This is THE MOST HELPFUL video on Luffa gourds I have ever seen! I have been trying for years and have only harvested one or two a year, but I'm going to go pick all those green ones before our freeze tonight and put them on a shelf. Thank you for explaining the growing pattern - I thought I was doing something wrong!
I grew these this year and one vine climbed up over the house and into a tree. So much fun to watch the luffa's dangling high in the air. Now I know I have to harvest them before the freeze and dry them inside. You're the up a tree. Thank you so much!
That's the information I was looking for. I'm in Montreal, Canada. Altough I planted them inside in March and outside in June, the 4 big luffas I got won't ripen on the vine before the frost. I'm happy to see there is still hope to get some luffa's sponge from them and will try to ripen them inside. Thanks A LOT!
Thank you so much for this video! I'm in zone 4b and have a really short growing season. I grew several this year but they didn't dry out on the vine. I followed your directions and decided yesterday that the first one was dry enough to try this out. Worked perfectly!
We learn a lot from your channel. We ate our first batch of sweet potatoes two days ago. Sweet potatoes with brown sugar and butter, pure deliciousness! You were the one that told us about curing them for three weeks. Thanks for sharing, and we sincerely mean that!
You are so welcome. I am so glad you got to enjoy home grown sweet potatoes. We cooked up ours at Thanksgiving, and they were so delicious. I'm glad we are getting to know each other. I learn a lot from you too!!
Great to see you back, Sarah! And another interesting video, too. 😊 I've never grown luffa, as I've heard we stay hot too long here in Zone 9b, but I might just give it a try next year anyway. Those sponges are too cool, and I do love the look of vining plants. Thanks for sharing, and I'm looking forward to more videos from you now that your computer is working again. (Weirdly, my desktop AND my laptop both crashed in the last few weeks. The desktop was past reviving, but fortunately the laptop problem was a simple fix. The joys of tech!)
My computer crashed twice, and i have a lot of personal stuff going on. I just need to get a routine in, and stay on top of it. It was nice to have a break for a little bit though. I love luffa gourds! they are just a fun plant all around. They grow well in shade too...that might help you grow some. You should give them a try. And thank you for being here. I really enjoy the friendship.
@@TheBigBlueHouseHomestead I am going to figure out a spot for them for sure -- maybe over by my bottlebrush hedge and writing barn since there's some shade there. How much shade can they handle if it's super hot? So sorry to hear about all the tech difficulties and life stuff - it happens to all of us. The last four weeks have been crazy here, too, but I think it's settling down now, just in time for a nice, relaxing holiday season. I think you're right - a good routine helps so much. Btw, I would have tagged YOU for the 40 Questions Challenge, but I had a feeling you might be too busy. Next year I might create a similar challenge but with more interesting questions - if I do, I'll definitely ask you to join in the fun! It's so cool that YT gives us the chance to make good friends we never would have met otherwise.
So good to see you!!! That luffa is an interesting plant for sure! I can see you making your own soap and making the luffa and putting it all together in a little basket to sell! Take care!!
Just worked Ng in a bunch of the moldy ones. They turn out great after processing and may even have a softer texture. I hardly compost any of mine and had a couple hundred.
Thank you! i love cleaning with mine too. When i walk through the garden barefoot, they come in handy to clean my feet. But you are right, they are a little rough on the skin sometimes.
I end up with mold sometimes too. You can rub the gourds down with rubbing alcohol to make sure it kills bacteria. Even if they start to mold, you can clean it off and use the rubbing alcohol.
I’m so glad I found this. It’s my first year gardening. I’m in zone 8, but it’s November and they’re just barely yellowing. We’ve already had a couple of nights in the low-thirties and at least one of my vines is starting to dry up, so I want to make sure I can make the most of the ones I have.
Okay, spring is going to be here soon 😂 PLEASE do some videos for people like me. ( I CAN grow stuff, 🤔 but I need help from the beginning of season so that my harvest is good. Example: I cut my green onions from the store and put them in water ,🤔 now what do I do? I planted garlic before and I had alot of green onions tops, but then what? I didn't get more garlic. I BEG YOU to help us that are yellow thumbs that are trying to turn green 😂 Thank you 😘
Hi. My name is Trish. Very nice to meet you!!! I have watched OMGosh so many videos trying to get answers and here I found the BEST most informative one of them ALL!!!!! You get a huge high five from me. Thank you thank you thank you.. WHere do you live? Merry Christmas :~)
Hi! Thanks for such a thorough and thoughtful video! Idk if you still have seeds available, but if you do, I could really really use a few! I grew luffa for the first time this year, and somehow the seeds I got grew a different type of luffa that is all but impossible to peal/remove the skin! It’s like their skin is reversed or inside out! It’s taking me over an hour just to peal one! So for this coming spring, I’m praying I can get some seeds from people who have grown the right kind of big beautiful luffas, like yours! Thanks again for all of your videos! I’d love some seeds if possible. 😊🙌
I'm not really active on youtube right now. But I saw this comment and had to reply. Please send me an email with your address. I would love to send luffa seeds to you. Thebigbluehousehomestead@gmail.com
So glad I found you Sarah. I want to know what zone you are in. We are in zone 6 and our gourds started appearing the last week of July. By mid August we had over twenty small ones. This is our second year growing and we have around 40 still on the vine. All are very green so we'll have to pick them before the frost. Thank you for your drying tips.
I'm in zone 7b. Gourds are a little weird when growing. Mine like to vine out during the heat, and then set fruit when it cools down. It's always fun to see how many end up growing. Sounds like you have a lifetime of luffas now! That's awesome!
Kay Ray- I’m in zone 6 also. Temps dipped to low 30’s last week and I also, had 40 luffas on the vine. I did clip them off the vine and brought them inside- I’m nervous about them surviving!! This is my first season growing luffas
Hi..im in zone 6 Canada and grew luffas also this year...i think they start producing fruit in August here because this variety likes shorter daylength...less than 15 hour day length..here that starts end of July..warly August...personally I like to peel them green..if they produced the fibre for sponge...i picked them and started stepping on them to break the skin..
You probably have way better soil than i do. I have hard clay, and just started that garden area this year. I can't wait to get compost in it next year.
Gosh that is a long time to wait Sarah! 180 days? Didn't know that took so long. Never grown them. Sponges? Well that's interesting. Had no idea. Good to see you back and posting. 🍂🍂🍂
We grew luffa this year. It's the first year we have ever grown them. My husband keeps telling me I need to clean them up before they go bad, but they have only been drying for about 2 or 3 weeks, alot of them are still green, and heavy. He said to cut the ends off and bake them, peel them, and then rinse them out really good but I'm 35 weeks pregnant, and with a toddler and it's becoming a pain of a job to do. Are they okay to just keep drying out? He's worried about them molding, but I'm having more difficulty with baking them, letting them cool off and then trying to peel and dry them.
Really helpful information. Do you break the skin to let moisture evaporate while your luffa dries on the counter? First year growing and harvested a bunch.
@pragati5910 No. I do not break the skin. The best thing to do is to make sure the gourds are really clean, and rotate them often. They will dry out perfectly
Very informative video..thank you..you helped me alot..i grew luffa gourds this yr..but they're still green..im glad that you mentioned you can let them dry indoors..alot of videos on the internet said they will rot indoors..will the seeds still be viable if they dry indoors oppose to on the plant..i would love to let them continue maturing on the plant but they're taking forever to turn brown and were expecting a frost probably in a few weeks..thank you
Luffa can take awhile to grow, but worth it in the end. Make sure you turn them while they are drying, and they won't rot. The seeds are just as viable. As long as they are solid colored, and hard. The softer seeds will not grow.
@@TheBigBlueHouseHomestead thank you for your help..i appreciate it..yes it's definitely a fun plant to grow..i look forward to growing it again..thank you again
Best way to store on shelf? Best way to store seeds until spring? And Best way to start the seeds in the spring ? Thank you ! This video was so informative
Where do you store the luffa that is not ready to harvest? Warm area cold area dark place light place? I have so many questions I want to grow them next year I’m located in Ohio.
Same! I did place my dark green luffas (38 of them) in a opened green house- to allow air to circulate- then I put a fan on them . Oh, greenhouses are in my basement. And again I did not enclose the houses.
I left mine outside for a month after the first frost. Some had dried naturally on the vine and are fine! For the rest, I'm not sure yet but brought them in for drying. Do you have any tips on how to prevent molding? And experience in harvesting post-freeze luffa? Thanks!
You can wipe them down with rubbing alcohol, or lysol wipes. That helps to kill the mold spores. If you pick your luffa before it's dried, just lay it on newspaper, and rotate it every few days. It will dry out just fine
Thanks for sharing your experiences with us. Do you think hanging them or standing the luffas upright would be better/easier? I live in zone 6a and this year was the first year I got luffas, it's October and we may get our first frost. Go figure 😄 Anyways, have you tried peroxide instead of bleach? Hope to hear back, thanks 😊
Is the bleach soak still necessary if the sponge already looks nice and clean? I harvested my first luffa that's yellowed on the vine and then I had sitting in a basket by the window for a month before i peeled and looks pretty good.
There are sticky fibers still stuck in the luffa. When you don't bleach them, the fibers can cause mold and bacteria to grow. They will turn black and fuzzy, which isn't good.
Can you please tell me why it is important to get the seeds out? I am a MP (glycerin) soap maker. I AM interested in growing my own loofah's next year, but the ones I'm dealing with now i purchased already processed to WHITE and in slices. After embedding a handful of the slices in the soap, i noticed that there were some seeds, or seed sheaths still in some of the slices i had not yet used. With glycerin soap most botanicals will rehydrate, rot and mold. There are a handful of things like the dried fibrous part of the loofah, and dried calendula and blue cornflower petals that have hydrophobic properties and will stay okay. So, two of the soaps from that first batch from about 3 months ago and before i knew to check for seeds, have gone a bit brow in the center. What are your thoughts please? I realize that this may be considered more a soaping question than a loofah question and if you're not comfortable answering a soaping question, then my question reverts back to... why is it important to remove the seeds? Is that a mold or bacteria or hygiene type of potential later issue? I hate throwing away good soap, but i would hate risking someone using something from me that could do them harm EVEN MORE!!! Thank you in advance for any help or wisdom or advice you may be able to share!💜💜💜
The seeds can be uncomfortable in soaps. The sheaths are made to rot away. That may be why your soap darkened. There's not any harm in the soaps that you made. They just won't be as pretty as the other ones. I really hope you do grow Luffa gourds. They are one of my favorite plants.
I love your video, very helpful. Thank you. I have a question, when (during the dying process) do you cut the end off of the gourd and how long can you keep the loofah before you should throw it away? BTW, new subscriber a well!! 🙌
Great video, thank you. Question: 1st year with Luffa. My luffa grew wonderfully and very productive, dried them in the garage on a shelf and.....MOLD!! How do I avoid this? I have around 12 of the 56 that I feel are able to peel and process....HELP!!_
Next time you dry them out, wash them with soap and water first, or wipe them down with peroxide. The mold doesn't hurt the sponge, but can be a mess to deal with. You can rotate them alot too, and make sure none of the sides stay moist. Don't worry too much. A few of mine will mold too, every year.
It usually only takes a few weeks. Just make sure to rotate them so they don't rot on one side. I've had smaller one dry in a week, and larger ones take up to 3 weeks.
The luffa shown in the video is a luffa aegyptiaca species which I have never seen and eaten. I have only seen and eaten luffa acutangula in Costa Rica. Luffa aegyptiaca is thicker and bigger than luffa acutangula
All luffa gourds are edible. This variety needs to be eaten when it's small and tender. Otherwise the fibers get tough, and the sponge forms. I've grown both varieties, and they taste the same. Very delicious!
@@TheBigBlueHouseHomestead thank you so much! I had to harvest them because my big dogs kept running through vines and snapped one off. So I decided to harvest the big ones.
Just tried growing for first time. All died. Ordered 4 live plants from Etsy two died 2 survived. Harvested 3 gourds. Waiting for them to dry. Is it normal for the plants to have ants. A lot of ants. But then disappeared.
I would be happy to send you some seeds, if you want. Just send me an email. I love sharing seeds. If you don't want to, that's ok. You can check on MIgardner.com, and Rareseeds.com. Luffa seeds sell out pretty quickly, so check them out soon.
@@TheBigBlueHouseHomestead I can't seem to find the email address to request seeds. :( I'm zone 5ish and would love to try my hand at growing and processing into sponges and scrubbies. PO Box 16222, Missoula, MT 59808. also happy to venmo for these quality home-grown and harvested seeds!
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
This is THE MOST HELPFUL video on Luffa gourds I have ever seen! I have been trying for years and have only harvested one or two a year, but I'm going to go pick all those green ones before our freeze tonight and put them on a shelf. Thank you for explaining the growing pattern - I thought I was doing something wrong!
Thank you so much! Luffa are a little tricky to grow, but worth it. It's one of my favorite plants. I'm really glad my video helped.
I grew these this year and one vine climbed up over the house and into a tree. So much fun to watch the luffa's dangling high in the air. Now I know I have to harvest them before the freeze and dry them inside. You're the up a tree. Thank you so much!
I love learning this stuff. This was my first year growing loofah. So much to learn!
And when you’re done using them, throw them in the compost pile! 👏👏👏
That's the information I was looking for. I'm in Montreal, Canada. Altough I planted them inside in March and outside in June, the 4 big luffas I got won't ripen on the vine before the frost. I'm happy to see there is still hope to get some luffa's sponge from them and will try to ripen them inside. Thanks A LOT!
Very helpful and detailed!! Thank you!!
Love this. Learned so much
I love growing loofah/luffa for a foot scrubby, scrubbing dishes, and scrubbing out the birds waterers and kiddie pools 🤩
I never thought to use them for cleaning my birds waterers. Thank you for that tip.
@@TheBigBlueHouseHomestead it is my excuse for leaving them everywhere 😂
I love your kitchen canisters, the beautiful juicy strawberries, so pretty.
Thank you! They belonged to my grandmother. I really like the vintage kitchen decor like this.
Thank you so much for this video! I'm in zone 4b and have a really short growing season. I grew several this year but they didn't dry out on the vine. I followed your directions and decided yesterday that the first one was dry enough to try this out. Worked perfectly!
Thank you so much! I am so glad the video helped you out. I'm really glad you were able to grow some luffas. It's one of my favorite things to grow.
I thought my luffa were a lost cause because I had to harvest them before they dried on the vine. Thank you so much for sharing this!!!
Glad I could help!
So I’m understanding that I can now cut these off the vine and dry them out in my home?
Also is there a particular way to cut them off the vine?
We learn a lot from your channel. We ate our first batch of sweet potatoes two days ago. Sweet potatoes with brown sugar and butter, pure deliciousness! You were the one that told us about curing them for three weeks. Thanks for sharing, and we sincerely mean that!
You are so welcome. I am so glad you got to enjoy home grown sweet potatoes. We cooked up ours at Thanksgiving, and they were so delicious. I'm glad we are getting to know each other. I learn a lot from you too!!
super helpful THANK YOU!
Great to see you back on! Thanks for sharing your experience and growing this community! We grow as we grow. We need to try luffas. Great information!
Luffas are a lot of fun to grow. They last for a long time too. You should try to grow some. I think your kids will have fun with them.
I was thinking about you a week or so ago and wondering where you were at. It’s good to see you again. Take care and have a blessed week.
I'm in and out on youtube right now. I have a lot going on. Always thankful to hear from you. Glad to have you as a friend.
Thank you so much for the information so nice to have somebody give some really good detailed information God bless and have an amazing day
Great to see you back, Sarah! And another interesting video, too. 😊 I've never grown luffa, as I've heard we stay hot too long here in Zone 9b, but I might just give it a try next year anyway. Those sponges are too cool, and I do love the look of vining plants. Thanks for sharing, and I'm looking forward to more videos from you now that your computer is working again. (Weirdly, my desktop AND my laptop both crashed in the last few weeks. The desktop was past reviving, but fortunately the laptop problem was a simple fix. The joys of tech!)
My computer crashed twice, and i have a lot of personal stuff going on. I just need to get a routine in, and stay on top of it. It was nice to have a break for a little bit though. I love luffa gourds! they are just a fun plant all around. They grow well in shade too...that might help you grow some. You should give them a try. And thank you for being here. I really enjoy the friendship.
@@TheBigBlueHouseHomestead I am going to figure out a spot for them for sure -- maybe over by my bottlebrush hedge and writing barn since there's some shade there. How much shade can they handle if it's super hot? So sorry to hear about all the tech difficulties and life stuff - it happens to all of us. The last four weeks have been crazy here, too, but I think it's settling down now, just in time for a nice, relaxing holiday season. I think you're right - a good routine helps so much. Btw, I would have tagged YOU for the 40 Questions Challenge, but I had a feeling you might be too busy. Next year I might create a similar challenge but with more interesting questions - if I do, I'll definitely ask you to join in the fun! It's so cool that YT gives us the chance to make good friends we never would have met otherwise.
I think luffa gourds are really cool! I dont think my wife would use them but i wouldnt mind trying it!
They are the neatest plant, to me. Give them a try, you'll really enjoy them.
So good to see you!!! That luffa is an interesting plant for sure! I can see you making your own soap and making the luffa and putting it all together in a little basket to sell! Take care!!
As soon as i figure out the soap with them, i'll have to send you one.
Was just thinking about you the other day wondering where you have been. Hadn't seen any notification for your videos. Glad to see you back.
I'm doing my best to get back into youtube, but i have a lot going on now. Glad to hear from you, and thank you so much for being here, and caring.
Another vote for the most helpful loofah harvest video!
Just worked Ng in a bunch of the moldy ones. They turn out great after processing and may even have a softer texture. I hardly compost any of mine and had a couple hundred.
Thank you this was very helpful
Omg you are amazing !!
First time growing them. We have a freeze coming this weekend. I'm so excited to try this. Going to pick them tomorrow and start the drying process!
You did a great job. I love mine for cleaning. It's to rough for my skin.
Thank you! i love cleaning with mine too. When i walk through the garden barefoot, they come in handy to clean my feet. But you are right, they are a little rough on the skin sometimes.
Thank you for sharing, I have such a hard time getting things to dry without mold here. I am giving bird house gourds a try this year.
I end up with mold sometimes too. You can rub the gourds down with rubbing alcohol to make sure it kills bacteria. Even if they start to mold, you can clean it off and use the rubbing alcohol.
@@TheBigBlueHouseHomestead Thank you, I will give it a go!
I’m so glad I found this. It’s my first year gardening. I’m in zone 8, but it’s November and they’re just barely yellowing. We’ve already had a couple of nights in the low-thirties and at least one of my vines is starting to dry up, so I want to make sure I can make the most of the ones I have.
Okay, spring is going to be here soon 😂 PLEASE do some videos for people like me. ( I CAN grow stuff, 🤔 but I need help from the beginning of season so that my harvest is good. Example: I cut my green onions from the store and put them in water ,🤔 now what do I do? I planted garlic before and I had alot of green onions tops, but then what? I didn't get more garlic. I BEG YOU to help us that are yellow thumbs that are trying to turn green 😂 Thank you 😘
Hi. My name is Trish. Very nice to meet you!!! I have watched OMGosh so many videos trying to get answers and here I found the BEST most informative one of them ALL!!!!! You get a huge high five from me. Thank you thank you thank you.. WHere do you live? Merry Christmas :~)
Thank you Trish! I'm really glad you enjoyed the video! Sorry it took so ling to comment back. I'm in South Carolina!
Hi! Thanks for such a thorough and thoughtful video! Idk if you still have seeds available, but if you do, I could really really use a few! I grew luffa for the first time this year, and somehow the seeds I got grew a different type of luffa that is all but impossible to peal/remove the skin! It’s like their skin is reversed or inside out! It’s taking me over an hour just to peal one! So for this coming spring, I’m praying I can get some seeds from people who have grown the right kind of big beautiful luffas, like yours! Thanks again for all of your videos! I’d love some seeds if possible. 😊🙌
I'm not really active on youtube right now. But I saw this comment and had to reply. Please send me an email with your address. I would love to send luffa seeds to you. Thebigbluehousehomestead@gmail.com
So glad I found you Sarah. I want to know what zone you are in. We are in zone 6 and our gourds started appearing the last week of July. By mid August we had over twenty small ones. This is our second year growing and we have around 40 still on the vine. All are very green so we'll have to pick them before the frost.
Thank you for your drying tips.
I'm in zone 7b. Gourds are a little weird when growing. Mine like to vine out during the heat, and then set fruit when it cools down. It's always fun to see how many end up growing. Sounds like you have a lifetime of luffas now! That's awesome!
Kay Ray- I’m in zone 6 also. Temps dipped to low 30’s last week and I also, had 40 luffas on the vine. I did clip them off the vine and brought them inside- I’m nervous about them surviving!! This is my first season growing luffas
I must’ve missed. Where’s the best place to store them while you’re drying them inside outside garage greenhouse
Thank you for the great tutorial🤗🌍
You’re welcome 😊
Hi..im in zone 6 Canada and grew luffas also this year...i think they start producing fruit in August here because this variety likes shorter daylength...less than 15 hour day length..here that starts end of July..warly August...personally I like to peel them green..if they produced the fibre for sponge...i picked them and started stepping on them to break the skin..
I grew luffa last year and the vine took over the trellises, only one plant and gave a lot of fruits
You probably have way better soil than i do. I have hard clay, and just started that garden area this year. I can't wait to get compost in it next year.
Gosh that is a long time to wait Sarah! 180 days? Didn't know that took so long. Never grown them. Sponges? Well that's interesting. Had no idea.
Good to see you back and posting. 🍂🍂🍂
Well son of a gun. It *is* a sponge. Wow.
27 is a nice haul for five plants
It is a long process to grow the luffas, but it's worth it. It's one of my favorite plants.
Did you ever use any to make soap? I'm interested in seeing that!
I ate luffa acutangula with pork four hours ago. It is suculent juicy and yummy.
We grew luffa this year. It's the first year we have ever grown them. My husband keeps telling me I need to clean them up before they go bad, but they have only been drying for about 2 or 3 weeks, alot of them are still green, and heavy.
He said to cut the ends off and bake them, peel them, and then rinse them out really good but I'm 35 weeks pregnant, and with a toddler and it's becoming a pain of a job to do.
Are they okay to just keep drying out? He's worried about them molding, but I'm having more difficulty with baking them, letting them cool off and then trying to peel and dry them.
Really helpful information. Do you break the skin to let moisture evaporate while your luffa dries on the counter? First year growing and harvested a bunch.
@pragati5910 No. I do not break the skin. The best thing to do is to make sure the gourds are really clean, and rotate them often. They will dry out perfectly
Ahhh I wish we could grow these! our season is just not long enough
You can always try starting inside early, and transplanting. They are really fun to grow, and you should try them.
Very informative video..thank you..you helped me alot..i grew luffa gourds this yr..but they're still green..im glad that you mentioned you can let them dry indoors..alot of videos on the internet said they will rot indoors..will the seeds still be viable if they dry indoors oppose to on the plant..i would love to let them continue maturing on the plant but they're taking forever to turn brown and were expecting a frost probably in a few weeks..thank you
Luffa can take awhile to grow, but worth it in the end. Make sure you turn them while they are drying, and they won't rot. The seeds are just as viable. As long as they are solid colored, and hard. The softer seeds will not grow.
@@TheBigBlueHouseHomestead thank you for your help..i appreciate it..yes it's definitely a fun plant to grow..i look forward to growing it again..thank you again
Still Here. Great informational video.
I know i'm not very active right now on youtube. Sorry about that. I have a lot going on right now. Just glad to still have a friend in you!
@@TheBigBlueHouseHomestead Always will support your channel.
Just found your channel & showing some fellow RUclipsrs some Love. SUBSCRIBED & Smashed the thumbs up 👍! Cheers 🍻from Prairie Sunset Ranch☀️
Thank you. I subbed back, and look forward to your videos.
@@TheBigBlueHouseHomestead , Awesome thank you my friend!
Best way to store on shelf?
Best way to store seeds until spring?
And Best way to start the seeds in the spring ?
Thank you ! This video was so informative
This is great! Do you still have extra seeds? Or a recommendation on where to get them? I’m hoping to try and grow them in my garden next spring. :)
00:10 OCTOBER CAME AND WENT🤗🌍
Where do you store the luffa that is not ready to harvest? Warm area cold area dark place light place? I have so many questions I want to grow them next year I’m located in Ohio.
I have the same question
Great information 👍👍👍
Are we subscribed to each other?
We are subscribed to each other.
Same! I did place my dark green luffas (38 of them) in a opened green house- to allow air to circulate- then I put a fan on them . Oh, greenhouses are in my basement. And again I did not enclose the houses.
I left mine outside for a month after the first frost. Some had dried naturally on the vine and are fine! For the rest, I'm not sure yet but brought them in for drying. Do you have any tips on how to prevent molding? And experience in harvesting post-freeze luffa? Thanks!
You can wipe them down with rubbing alcohol, or lysol wipes. That helps to kill the mold spores. If you pick your luffa before it's dried, just lay it on newspaper, and rotate it every few days. It will dry out just fine
super cool never seen thig before
Luffas are really neat. One of my favorite plants.
Thanks for sharing your experiences with us. Do you think hanging them or standing the luffas upright would be better/easier? I live in zone 6a and this year was the first year I got luffas, it's October and we may get our first frost. Go figure 😄 Anyways, have you tried peroxide instead of bleach? Hope to hear back, thanks 😊
Very informative information. Thank you so much.
Is the bleach soak still necessary if the sponge already looks nice and clean? I harvested my first luffa that's yellowed on the vine and then I had sitting in a basket by the window for a month before i peeled and looks pretty good.
There are sticky fibers still stuck in the luffa. When you don't bleach them, the fibers can cause mold and bacteria to grow. They will turn black and fuzzy, which isn't good.
Can you please tell me why it is important to get the seeds out? I am a MP (glycerin) soap maker. I AM interested in growing my own loofah's next year, but the ones I'm dealing with now i purchased already processed to WHITE and in slices. After embedding a handful of the slices in the soap, i noticed that there were some seeds, or seed sheaths still in some of the slices i had not yet used.
With glycerin soap most botanicals will rehydrate, rot and mold. There are a handful of things like the dried fibrous part of the loofah, and dried calendula and blue cornflower petals that have hydrophobic properties and will stay okay.
So, two of the soaps from that first batch from about 3 months ago and before i knew to check for seeds, have gone a bit brow in the center. What are your thoughts please?
I realize that this may be considered more a soaping question than a loofah question and if you're not comfortable answering a soaping question, then my question reverts back to... why is it important to remove the seeds? Is that a mold or bacteria or hygiene type of potential later issue?
I hate throwing away good soap, but i would hate risking someone using something from me that could do them harm EVEN MORE!!!
Thank you in advance for any help or wisdom or advice you may be able to share!💜💜💜
The seeds can be uncomfortable in soaps. The sheaths are made to rot away. That may be why your soap darkened. There's not any harm in the soaps that you made. They just won't be as pretty as the other ones. I really hope you do grow Luffa gourds. They are one of my favorite plants.
where do you recommend we get the seeds, to have the biggest fat luffa ...... I want to melt soap and pour into the luffa to keep into the shower
I love your video, very helpful. Thank you. I have a question, when (during the dying process) do you cut the end off of the gourd and how long can you keep the loofah before you should throw it away? BTW, new subscriber a well!! 🙌
I leave the end on, when drying. I just cut it off before peeling, to make it easier to remove seeds. It also makes it easier to peel.
I have peeled my luffa how do I dry it in the microwave
Oh thank goodness
Great video, thank you. Question: 1st year with Luffa. My luffa grew wonderfully and very productive, dried them in the garage on a shelf and.....MOLD!! How do I avoid this? I have around 12 of the 56 that I feel are able to peel and process....HELP!!_
Next time you dry them out, wash them with soap and water first, or wipe them down with peroxide. The mold doesn't hurt the sponge, but can be a mess to deal with. You can rotate them alot too, and make sure none of the sides stay moist. Don't worry too much. A few of mine will mold too, every year.
@@TheBigBlueHouseHomestead Thank you very much
Thank you!
I want to know how you eat yours!
How long does it take for them to dry out?
It usually only takes a few weeks. Just make sure to rotate them so they don't rot on one side. I've had smaller one dry in a week, and larger ones take up to 3 weeks.
oops You're the best!
If you cut your gourd will it still dry
@@cathysmith333 it will still dry. You'll just have to watch out for mold on the inside
The luffa shown in the video is a luffa aegyptiaca species which I have never seen and eaten. I have only seen and eaten luffa acutangula in Costa Rica. Luffa aegyptiaca is thicker and bigger than luffa acutangula
All luffa gourds are edible. This variety needs to be eaten when it's small and tender. Otherwise the fibers get tough, and the sponge forms. I've grown both varieties, and they taste the same. Very delicious!
Can you dry the green ones outside in sun?
Yes, you can dry them outside, but if you are getting a frost, they may freeze. If they freeze, they will not dry correctly
@@TheBigBlueHouseHomestead thank you so much! I had to harvest them because my big dogs kept running through vines and snapped one off. So I decided to harvest the big ones.
😊🌿
Think about a carb diet...
Just tried growing for first time. All died.
Ordered 4 live plants from Etsy two died 2 survived. Harvested 3 gourds. Waiting for them to dry. Is it normal for the plants to have ants. A lot of ants. But then disappeared.
@@kathyslusinski6616 Ants help open up the blooms. They are very helpful. They also eat the aphids.
Where can I buy some Luffa seeds at ??? Are the seeds expensive???
I would be happy to send you some seeds, if you want. Just send me an email. I love sharing seeds. If you don't want to, that's ok. You can check on MIgardner.com, and Rareseeds.com. Luffa seeds sell out pretty quickly, so check them out soon.
@@TheBigBlueHouseHomestead OMG Thank you so much for the seeds ...I cant wait to get them all going this summer...
@@jennyrogers2070 I'm so glad you got the seeds!
If you cut them too soon, is there any way to dry it out more? Or is it too late?
Thanks for the video!
@@TheBigBlueHouseHomestead I can't seem to find the email address to request seeds. :(
I'm zone 5ish and would love to try my hand at growing and processing into sponges and scrubbies. PO Box 16222, Missoula, MT 59808. also happy to venmo for these quality home-grown and harvested seeds!
This video says it’s about processing luffa. I’m 5 minutes in and there’s been ZERO information about processing. I gave up.
Hello can I receive some of your luffa sends sent to me please.
If you’re impatient with your gardening, you shouldn’t be gardening
I don’t know where to text you my address I’m going to look you up on Facebook to send you my address there