I bought luffa seeds this year at our favorite nursery store in Bloomingdale, Illinois, Platt Hill Nursery.I enjoy going there because they have so many varieties of plants, supplies and excellent customer service. Their staff is very knowledgeable and helpful.
Back to the luffa sponge seeds. One of the best tricks I learned from the Garfield Park Conservatory in Chicago at their Children's Educational Programs was growing plants from seeds using plastic gloves. Plus this is fun for the kids!
Here's how we started the seedlings of the luffa plant:
- plastic disposable gloves, the kind you can buy at a dollar store; the real flimsy super thin, one size fits all gloves
- cotton balls
- small cup of water
- seeds
- rubber band
- small potting container with soil
What to do:
Soak five cotton balls in water. Drop one cotton ball into each finger of the glove. Add 2-3 seeds into each finger and tie the top of the glove with a rubber band. Leave the gloves in a semi-bright room and in about 7-10 days the seeds will start rooting/sprouting. Carefully, remove the the whole cotton ball with seedlings and plant them into a container with soil until the seedlings are about 2" or 3" tall. Then you can plant them outside in the garden.
Our seedlings are going to be transplanted into the ground this weekend. The luffa sponge plant is a vine and the fruit they bear looks like a cucumber. A trellis will be needed to support the vine which can grow up to 30 feet. Here's a website for more info on the Luffa Sponge. Luffa Info
Good luck growing these fun and functional plants. There will be plenty of luffa to give away as gifts.
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