I don't know where to really post this question, so y'all help me out. I grew loofa's! How do I clean them to make sponges?
Now what do I do?
I really loved this vine and it's yellow flowers.
Paige, you have to let them ripen on the vine until the turn yellow. It looks like the ones you picked are in the green stage so the fibers will not be forrmed.
When they are yellow pick them and let them dry, then cut off both ends so you can reach inside, and remove all the seeds with a spoon.
Then peel off the outer shell or skin, and when all you have is just the fibres, you soak it and wash it to make it pliable, and then you have a loofa.
Good luck, and have fun with your project.
Josephine.
OH NO! :((( I'm going to blame it on my DH! I was wondering what to do with them and he said they were bigger than the sponges I had so they were probably ready. Poo... Oh well, they didn't seem to take very long to grow. I'll try again. Thanks Josephine!
Those vines really do grow quite well and they have such lovely yellow blooms too. As Josephine wrote...let them turn yellow on the vine.
A friend of mine let hers just about dry on the vine. They dried out quite nicely and I just rolled the 'squash' between my hands and the skin broke off in pieces. Also scrunched up remaining skinless squash and the seeds pretty much fell out.
Made the mistake of leaving some squash to dry in an old hanging basket along with a couple of apple gourds but a mouse or rat climbed up into it and had a very nice midnight snack! Dratted rodent!!!
~ Cat
Luckily it didn't take long for these to grow and hopefully it won't take long for more. I knew better than to cut them off but just thought I'd save myself a trip.
I had to stop feeding the birds this year because I had TOO man field mice last year. I didn't kill them either. I trapped them in a live trap and released them in the country so it got a little time consuming. Not but one or two this year tho. Oh, which reminds me to go bring in some fruit I left for the butterflies because it will bring in the rats or a racoon.
Well, it took longer than I had hoped but I've got another...fruit(?) and have no idea what to do with it. I've waited for it to turn yellow but the thing just won't. My husband says it's going to knock this fence down! (wind got the other one) It's going to freeze soon, so do I cut it off?? It figures too, there's another one fixing to start.
Go ahead and cut it off before the freeze. Put it in a sunny location and you have a good chance it will dry out and you will have a nice big sponge. I just love my luffas.
Yes, I think that is very good advice.
Josephine.
I will do that now! I think I'll have enough sponges to share for Christmas from huge this thing! (unless it whittles down to much smaller?)
I just let them dry on the vine until the ends split open and start dropping their seeds. Soak and peel off the skin.
Frostweed when do you finish your Master Gardener course. Tomorrow afternoon we get our certificate.
edited for spelling
This message was edited Nov 28, 2006 5:00 PM
Hello Ted, Congratulations on receiving your Master Gardener's certificate, I am sure it was a lot of fun.
The course I took is Master Naturalist this is more about nature in general, but it involves plants too.
We learned a lot about conservation and ecology, many interesting facts about out area of the country. Of course what we learned just touches the tip of the iceberg, but we have a start and a better understanding of many things. The classes were given at the Fort Worth Nature Center, they have 3,500 acres set aside as a nature preserve, and I think it is wonderful.
Our certificates will be awarded next month.
Sorry that we got off your topic Paige.
Josephine.
No apologies! I'm interested in what you both have been doing. Congrats Ted! So what will you do now with your certificate?
Paige I found this thread about drying luffas, and thought you might enjoy it.
Josephine.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/345232/
I found this very interesting. I would like to grow those next spring. Where do you get the seed?Don't think I've seen them when shopping for seed.
Thanks Josephine! I'll have to read thru that. I'm not sure if I'm going to get any luffa sponges out of it this year but at least I'll know what to do next time.
Gabriell, I got the seed from a friend who grew them. Each fruit has a lot of seed in them. I did have a whole bag of them. When I locate them I can send you some.