http://www.durgan.org/25%20May%202006%20Loofah/HTML/ Loofah plants were put outdoors today 25 May 2006. These three plants were started in February in the basemant, and put in my small greenhouse in late March. The seeds seemed to take forever to germinate and I had several failures. The vine was wrapped around itself, since it was getting out of hand in the greenhouse. The trellis network is in full sun and about eight feet high about eight feet wide by sixteen feet long. Last year I started late and did not have full sun, so I expect full success this year. The soil is compost, clay and wood chips, which is well drained. Durgan.
Just to let you know what you can do with a little adjustment of contrast and brightness (in this case using Corel Paint Shop Pro X). John
http://www.durgan.org/1%20June%202006%20Loofah/HTML/index.htm Usually I take the pictures properly in the first instance. My point was to show the structure, which was what the picture was supposed to depict, which it did very well; in spite, of not being technically a perfect picture. My choice is photoshop for adjusting if it is of some importance. Here are some pictures I took today indicating the growth of the loofah. We had a nice rain last night so the plants should now thrive. Durgan.
You must have a nice camera and you seen to know how to use it. Please tell me about loofah. Have you grown it before? Here is a bit from the Columbia Encyclopedia on the Internet: "Luffa cylindrica is the loofah, dishcloth gourd, or vegetable sponge; when the edible fruit—called California okra in the S United States—is bleached dry, the inner fibrous network is used as a filter or a scrubbing sponge."
I got the seeds off the internet by doing a Google. The plant takes about 180 days to fully mature. I only have about 90 days frost free so have to start early in the greenhouse or basement. Here is a URL to last years http://xrl.us/m5d2 effort 2005. I put the two plants behind the shed, where they didn't get full sun until about noon. They took off after the plant started to climb over the roof of the shed, but by then the season was too late. The fruits were large, but not fully mature. This year I have them in full sun, so I am interested to see if they do well. Durgan.
You can get them from: http://www.evergreenseeds.com/index.html http://rareseeds.com/ http://www.kitazawaseed.com/search.php And properly many others. They are yummy when young and tender.
http://xrl.us/ni3k http://xrl.us/ni3k 18 June 2006. Update on the Luffah plants. Four plants are thriving and there is some fruiting bodies. Durgan.
Excellent! They make a yummy summer squash when the get 6 to 8 inches long -- cook more or less like a zucchini. Or you can let them get big -- quite large -- and make sponges out of them. I have never tried that, but I know it can be done. Keep me posted! Betty
Did you ever find any seeds? I have TONS of them here and can't plant them this year - I am willing to share - just contact me. Marta
http://xrl.us/npro http://xrl.us/npro Luffah update. The fruiting bodie's size can be judged by the mesh in the background, which is 6 sq. inches. The dead branch on the left of the third picture was caused by bird droppings on the junction with the main trunk. I suggest the chemical reaction caused damage. Durgan.
http://xrl.us/ose8 7 July 2006 http://xrl.us/ose8 Loofah Progress 7 July 2006. One vine was lost for some unknown reason, but about four are doing well. One fruiting body is about 15 inches in length, and there are others forming. Durgan.
http://xrl.us/paah http://xrl.us/paah 21 July 2006. The luffah plants are coming into their own. It rained yesterday, and all plants are now thriving. Durgan.
http://www.durgan.org/30%20July%202006%20Loofah%20Plants/HTML/ http://xrl.us/pt4d 340 July 2006. Luffah are growing well. Durgan.
http://www.durgan.org/23%20August%202006%20Making%20First%20Luffah%20Sponge/HTML/ http://xrl.us/q438 23 August 2006. Pictures of making my first Luffah sponge. One fruit was ripe so I made a sponge. Neena, my Pomeranian dog, was very interested in the proceedings. Durgan.
