How to Grow, Harvest, Peel, and Process Luffa Sponges | 1818 Farms

Are you interested in learning how to grow and harvest luffa (loofah) sponges in your garden? Join Natasha as she explains trellising, best harvesting stages, peeling, seed saving and processing luffas.
Want to grow your own luffa? Purchase our seeds here: 1818farms.com/products/luffa-...
Need a gift that includes a luffa sponge? Check out this gift box from 1818 Farms: 1818farms.com/products/shower...

[@blossom1643]

Oh Thanks for this!! My daddy use to grow these in the 70’s & I had forgot how much fun they are! Glad I came across a Southern gal!!

[@1818Farms]

So much fun to grow!

[@sarahmunoz14]

The arch is fantastic! This is my first year growing luffa. I live in SoCal and started them early (may). I jad 2 harvests off of two plants. We had a cool start to summer and there were only 5. Then a heat wave in August made the plants explode with new grow and luffas. The vine is crazy. Such as interesting process with heavy fruit and then this light spongy thing. So many pollinators!

[@1818Farms]

This has been the most fun that I have had growing a plant. So much excitement. We did our final harvest yesterday and cut around 145 luffas before the frost. I added some footage to our Instagram story yesterday.

[@annmarie566]

Cog Hill Farm sent me to see you and your baby doll sheep and flower farm

[@1818Farms]

Hope you enjoy the channel. I post a lot more babydoll photos on my Instagram page.

[@macym57]

8:15 interesting how it resembles the elephant's trunk, the holes. Nature is amazing.

[@nadinelataille7462]

Jason & Brooke from Cog Hill sent me. New subscriber ❤

[@1818Farms]

That’s great! Thank you for following along.

[@ceaserelizondo]

Wow that was a huge 🐝 bee 😮

[@ceaserelizondo]

Thank you so much for sharing next year ill be planning to grow some as well.

[@Wakeupandsniffthecoffee]

I'm going on four years since first discovering them. I'm in Virginia. My second year I came up with a hybrid luffa I named Virginia Huskies luffa. They are more the size of softballs and footballs. Not super long, but wide in girth. I have videos on this KZbin channel from this year and on my Facebook page "For the love of luffa-loofa". My first year I dried them and then shook the seeds out. This year I peel before heavily dried and wash out the luffa in a bucket. The seeds wash out and usually float. I put them into a strainer and rinse and then let them dry. I wash the sponge to take out the let over meat and I'm ready to hang and dry the luffa. At this point if there are dark spots, I may do a bleach soak. I find that this eliminates all the seed shaking out business. With a dozen or more trays of dried seeds, I then vacuum pack and label them accordingly. Then I sell seeds to my seed reseller and sell the sponges to crafty people. I would do it, just for fun and to watch the bees. I will share this on my Facebook page. Thanks!

[@angelasollowayangelasollow3435]

So wonderful to see a new video. Been missing your content.

[@1818Farms]

Thank you! Hope to have more this Spring. Last year was hectic getting kids off to college and moving one after graduation.

[@jeannet9592]

I just heard your interview on the Simple Farmhouse Life podcast, and am now a new subscriber! Tue interview was so full of great information and teaching. Thank you.

[@1818Farms]

Thank you for following along! Happy that you enjoyed the podcast.

[@nickolkovsky3998]

Extremely informative video, thanks for the great content!

[@1818Farms]

Happy to hear that you enjoyed the content! Are you growing luffa this year?

[@FromTheHillsofBama]

Thank you

[@carmenmarcinkiewicz7149]

I just came over from Coghill and subscribed to your channel.

[@bobbiek2960]

I’m a new sub from Lisa’s channel. Beautiful farm you have.

[@bairdgardens3925]

Great video

[@1818Farms]

Thank you! Are you growing them?

[@bairdgardens3925]

@@1818Farms no I don't grow them and don't have a veggie garden. I only grow for vanity lol. Just flowers and shrubs

[@AmbersSweatyChoker]

Agreed!

[@sunshinejenny5536]

Thank you for your video! I have my first and only loofa to process! It dried inside this year.

[@1818Farms]

How exciting!

[@macym57]

​​@@1818Farms 8:15 interesting how it resembles the elephant's trunk.

[@pbudinsky1]

Great video love love the arbor! how is it so wide? Do you have two in the ground and then one placed on top I can’t figure it out!

[@AmbersSweatyChoker]

For the yellowish gourd you can simply soak it and unsheath it ♡♡♡

[@saraolberding975]

I just ordered the seeds! Besides the support and planting early what other tips do you have? I’m in zone 6a. Thank you! I’m looking forward to growing these!

[@SunshineSarah74]

We use cattle panels to grow them on! I’m southern indiana and I start my seeds in March inside and put in ground first week of may.

[@heatherrees9331]

How do you dry them indoors

[@beljadajo9470]

Do you just wash them in plain water?

[@carlosmontoya2485]

What kind of fertilizer do you use and how often.

[@stacyw3250]

I have mine growing now. Got my trellis up. Excited! Do you bleach yours?

[@1818Farms]

Yes I do! Just a small amount in case there is any bacteria.

[@lsherylc2524]

how many loofa plants did you plant here? Thank you! Just subscribed. :)

[@caravann26]

How many plants is that for an 8foot arch .I'm asking how far apart do you plant them thanks

[@jhippl]

those are some really nice snips, what brand are they? this was my first year for luffa and they are coming in great. I only have two 4x8 raised beds but I plan on adding in a third one this winter to do more next year.

[@1818Farms]

Love the snips. They are ARS and on Amazon.

[@susieast450]

Do you think I could grow these in Alaska?

[@Fernsandfrogs]

How many plants are growing on that vine? Great video thank you. I have one plant going right now🫰🏼

[@1818Farms]

Each Arch has 4-5 plants. 14 plants yielded around 200 luffas.

[@lsherylc2524]

what materials die you use? Size of cattle panels and how many stakes? How did you make the arch so tall? Thank you for your help! My seedlings are doing great! Thank you!

[@1818Farms]

We actually installed permanent arches last year from strength. These arches couldn’t handle the weight.

[@tcliftonjm]

Please tell watering schedule and what kind of fertilizer and how often.

[@1818Farms]

I water when the ground is really dry and the plants look droopy. I spray with fish emulsion when they are first growing. Don’t fertilize at all after they are climbing well.

[@kakeshah4799]

I need the seed please inform me

[@lydiabrittanandtheroyalhom5119]

WOULD YOU EVER CONSIDER MAKING A VIDEO ABOUT HOW YOU GROW YOUR LISIANTHUS in 7A? I’m just south of Nashville.

[@1818Farms]

You are just North of me. I am selling Grow Your own cut flower garden collections this year. Lisianthus are included. I hope to create a video for that.

[@lydiabrittanandtheroyalhom5119]

@@1818Farms I was just looking at that! It looks beautiful! I also sent an email with a couple questions. I just listened to you on the Let’s Grow Girls podcast, you were very informative! 🙏🏻 I have a lot to learn 😅

[@FromTheHillsofBama]

Is Climbing okra the same as a loofah sponge gourd?

[@1818Farms]

I don’t think it is the same.

[@loladetrant4070]

How many seeds do you put into a vine

[@1818Farms]

I am unsure I understand your question

[@charmainebrown8611]

Where can you buy the seads

[@1818Farms]

We have them available in our website. 1818farms.com

[@SunshineSarah74]

How much do you sell a luffa that hasn’t been peeled?

[@1818Farms]

I haven’t ever sold them unpeeled.

[@shockbonker]

That looks like a hard way to skin/peel. You actually can get those seeds out of the yellow one. I run my thumb under between sponge & skin. In my opinion you did it both types the hard way. I’ll try to make a video showing how I do it. Not being ugly only trying to say there is a more easy way.

[@1818Farms]

Thanks for the tip. Because we sale the seeds as a crop, we like for the luffas to be as dry as possible. We don’t have as many viable seeds when they are peeled yellow.

[@kakeshah4799]

I need the seed please inform me

[@1818Farms]

I sell the seeds at 1818farms.com. We do not ship internationally only in United States.