to try some Filipino dishes with it, too!
Aww I hope they pull through! If the leaves that are yellowing and dying are closer to the roots, I wouldn't automatically assume the whole plant is dying. I have found that as the season progresses, some of the earlier growth does die off. I think it's just a matter of the plant wanted to funnel resources to producing fruit. Do you have any loofahs forming yet? If so, I would keep an eye on the plant and see what happens. Sometimes these plants will surprise you! Also, thanks for the recipe suggestions!
You can stir fry and make soupe with ground pork and vermicelli as in Asian/Chinese recipes. Same as the calabash gourdes. Funny you eat it raw. Would let it grow bigger like a big zucchini but still pick it while green color and without seeds. Liked your video, liked how you showed your results. Seeing is believing. I did not know how the luffa would grow in the US. If it grows that well in your zone 7, it will do as well in my zone 8.
That sounds so delicious! I appreciate the info on when to pick for eating. It's so fun learning about plants from around the world and how they're used in other culture's cuisine.
I've grown loofah successfully for years in Illinois (northern part) and Ohio! Each year the seeds adapt better. I love growing loofah! And I love the challenge!
I need help understanding why my female “sprouts” turn yellow and die before they even have a chance to bloom. Any idea on the whys? I have 4 large loofa but all the new possible fruits just are not making it. :(
This is something I've struggled with too, and while I haven't quite solved the problem, I do think I know who the culprits are. First is the weather. I find that if I get too much rain or a week of super hot dry weather followed by a week of intense rain, the baby loofahs turn yellow and wilt. The second cause could be nutrient deficiency. I've heard this from several other growers, and have heard some success stories once they figured out what the plant was missing and supplied it. I've played around with fertilizing a little bit, but haven't made much progress in this area haha Usually what I find is during the first several months of growing, whether or not the fruit will develop into a loofah is hit or miss. But then towards late summer, the plants start producing loofahs like crazy. I don't know what growing zone you are located in, but where I'm at, it can take until August before the loofahs really start putting out viable fruit. Usually any female loofah buds that pop up before then turn yellow and wilt, with an occasional loofah starting to grow. Not sure how helpful this all is, but it might just be a matter of the weather hitting a sweet spot for the loofahs to start setting fruit.
I have the same issue. One day, I see the flowers as if they are getting ready to open, and then they wilt before they open. I'm still not sure why. I have spotted one tiny gourd.
I usually don't prune or cut the loofahs. But if I were to cut them, I would treat them more like cucumbers and make them be single leader vines. Meaning, have just one main vine and cut off all the other "branches". But they are in the same family as pumpkins, so cutting the fourth leaf might give good results too! Thanks for watching.
Brilliant video! I’m growing luffa in clay soil in south Spain zone 9b. My plants are in full sunlight 9hours a day and dappled shade in the evening. We have 100F and months without rain. I’ve been getting wilting leaves so have been watering each plant about 2 liters (2 quarts) each week. They stop wilting for a day or two then the leaves wilt again. I’m scared to drown them because of the clay soil(amended with aged compost before direct sowing) but do you think I should water more often? Can’t see any bugs on the leaves. Thanks for any tips you can give me…
If I had to guess based on the info provided, you may be dealing with mid-day wilt. Basically, it gets so hot the sun sucks the moisture out of the leaves. Since moisture in a plant creates turgor pressure to support the plant, it gets droopy with insufficient water. If there seems to be no other damage and they always perk back up after watering and when the sun goes down, I'd say there's a 95% it's just midday wilt. In that case, absolutely water frequently. I find they tend to do better with overwatering vs underwatering. As much as these plants love the sun, heat can really make them react. I had about 3 back to back weeks in the middle of July where the temperatures were intense and we were impacted slightly by the Canadian wildfires. I watered multiple times a week during that time because the heat was getting to them. This year my plants are in a raised garden bed with loose soil. In past years, I've planted in our hard red clay soil, and the increased watering helped even with the soil being clay. Personally, I don't measure how much water I give at once, I tend to take a more haphazard approach haha. So I can't give specifics on exactly how much water, but I can say if they go through mid day wilt it's not a bad idea to give them even just a little bit of water every few days. Hope this is helpful! Wishing you a wonderful growing season.
Thank you for shareing information! I leaned a lot from you. You may have already asked similar questions, but I would like to know about fertilizer for loofahs. I heard that 1-2-2 or 5-10-10 is a good fertilizer, but what kind of fertilizer did you apply and how after? Thank you !
So I have been very haphazard with my fertilizer usage 😅 I'm in a couple online forums about loofahs, and many people in those groups report good results using bone meal fertilizer and fish emulsion fertilizer on their loofahs. I've heard of others fertilizing on a schedule once a week to once a month. But I don't have much personal expertise with fertilizing my loofahs. But those who do all say they noticed increased yields once they started fertilizing. Hope you have a great growing season!
I'm curious if loofah gourds would benefit from a yeast spray like cucumbers do. I don't know if anyone has the answer, lol. I'm just speculating and wonder if I shouldn't make up two batches when I feed my cucumbers next week....Also thank you for mentioning the ants! I tried (and failed) with loofah gourds last year and noticed numerous ants spaced out on the vines in little clumps...I had NO IDEA what to do if anything. Lol. I chose to do nothing but always wondered if they were the reason my vines stayed so small. Apparently not, I think it was just because I planted late and didn't realize they grew so slowly. Thank you! I'm taking notes from your video and hopefully it will help me succeed this year.
I've never tried with the loofahs, but that would be a fun thing to experiment with! I think they are in the same family as cucumbers, so I would imagine the odds of it helping would be pretty good. Loofahs can be a little fickle at times, but once they decide to take off it's fun to watch them grow! Wishing you a bountiful loofah harvest this year.
There could be a number of factors, but generally if my loofahs are looking kind of puny from the get go (small, yellowish leaves; thin, leggy vines, etc) it's often the result of weather. I've had a rough go of it this year because we had cooler than normal temperatures coupled with excessive rain. My initial planting did very poorly. Now that we are in hotter weather, my second planting, along with several volunteers, has taken off! I'll be pushing it a bit as far as the first frost goes, but I'm thinking I should still have time to get a good harvest from the ones that just sprouted this month. Other factors could include water (too much or too little) and soil composition. But the years I have a harder time growing them it always comes down to the weather not being ideal for these plants. I hope you are able to have a good growing season regardless! Remember there's no such thing as failure when growing these plants - you'll either get loofahs or lessons for next year! haha
They do not. A freeze will almost always kill the plant. Sometimes they can withstand a light frost. (I painfully experienced this last year when a light frost turned into our first hard freeze of the season and I lost a vine with 25+ loofahs 😭)
I have a big problem. I started my loofah seeds in my arrow garden. They are long already at least several feet and the roots look good but what I didn’t know is they don’t like to be transplanted. The good thing is that a little bit of the root is in the sponge, so those won’t be disturbed much, but the bad thing is I will definitely have to transplant them so do you have any recommendations on how I could transplant them without killing them I also have large grow bags that I could use and cut holes in the bottom so this way they could have the best of both worlds we have a lot of trees here so even in the garden there are definitely tree roots, but I have enough space where I could cut them a nice hole in the ground. Any recommendations on how I could transplant these without killing them since I started them hydroponically
It will require a bit of patience and creativity, but there's decent odds you can transplant them successfully! If the sponge is able to be planted directly into the ground with the loofah, I would definitely leave it attached. 1. It will lessen disturbance to the roots & 2. It will support the roots in their new environment. Another thing that could work in your favor - your vines sounds like they're well established. I've found that more mature vines tend to handle the stress of transplanting better than younger plants. With all that said, they get VERY dramatic when moved to a new environment. Here are the steps I would take if I were in your shoes: 1. If your hydroponic system is indoors, try to harden them off before directly planting. I'm not sure what your setup is like, if you'd be able to move the hydroponic system itself outdoors. But the basic process of hardening them off is to take a week or two to slowly introduce them to the elements outdoors. First few days leave them outside for an hour, then for 2 hours a day, then 3, and keep increasing gradually over a week or two until they have adapted to the outdoor elements. If your entire hydroponic system is too hard to move, you might be able to move them to another container of water that is easier to move while hardening them off? I don't have much personal experience with hydroponic growing. :) 2. Provide shade after transplanting them. Yes, loofahs love sunlight and warmth, but they're fragile when they first are moved to their new home. If the sun fries the leaves while the roots adjust, it's a lot harder for the plant to make a comeback. Whatever type of shade you provide, make sure it's not actually touching the leaves directly. 3. Water! I've seen mixed opinions on whether in general you should water new transplants right away or wait a bit first. But I personally find with the loofahs they want the water and won't make it without it. Watering will help the soil and roots all settle into place, plus it will allow the loofah to soak up moisture so it doesn't dry out as it begins to adapt. I would water everyday until they look like they've got some life to them. This could be a full month. When you water, you don't have to totally soak the ground at this stage. But I like to provide a bit of water everyday at this stage so they have something to soak up. Also of note- avoid getting the leaves wet when you water, both in general for loofahs, but especially at this stage. They're extra sensitive, and if they get sunburn from the water spots that could be the straw that breaks the camel's back so to speak. 4. Transplant in the cool of the evening. The last thing they need is a full day of sun immediately after transplanting. Just make sure the temps aren't going to dip too low or be drastically different than the environment they've been developing in so far. 4. Bring some patience and don't give up! They might look really sad after transplanting. Like really, really, deathly sad. 😆 BUT that does not mean they won't make it. I've had some seem to pause growing for a full month, wilting nearly everyday. And then suddenly, they decided to take off! Typically, around the 2 week mark after transplanting, I'll start to notice new growth and less drama in their daily wilting haha Whew, that was a lot! But hopefully this helps you get a successful transplant and growing season! I've started some indoors again this year, and they will be dramatic when I transplant them. (I could put them out now-ish, but I think I'm going to wait until later in May so mine are more established before transplanting.) But I'm confident they will make it well enough. I see from your other comment you're in zone 7b. I would try also starting some seeds outdoors now. If you can get some more to sprout, I think you would still have enough time for some loofahs to mature before a frost. Wishing you luck with your growing endeavors!
@@CraftersAutonomous Thank you so much. I actually started hardening them off a little because I had other plants that I already transplanted from the same hydroponic system I’m just using a little arrow garden harvest 360, I find it can help expedite the germination of certain things. Unfortunately, I’m finding some things still germinate better in dirt such as moringa.
Growing anything is such a fascinating experience. I constantly finding myself learning new things. If you don't get loofahs this year, you'll still get lessons that can help with growing the next year!
We make curry out of it just cook with onions tomatoes and skin off of luffa and cook in a pot with a 2 tab spoon oil ...cook until oil separate use chill salt and turmeric while cooking..use v young luffa 6 to 7 inches only
@@humarizwan07 The loofah has two types of flowers- male and female. The male flowers only bloom for one day, and then they drop off. I think there's a part in the video that shows what the male flowers look like and after they've fallen off. If the female flowers are falling off, it's probably a nutrient, water, or weather issue. I've had a harder time figuring that aspect out so more of the female flowers get pollinated and grow mature loofahs.
Lots of people grow their loofahs full sun in FL! They will need consistent watering, and midday wilt is not uncommon. (I'm not sure if I talked about this in the video, but it's when the leaves transpire water faster than the roots can pull water back into the plant. This lowers the turgor pressure and the leaves look wilted.) They like a lot of hours of sun, but they would be fine getting some afternoon shade/partial shade in a place like FL. Could help with some of the water retention issues. But full sun is certainly doable. And the advantage of growing in FL is you can keep the vines going much longer because of a lower threat of frost!
Everyone, plastic container tubs the clear ones, are fantastic green house for outdoor direct natural sunlight. They allow you to put seeds in cups water, walk away. No stretching! Plant a month early! I find mine being put out for trash. Everyone recycled. Lids tubs containers. Put pots cups trays on lid, add container. Greenhouse! Shes upside down! Indoors. Natures light, timing is better. I lay them on ground in raised bed and fill in gaps with hay mulch. Recycle.
Love this idea! I'm constantly saving plastic containers to repurpose as plant pots for starting seeds. Why buy when I can reuse what I've already got? I really like the idea of starting them early but outdoors in the container greenhouse.
Dragonflies visit mine, too :) I LOVED this video! I'm preparing for a loofah presentation, and wanted to get another's perspective, to help attendees be set for success
Everything about loofahs is so much fun! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the video. I hope your presentation goes well, and everyone ends up with an amazing harvest this year!
Probably much easier to winter sow them in gallon milk jugs. I'll start mine in the jug 6 weeks before last frost. If they grow too much and there's a cold night I'll just thrown a blanket over them using an upside down tomato cage. Winter sowing you don't have to deal with transitioning them outside and they grow strong roots. I've had zero problem transplanting anything including those that supposedly don't like being transplanted. I start with several in 1 jug and then as seedlings appear I transplant into individual jugs so they each have enough space. I did the indoor grow light thing once; and that was enough. What a nuisance trying to transition hundreds of plants every day to get them used to the real world!
I only recently learned about winter sowing plants earlier this year, but it was too late in the season to actually try it out. I find it super interesting though and appreciate the info you've shared! I need to do some more research because I've seen differing methods. Do you set the jugs in the same place where you will eventually put them in the ground? I often plant my loofahs in a raised bed, so I'm wondering if I would just set them out there from the get go. And good to know things transplant well with this method! I typically don't have issues transplanting even the "hard to transplant" plants (my cukes always do great when I put them in the ground while everyone else online is losing theirs lol). But I can't seem to get the loofahs to be entirely happy when I transplant. Thanks for sharing!
@@CraftersAutonomous Just put the bottles in the sunniest spot. I also bought a $40 battery operated (rechargeable) pump sprayer from Lowes to make it easier to water when needed. Then I use it during the peak time for fertilizing and stuff. I also put a bunch of seeds in a larger jug then transplant as they start growing into a decent sized jug for those individual plants. Pretty sure that's not what most do, but it works out well for me. Sheryl Mann has an excellent playlist on winter sowing. th-cam.com/video/o2JaLRWzpT8/w-d-xo.html
I grew these plants as a kid for many years in central Florida, in a lifeless east-facing planter on my front porch. I pretty much just scattered the seeds upon the depleted, lifeless soil, lightly covered them with more lifeless soil, then dumped some water on them. I tied mono fishing line in weaves up to the roof gutters for the vines to climb. They grow like weeds, have no pests, or diseases. They make awesome shower scrubbers. The seeds are ridiculously easy to save (
Hi, Chris! Thanks for sharing your perspective! Where I'm at, I can get them to grow if I scatter seeds and neglect them too - but they don't sprout until July, which doesn't leave enough time before a freeze for the fruit to mature. So this video was geared more towards tips and tricks for those who haven't found success with a more laidback approach and for those who might not have a long enough growing season. But like you I've found them to be incredibly pest and disease resistant, which is so nice! Thanks for watching.
Loofah is amazing in taste, recipe below (Indian recipe; loofah is called Tori in India). Can you tell me what is the fertilizer routine and what fertilizer you used? Tori Recipe- th-cam.com/video/5UyeNvyzXik/w-d-xo.html
Recipe looks delicious! 😋 As far as fertilizer goes, I've heard from others that they have good results using bone meal and fish emulsion fertilizers. Last year I used a little bit of bone meal, but I didn't have a good fertilizing schedule.
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I am growing luffa for the first time and this video has given me the most and best info I need to grow them. So many videos are full of a lot of blah blah blah, so thank you for staying on topic and just sharing your helpful knowledge on the luffa. :)
So glad you found the video helpful! Loofahs are a fantastically fun plant to grow. I hope you have an amazing harvest!
Thank you for taking the time to film this. My brother just sent me some seeds, they are soaking now.
I am growing my first loofah plant! It’s taller than my tomato cage I have over it and I’m just waiting for flowers to appear. Your video was VERY helpful!🌱
This was an incredibly helpful video! We are hopefully getting our first Luffa starts from a local gardener later today, so we went in search of “how to videos” and found yours. My 13 year old son and I are now super excited to try growing this plant! Thank you.
So glad you found it helpful! These are such a fun plant to grow. I hope you and your son have an amazing growing season and harvest a bunch of wonderful sponges!
I loved growing loofah. My favorite thing to watch grow. Fun to give away too
They really make great gifts, and it's fun to watch people's expressions when they realized you grew it on a plant! haha
You are so cute, down-to earth, and pleasant to listen to. Thanks for sharing this information.
Aww thank you for such a kind comment! So glad to have you here!
Oh my goodness. I wish I had watched this video months ago!
I didn't soak my seeds, transplanted my babies TWICE before planting outside, unfortunately we had a late frost and I really thought I lost my 3 plants.
My girls took off! I harvested one loofah in early August and now all of a sudden i have 9 HUGE loofahs! I'm so excited to grow more next year the right way!!!
It's crazy how they suddenly start producing just when you think the season is coming to an end haha! Every year is a learning experience. If you don't get loofahs, you still get lessons to be able to grow even better next year. And it sounds like you're gonna get some great loofahs this year too! Thanks for watching.
Your cow panel trellis is the best idea. I attached 2 and the luffas are everywhere!! The ones laying on the ground tend to rot.
Have a double length cow panel trellis (roots &refuge trellis video),has been perfect the strong vines carry the weight perfectly.
Enjoyed the video. Thank you. My 1st year growing Luffa
Oh I love Roots & Refuge too! Tons of great info.
Excellent info! Thanks for sharing! I’m currently (May 2024), growing luffs seeds inside of 3 different containers, here in Zone 6b.
This is all the information I was looking for! Thank you!
You're so welcome!
Due to slow process, I went ahead and planted 3 more seeds.. now it’s looking like over 50 luffa. What an overload!! I love not worrying anymore. Oct/Nov/Dec harvest ? I’m in South Carolina, warm weather….super excited
That's so exciting! And yep, you should have plenty of time for them to ripen.
This is the best video! Thank you so much for this! I'm a pretty new gardener and soap maker and I can't wait to grow my own next season to incorporate in my soaps :)
I'm so glad you enjoyed! Loofahs are my all time favorite plant to grow, and I hope you have just as much fun growing them as I do!
Excellent video! You had some info others did not! I appreciate the in depth descriptions. I just started mine indoors! 🤞🏻
So exciting! Wishing you a great growing season.
Had one as a kid. Thanks for this informative video ❤
They're so much fun to grow, you should give them a try! Thanks for watching.
very detailed and informative video on how to grow and succeed with loofa. i'm starting the experience this year, hoping that summer temperature will not hit the max 40deg C++. Many thanks from Algeria
I hope you have a great growing season and harvest! Loofahs are such a rewarding plant to grow.
Outstanding video!! This is my first year growing them. I live in Montana so our growing seasons are really short. Last frost date is in June!! The seedlings are about 2" tall right now, hopefully they'll survive until I can get them outside.
So glad you enjoyed!
It's crazy how the growing seasons vary in different parts of the country! But I have seen many stories of people harvesting loofahs in short growing seasons. Sometimes it requires a bit of extra creativity, but it's so worth growing this fun plant. Hoping for a successful first year for you!
Thanks for sharing! I've been interested in these for a few weeks. Just got some seeds for next year, from Menards! They had a sale so they were only a bit over $1!
Sounds like a great deal! And once you grow your first loofah, you'll have more seeds than you know what to do with and will never need to buy seeds again haha
If you've got enough, I'd start a couple seeds outdoors now just to see how far along they get. Not sure how long you have until first frost, but getting a feel for the vines (albeit late in the season) can be great hands on experience even if you don't have enough time for loofahs to ripen. Plus, they're just fun to grow! Whatever you decide, hope you have a blast growing loofahs!
@@CraftersAutonomous hah! Yes, I've heard about all the seeds they produce. Luckily I've got gardening friends and local seed giveaway spots!
I think I've got around 90 days till frost, and no place/trellis to grow them on prepared this year, so they'll probably wait till next year.
I am definitely worried about deer eating them all, where I'm planning to plant is right where they go thru..
@@heyits_cat8966 Your mileage may vary, but I've found loofahs to be one plant the deer won't touch. Every few years, one comes along and nips off a couple leaves. But given the high deer population in my area (very rural) and their tendency to snack on plants right next to the loofahs, I've found them incredibly deer resistant! I wonder if it's the flavor or something? haha
Wonderful helpful information. Saved and shared this video. Namaste 🐞✌️🕉️
I have solid red clay and the only area in my yard that gets enough sunlight is where I haven’t done any soil amendments so I either have to just plant it (about 6 weeks old now and 2 feet tall in a pot) in a sunny spot or plant it in a spot that gets a good bit of shade but with better soil.
I think imma plant it in a spot that gets sun, some shade, clay soil but just break it up with post hole diggers and pour some perlite and potting soil in the cracks and just just hope for the best.
Also planting it at the base of a dead evergreen tree with just bare branches. I think it’ll grow up it nicely.
That sounds like a great plan! I've had pretty good results growing loofahs in hard red clay. The biggest drawback is they sometimes take longer to adapt simply because the soil is so compact. It takes the roots more effort to push through the hard soil. But in the end, I've gotten some really nice loofahs that were planted in unamended, red clay! Breaking it up with the post hole digger sounds like a good plan too.
Hoping you have a fantastic growing season and abundant harvest!
This is an amazing video for us beginners! Thank you so much!
You're so welcome!
good info ✅ looks like fun to grow! Thanks !!!
They are a blast to grow! Thanks so much for watching.
I am in zone 7b as well. I hope the plant them out pretty soon but tomorrow is supposed to be 85 so I think that’s a little too hot. I actually only have 2 vines
Thoroughly enjoyed your TH-cam very informative
Hi! Thank you for making and sharing this detailed yet entertaining video. I'm trying to grow this, too and it is my first time, however, it looks like mine isn't going to reach fruiting (stage) due to (probable) diseases from other plants surrounding it. It is currently yellowing (referring to some leaves) and some are already dry and brown, so I'm guessing it is on the verge of dying. I'm sad. I started planting this October of 2023.
I'm from the Philippines and Luffa, we call it "Patola" locally, is one of my favorite vegetables. You might want to do some research on how to cook it the Asian way. I believe it is widely used in many Asian dishes. You might want to try some Filipino dishes with it, too!
Aww I hope they pull through! If the leaves that are yellowing and dying are closer to the roots, I wouldn't automatically assume the whole plant is dying. I have found that as the season progresses, some of the earlier growth does die off. I think it's just a matter of the plant wanted to funnel resources to producing fruit. Do you have any loofahs forming yet? If so, I would keep an eye on the plant and see what happens. Sometimes these plants will surprise you!
Also, thanks for the recipe suggestions!
You can stir fry and make soupe with ground pork and vermicelli as in Asian/Chinese recipes. Same as the calabash gourdes. Funny you eat it raw. Would let it grow bigger like a big zucchini but still pick it while green color and without seeds.
Liked your video, liked how you showed your results. Seeing is believing.
I did not know how the luffa would grow in the US. If it grows that well in your zone 7, it will do as well in my zone 8.
That sounds so delicious! I appreciate the info on when to pick for eating. It's so fun learning about plants from around the world and how they're used in other culture's cuisine.
I've grown loofah successfully for years in Illinois (northern part) and Ohio! Each year the seeds adapt better. I love growing loofah! And I love the challenge!
I need help understanding why my female “sprouts” turn yellow and die before they even have a chance to bloom. Any idea on the whys? I have 4 large loofa but all the new possible fruits just are not making it. :(
This is something I've struggled with too, and while I haven't quite solved the problem, I do think I know who the culprits are. First is the weather. I find that if I get too much rain or a week of super hot dry weather followed by a week of intense rain, the baby loofahs turn yellow and wilt. The second cause could be nutrient deficiency. I've heard this from several other growers, and have heard some success stories once they figured out what the plant was missing and supplied it. I've played around with fertilizing a little bit, but haven't made much progress in this area haha
Usually what I find is during the first several months of growing, whether or not the fruit will develop into a loofah is hit or miss. But then towards late summer, the plants start producing loofahs like crazy. I don't know what growing zone you are located in, but where I'm at, it can take until August before the loofahs really start putting out viable fruit. Usually any female loofah buds that pop up before then turn yellow and wilt, with an occasional loofah starting to grow. Not sure how helpful this all is, but it might just be a matter of the weather hitting a sweet spot for the loofahs to start setting fruit.
Try hand-pollinating
I have the same issue. One day, I see the flowers as if they are getting ready to open, and then they wilt before they open. I'm still not sure why. I have spotted one tiny gourd.
Merci beaucoup
Coupez vous le jeune plant après la quatrième feuille pour favoriser la multiplication des tiges comme pour les citrouilles?
I usually don't prune or cut the loofahs. But if I were to cut them, I would treat them more like cucumbers and make them be single leader vines. Meaning, have just one main vine and cut off all the other "branches". But they are in the same family as pumpkins, so cutting the fourth leaf might give good results too! Thanks for watching.
Brilliant video!
I’m growing luffa in clay soil in south Spain zone 9b. My plants are in full sunlight 9hours a day and dappled shade in the evening. We have 100F and months without rain. I’ve been getting wilting leaves so have been watering each plant about 2 liters (2 quarts) each week. They stop wilting for a day or two then the leaves wilt again. I’m scared to drown them because of the clay soil(amended with aged compost before direct sowing) but do you think I should water more often?
Can’t see any bugs on the leaves.
Thanks for any tips you can give me…
If I had to guess based on the info provided, you may be dealing with mid-day wilt. Basically, it gets so hot the sun sucks the moisture out of the leaves. Since moisture in a plant creates turgor pressure to support the plant, it gets droopy with insufficient water. If there seems to be no other damage and they always perk back up after watering and when the sun goes down, I'd say there's a 95% it's just midday wilt.
In that case, absolutely water frequently. I find they tend to do better with overwatering vs underwatering. As much as these plants love the sun, heat can really make them react. I had about 3 back to back weeks in the middle of July where the temperatures were intense and we were impacted slightly by the Canadian wildfires. I watered multiple times a week during that time because the heat was getting to them. This year my plants are in a raised garden bed with loose soil. In past years, I've planted in our hard red clay soil, and the increased watering helped even with the soil being clay.
Personally, I don't measure how much water I give at once, I tend to take a more haphazard approach haha. So I can't give specifics on exactly how much water, but I can say if they go through mid day wilt it's not a bad idea to give them even just a little bit of water every few days.
Hope this is helpful! Wishing you a wonderful growing season.
Thank you for shareing information! I leaned a lot from you.
You may have already asked similar questions, but I would like to know about fertilizer for loofahs. I heard that 1-2-2 or 5-10-10 is a good fertilizer, but what kind of fertilizer did you apply and how after? Thank you !
So I have been very haphazard with my fertilizer usage 😅 I'm in a couple online forums about loofahs, and many people in those groups report good results using bone meal fertilizer and fish emulsion fertilizer on their loofahs. I've heard of others fertilizing on a schedule once a week to once a month. But I don't have much personal expertise with fertilizing my loofahs. But those who do all say they noticed increased yields once they started fertilizing. Hope you have a great growing season!
I'm curious if loofah gourds would benefit from a yeast spray like cucumbers do. I don't know if anyone has the answer, lol. I'm just speculating and wonder if I shouldn't make up two batches when I feed my cucumbers next week....Also thank you for mentioning the ants! I tried (and failed) with loofah gourds last year and noticed numerous ants spaced out on the vines in little clumps...I had NO IDEA what to do if anything. Lol. I chose to do nothing but always wondered if they were the reason my vines stayed so small. Apparently not, I think it was just because I planted late and didn't realize they grew so slowly. Thank you! I'm taking notes from your video and hopefully it will help me succeed this year.
I've never tried with the loofahs, but that would be a fun thing to experiment with! I think they are in the same family as cucumbers, so I would imagine the odds of it helping would be pretty good. Loofahs can be a little fickle at times, but once they decide to take off it's fun to watch them grow! Wishing you a bountiful loofah harvest this year.
good video. thank you
Your luffa leaves are so green and healthy. I am growing them in containers and the leaves are greenish yellow. Any suggestions?
There could be a number of factors, but generally if my loofahs are looking kind of puny from the get go (small, yellowish leaves; thin, leggy vines, etc) it's often the result of weather. I've had a rough go of it this year because we had cooler than normal temperatures coupled with excessive rain. My initial planting did very poorly. Now that we are in hotter weather, my second planting, along with several volunteers, has taken off! I'll be pushing it a bit as far as the first frost goes, but I'm thinking I should still have time to get a good harvest from the ones that just sprouted this month.
Other factors could include water (too much or too little) and soil composition. But the years I have a harder time growing them it always comes down to the weather not being ideal for these plants. I hope you are able to have a good growing season regardless! Remember there's no such thing as failure when growing these plants - you'll either get loofahs or lessons for next year! haha
If this plant froze during winter, do they grow back again in spring?
They do not. A freeze will almost always kill the plant. Sometimes they can withstand a light frost. (I painfully experienced this last year when a light frost turned into our first hard freeze of the season and I lost a vine with 25+ loofahs 😭)
I support you
I have a big problem. I started my loofah seeds in my arrow garden. They are long already at least several feet and the roots look good but what I didn’t know is they don’t like to be transplanted. The good thing is that a little bit of the root is in the sponge, so those won’t be disturbed much, but the bad thing is I will definitely have to transplant them so do you have any recommendations on how I could transplant them without killing them I also have large grow bags that I could use and cut holes in the bottom so this way they could have the best of both worlds we have a lot of trees here so even in the garden there are definitely tree roots, but I have enough space where I could cut them a nice hole in the ground. Any recommendations on how I could transplant these without killing them since I started them hydroponically
It will require a bit of patience and creativity, but there's decent odds you can transplant them successfully! If the sponge is able to be planted directly into the ground with the loofah, I would definitely leave it attached. 1. It will lessen disturbance to the roots & 2. It will support the roots in their new environment.
Another thing that could work in your favor - your vines sounds like they're well established. I've found that more mature vines tend to handle the stress of transplanting better than younger plants.
With all that said, they get VERY dramatic when moved to a new environment. Here are the steps I would take if I were in your shoes:
1. If your hydroponic system is indoors, try to harden them off before directly planting. I'm not sure what your setup is like, if you'd be able to move the hydroponic system itself outdoors. But the basic process of hardening them off is to take a week or two to slowly introduce them to the elements outdoors. First few days leave them outside for an hour, then for 2 hours a day, then 3, and keep increasing gradually over a week or two until they have adapted to the outdoor elements. If your entire hydroponic system is too hard to move, you might be able to move them to another container of water that is easier to move while hardening them off? I don't have much personal experience with hydroponic growing. :)
2. Provide shade after transplanting them. Yes, loofahs love sunlight and warmth, but they're fragile when they first are moved to their new home. If the sun fries the leaves while the roots adjust, it's a lot harder for the plant to make a comeback. Whatever type of shade you provide, make sure it's not actually touching the leaves directly.
3. Water! I've seen mixed opinions on whether in general you should water new transplants right away or wait a bit first. But I personally find with the loofahs they want the water and won't make it without it. Watering will help the soil and roots all settle into place, plus it will allow the loofah to soak up moisture so it doesn't dry out as it begins to adapt. I would water everyday until they look like they've got some life to them. This could be a full month. When you water, you don't have to totally soak the ground at this stage. But I like to provide a bit of water everyday at this stage so they have something to soak up. Also of note- avoid getting the leaves wet when you water, both in general for loofahs, but especially at this stage. They're extra sensitive, and if they get sunburn from the water spots that could be the straw that breaks the camel's back so to speak.
4. Transplant in the cool of the evening. The last thing they need is a full day of sun immediately after transplanting. Just make sure the temps aren't going to dip too low or be drastically different than the environment they've been developing in so far.
4. Bring some patience and don't give up! They might look really sad after transplanting. Like really, really, deathly sad. 😆 BUT that does not mean they won't make it. I've had some seem to pause growing for a full month, wilting nearly everyday. And then suddenly, they decided to take off! Typically, around the 2 week mark after transplanting, I'll start to notice new growth and less drama in their daily wilting haha
Whew, that was a lot! But hopefully this helps you get a successful transplant and growing season! I've started some indoors again this year, and they will be dramatic when I transplant them. (I could put them out now-ish, but I think I'm going to wait until later in May so mine are more established before transplanting.) But I'm confident they will make it well enough. I see from your other comment you're in zone 7b. I would try also starting some seeds outdoors now. If you can get some more to sprout, I think you would still have enough time for some loofahs to mature before a frost. Wishing you luck with your growing endeavors!
@@CraftersAutonomous Thank you so much. I actually started hardening them off a little because I had other plants that I already transplanted from the same hydroponic system I’m just using a little arrow garden harvest 360, I find it can help expedite the germination of certain things. Unfortunately, I’m finding some things still germinate better in dirt such as moringa.
Growing anything is such a fascinating experience. I constantly finding myself learning new things. If you don't get loofahs this year, you'll still get lessons that can help with growing the next year!
Congratulations on the birth of your first luffa!! 😂 Hopefully, you've given birth to a lot more since then. 😂
Slugs don't like marigolds. If you plant a barrier of marigold around the garden, you will have drastically fewer slugs if any.
Thanks for the tip!
We make curry out of it just cook with onions tomatoes and skin off of luffa and cook in a pot with a 2 tab spoon oil ...cook until oil separate use chill salt and turmeric while cooking..use v young luffa 6 to 7 inches only
Sounds delicious! 😋
@Crafters Autonomous pls let me know why my luffa flower droping off ....just got one lufa only
@@humarizwan07 The loofah has two types of flowers- male and female. The male flowers only bloom for one day, and then they drop off. I think there's a part in the video that shows what the male flowers look like and after they've fallen off. If the female flowers are falling off, it's probably a nutrient, water, or weather issue. I've had a harder time figuring that aspect out so more of the female flowers get pollinated and grow mature loofahs.
That was helpful
Always happy to learn my video helped someone. I hope you have an amazing growing season!
How do you get the seeds to even start a vine
If you scroll through the description on the video, I've got some links to places I've purchased my seeds from over the years.
is full sun a good idea in florida zone 9?
Lots of people grow their loofahs full sun in FL! They will need consistent watering, and midday wilt is not uncommon. (I'm not sure if I talked about this in the video, but it's when the leaves transpire water faster than the roots can pull water back into the plant. This lowers the turgor pressure and the leaves look wilted.) They like a lot of hours of sun, but they would be fine getting some afternoon shade/partial shade in a place like FL. Could help with some of the water retention issues. But full sun is certainly doable. And the advantage of growing in FL is you can keep the vines going much longer because of a lower threat of frost!
Everyone, plastic container tubs the clear ones, are fantastic green house for outdoor direct natural sunlight. They allow you to put seeds in cups water, walk away. No stretching! Plant a month early! I find mine being put out for trash. Everyone recycled. Lids tubs containers. Put pots cups trays on lid, add container. Greenhouse! Shes upside down! Indoors. Natures light, timing is better. I lay them on ground in raised bed and fill in gaps with hay mulch. Recycle.
Love this idea! I'm constantly saving plastic containers to repurpose as plant pots for starting seeds. Why buy when I can reuse what I've already got? I really like the idea of starting them early but outdoors in the container greenhouse.
I did not know loofas were plants 😮 I thought they were sponges that lived in the ocean 🤷🏼♀️
I thought the same thing! Nature's so fascinating.
Definitely a more friendly "sponge'.
Definitely the most common and reasonable thought.
That's ridge gourd
You're thinking about SEA SPONGE!!! this is a loufa and it's fabulous:)
Dragonflies visit mine, too :) I LOVED this video! I'm preparing for a loofah presentation, and wanted to get another's perspective, to help attendees be set for success
Everything about loofahs is so much fun! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the video. I hope your presentation goes well, and everyone ends up with an amazing harvest this year!
Have you ever created a crochet loofah? That would be SO FREAKING CUTE!!! Please consider :) lol
Oh my gosh, that would be adorable!!! Definitely gonna tuck this idea in the back of my mind.
Probably much easier to winter sow them in gallon milk jugs. I'll start mine in the jug 6 weeks before last frost. If they grow too much and there's a cold night I'll just thrown a blanket over them using an upside down tomato cage. Winter sowing you don't have to deal with transitioning them outside and they grow strong roots. I've had zero problem transplanting anything including those that supposedly don't like being transplanted. I start with several in 1 jug and then as seedlings appear I transplant into individual jugs so they each have enough space. I did the indoor grow light thing once; and that was enough. What a nuisance trying to transition hundreds of plants every day to get them used to the real world!
I only recently learned about winter sowing plants earlier this year, but it was too late in the season to actually try it out. I find it super interesting though and appreciate the info you've shared! I need to do some more research because I've seen differing methods. Do you set the jugs in the same place where you will eventually put them in the ground? I often plant my loofahs in a raised bed, so I'm wondering if I would just set them out there from the get go.
And good to know things transplant well with this method! I typically don't have issues transplanting even the "hard to transplant" plants (my cukes always do great when I put them in the ground while everyone else online is losing theirs lol). But I can't seem to get the loofahs to be entirely happy when I transplant.
Thanks for sharing!
@@CraftersAutonomous Just put the bottles in the sunniest spot. I also bought a $40 battery operated (rechargeable) pump sprayer from Lowes to make it easier to water when needed. Then I use it during the peak time for fertilizing and stuff. I also put a bunch of seeds in a larger jug then transplant as they start growing into a decent sized jug for those individual plants. Pretty sure that's not what most do, but it works out well for me. Sheryl Mann has an excellent playlist on winter sowing. th-cam.com/video/o2JaLRWzpT8/w-d-xo.html
Thank you so much for the extra info! I'll be sure to check out that playlist.
❤😂
Grammer sounds balanced for a bean stamped tesla loofah 😅
I grew these plants as a kid for many years in central Florida, in a lifeless east-facing planter on my front porch. I pretty much just scattered the seeds upon the depleted, lifeless soil, lightly covered them with more lifeless soil, then dumped some water on them. I tied mono fishing line in weaves up to the roof gutters for the vines to climb. They grow like weeds, have no pests, or diseases. They make awesome shower scrubbers. The seeds are ridiculously easy to save (
Hi, Chris! Thanks for sharing your perspective! Where I'm at, I can get them to grow if I scatter seeds and neglect them too - but they don't sprout until July, which doesn't leave enough time before a freeze for the fruit to mature. So this video was geared more towards tips and tricks for those who haven't found success with a more laidback approach and for those who might not have a long enough growing season. But like you I've found them to be incredibly pest and disease resistant, which is so nice! Thanks for watching.
Loofah is amazing in taste, recipe below (Indian recipe; loofah is called Tori in India).
Can you tell me what is the fertilizer routine and what fertilizer you used?
Tori Recipe-
th-cam.com/video/5UyeNvyzXik/w-d-xo.html
Recipe looks delicious! 😋 As far as fertilizer goes, I've heard from others that they have good results using bone meal and fish emulsion fertilizers. Last year I used a little bit of bone meal, but I didn't have a good fertilizing schedule.