How to Grow Luffa Sponges (And Easily Process Them)

Growing luffa sponges is easy - and processing them is even easier!

Harvest luffa when they are brown, then beat 'em on the ground to loosen the seeds inside. Crack off the end piece and dump out the seeds to save, then rip off the skin. Now you have a sponge! You can keep it as is, or cut your luffa sponge into pieces, or even embed luffa in homemade soap.

Luffa, also known as loofah, is a member of the cucumber family and is also edible as a cooked vegetable when harvested young. If they taste bitter /don't eat them/ as they can cause toxic squash syndrome. Loofah just needs a trellis and a lot of space and it will give you more sponges than you'll need in a year!

[jameskniskern]

These also make fantastic packing material.
We send gifts and use loofah as cushioning around the gift in the shipping box.
Lightweight and biodegradable. And of course, a sponge.

[Carolynfoodforest]

I just read an article this morning about how healthy and medicinal the luffa guard is. The leaves are made into a tea for healing.

[naurekk]

I started these from seed in early March last year - they take over 100 days to grow. They grew up beyond my trellis into a tree. I got a few sponges but they didn't make it to the drying out stage before the first frost in Canada. This year I started in February and they're popping out of the soil! Super fun to grow, hoping I get some sponges this year.

[mkeyx]

I never knew about this spongy goodness. It's almost as if this place was made to provide for all sorts of needs.

[MyTNMtnHome]

Ha ha. You popped up like a bunny rabbit! We did ours on a hoop house. It was fun for kids to run through. Then, the kiddos just loved yanking them down, skating them like a musical instrument, shaking the seeds out, and peeling them.

[hummingbirdhillhomestead]

We grew luffa for the first time last year and LOVE them! They really do make the perfect bath sponge and produce SO MANY seeds! Great video :)

[KristinGasser]

Fantastic addition to my homemade natural soaps… this long hot summer would have been perfect, last year it was too short and rainy! Next year I give it the next try… great advice with the seeds and the easy way to crack it, … didn’t know that! Thanks! ❤

[coolbreeze]

Love this! Thanks never knew was so easy to be clean😊

[chakagomez]

its fun for preschoolers to grow and give as gifts

[agapefield]

❤❤❤I love Luffa! The yellow flowers are beautiful and the sponges are awesome & so many seeds! We planted them on the fence of our 15' X 35' Dog pen when the vines got long we put string & wire over the top of the pen and our Aussie Hershey had a very nicel shady area to play in.

[LittleBitOfSunshineu]

This was interesting! Thank you for showing us this.

[apocalypsegardens]

I think I will try these again next year. Thanks for covering it!

[sgmarr]

I grew these years ago! Had NO idea How To do the seeds, or age it, etc. So I did it the Hard way! 😂
I am in Ontario, still grows up here!

[yukonsmomma]

Thanks David. I haven't grown these before but was thinking about trying. Your info should help me.

[firedancerbear]

I've grown luffa in Arizona twice and I'm hooked! Didn't have much to process; only 6 survived the birds, but they lasted me two years. Favorite use is to clean eggs. Definitely want to grow something else with it this time around in Kentucky and Definitely want to buy seeds from your daughter. Thanks for sharing! God bless you and your family 💞

[michaelmosley]

I just got done picking a few myself had to make me a trail to get in amongst em

[thavylor]

This squash is our version of zucchini. In fact, we didn't know zucchini existed until we came to America. We use zucchini when our recipe calls for this squash.

[gpashh]

I love growing loofahs, I had sooo many last year I didn't have to grow any this year.

[tabp]

I've tryng to grow these for 2 years with no success. I guess I've had too many other projects going on at once and haven't focused on them. Instead of trellising them, they've sprawled out into the garden and my chickens have eaten them.
Oh well, maybe next year.

Glad yours were successful!
💚🌱

[titanlurch]

I'm glad you qualified the part about eating Lufa. As I recall you did say there are several varieties of lufa .