Gourd – Luffa

Description

Well known gourd used to make sponges. Also known as “Dish Cloth” or “Tag” gourd. Fruit 8 to 12 inches by 3 to 4 inches diameter. Fruit turn gray when mature. Needs long warm growing season, so start plants indoors. In everyday non-technical usage, the luffa, also spelled loofah or less frequently loofa, usually refers to the fruits of the species Luffa aegyptiaca and Luffa acutangula. It is cultivated and eaten as a vegetable, but must be harvested at a young stage of development to be edible. In ninety days or so, the heirloom gourd’s flesh is fibrous, a natural bath sponge for cleaning and exfoliating skin to a healthy glow.

100-120 Days to maturity

10-14 Days to sprout

Gourd seeds per Oz: About 280

Gourd seeds per Lb: About 4,000

Plant 1″-1 1/2″ deep, in rows 24″-36″ apart, thinning to 18″-24″ apart once the seeds sprout, with either stake or trellis space of about 3′ by 6′