What Happens When a LUFFA Sponge Goes to SEED?

In this video, I explain what happens when a luffa sponge goes to seed and how to easily grow and make your own luffa sponge. I also explain the difference between a luffa sponge and a sea sponge.
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Self Sufficient Me is based on our small 3-acre property/homestead in SE Queensland Australia about 45kms north of Brisbane - the climate is subtropical (similar to Florida). I started Self Sufficient Me in 2011 as a blog website project where I document and write about backyard food growing, self-sufficiency, and urban farming in general. I love sharing my foodie and DIY adventures online so come along with me and let's get into it! Cheers, Mark :)

[@ElisaAvigayil]

I love how you compare the non-sustainability of sea sponges to the sustainability of loofahs. We stopped buying sea sponges when we learned about their origins. We use loofahs to wash our dishes and our bodies and when they get gross we bury them in the garden. However, loofahs are too rough to use to wash the car. I find that the younger, smaller loofahs are actually softer than the bigger ones.

[@shantaranoyes9475]

When I worked in PNG the community were also using the luffa to establish orchids and bromeliads on; they gave them as gifts too. It was quite impressive because the fibres make it easy for the plants to grip onto and the luffa retains the moisture well without the risk of overwatering

[@Selfsufficientme]

That's another great use for them! Thanks for sharing :)

[@bryantlibby2713]

I'm always curious how someone can see this video and think, "I'm gonna thumbs down it". Anyway, thanks for the lovely video.

[@RebelShell]

Now I am scrambling to buy some plants somewhere. I have known about them for a while, but then Mark has to get on the KZbin and make them even more interesting. Everything in the garden is better when Mark talks about it!

[@Rouverius]

So, the luffa fibers create a secure nursery for the seeds to germinate? What an amazing design!

[@user-ik2yi4fm1u]

Wdym design?

[@NickRoeder]

@@user-ik2yi4fm1u God mate, jk.

[@emsey6097]

I love nature, its all an incredible design!!!

[@jillhumphrys8073]

I might just plant one this winter and see what happens

[@MrPiragon]

@@user-ik2yi4fm1u By God

[@KellyS_77]

Luffa sponges are amazing! They’re great for washing up your dishes, they are compostable when used up, and you can grow them in your garden. Super awesome!

[@TriniMonstera]

Hey, you could chop the bitter gourd, add salt leave on for a few hours then squeeze out the liquid. Saute with onions, garlic and some chillies. There are a few videos on how to remove most of the bitterness. We add indian spices like ground roasted cumin to it. Then eat it with rice or flat bread.

[@henryettoit897]

but the bitterness is the best part! it has a sweet aftertaste which is enjoyable. my (chinese) wife cooks it often

[@silasmonk2458]

I'd bitter gourd the same as luffa?

[@shawtop]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/b4azomN8ltOLhsk

[@pepemiko]

@@silasmonk2458 no they're different plants

[@ZE308AC]

The bitter is the most helpful thing to detox

[@beano9343]

Never knew luffa could be grown, always thought it was a synthetic and this video was a joke lol. Thought I'd watch to see what's what. Yeah, wow! I'm pretty amazed now :0

[@gabrielemagnabosco8926]

Tbh same, I always thought they were some polymeric mesh in a sponge shape. Turns out it is polymeric but not in the sense I thought of.

[@karstent.66]

@@gabrielemagnabosco8926 The very first time I heard about Luffa and how to grow them was a garden book for children I got as a christmas gift in 1976.... But I could never find seeds and I thought they must be very exotic, if you live in Europe.

[@jayamilapersson4030]

I actually got seeds out of them falling out of the ones in a store I picked them out and planted them and got free luffas because I never bought the original that the seeds fell out of.

[@gabrielemagnabosco8926]

@@karstent.66 well being usually very curious, for some reason I never questioned their origin... And it is quite strange, after all I grew up in sardinia, we could probably mass produce them down there. I guess I learned something new today, doesn-t get much better than that.

[@willj3145]

Same. when i saw the title of the video I was like, wait a minute. its not April fools day.

[@heidinolen873]

Sweet Jesus! That funky old Orange thing by my grandma's tub was once alive. Creepy to learn but it explains why she refuses to throw it out.

[@shawtop]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/b4azomN8ltOLhsk

[@yvettehinton2461]

Lolol 🤣🤣

[@teresaholland4790]

I grow my own loofahs and use those for the Coco liners in my planters plus we use them for a bath and scrubbing love them

[@cherylsim9385]

Oh gosh I can’t wait to try this!! My parrot also LOVES chewing and destroying these so this’ll be fantastic THANKYOU❤️

[@ohhowfuckingoriginal]

"your garden is so lovely. What are you growing over here??" "Bird toys lol"

[@swizzleproxi4810]

Wot a great use for them, parrot toys.👋😃

[@cherylsim9385]

Captain.Toaster HAHAHA YES omg, and sponges for baths 😂 they’ll think I’m crazy till they see the magic

[@cherylsim9385]

Alice yess!! Rhea’s favourite the chew to shreds🙌🏻🥰

[@catross740]

Ohhhh thanks for the great idea🙃

[@definedecline]

i am a luffa nut! this is my second year growing them-- going to dry them, peel them, trim them, bleach them, add a rope, and donate them to shelters in town! lovely sponges and produce a beautiful vine!

[@thomasdesmond2248]

You can also use them in your soil. Will help retain water. God bless

[@Selfsufficientme]

Top tip! Thanks :)

[@Crucisphinx]

A great way to use up old and extra luffas, since these plants are so productive!

[@sabrinaknapp256]

I've been gardening for over 20 years up in Fairbanks, AK and I adore your channel. There are so many things I would love to grow that are not possible up here, but I have learned about lots of new things to try up here that would work. It would be great for us time restricted gardeners if you could give us an idea of how many days (weeks) it takes for a plant to get ready for you to harvest. With our long days up here our plants do grow pretty fast and I would love to grow some of the interesting long season plants like luffas if we could fit it in our summers. Thank you so much for all the time and care you put into your videos!

[@gbridger9177]

They look like a good growing medium.

[@ar-sithf.austin3744]

This is exactly what I was thinking when I first saw the budding Luf... be like a natural hydroponic media almost.

[@katseyeview9354]

I put mine up in the green house. Two germinated. transplanted them at 6 inches tall in May, and I just harvested 36 luffas!! They grew over my tunnel, onto my shed, and into my horse chestnut tree! there are still about 5 still up in the tree.

[@MrPatrickjb]

Wow, I had no idea that these were grown in the ground. What an interesting video, Mark! Good day, mate!

[@patrciaclemons8183]

Is this the Krusty krab?

[@MrPatrickjb]

Patrcia Clemons No! This is Patrick! *hangs up phone*

[@brendajohnston7323]

Great video - thanks. Difficult to find seed where I am in St. Louis, MO - found them on line. Growing them this year to add with Christmas baskets of jams/jellies. Grew them years ago. So easy to grow - no maintenance and no pests.

[@Ridley369]

Ebay! I've gotten all my organic seeds from Ebay for years, and just ordered some luffa seeds from a farmer in Florida on there after watching this. Free shipping is pretty much the norm too, on Ebay, for seeds.

[@FrozEnbyWolf150]

A lot of people are saying they had no idea luffa sponges were grown. I was the other way around. I always knew these as "silk squash" where we had to pick them in time before they got too hard and fibrous to eat, unless you wanted to save them for seed. I had no idea, until later, that they were used as a bath product. For anyone who is having trouble finding seeds for this, it goes by many names: Luffa, loofah, silk squash, si gua (Chinese) and Chinese okra. I grow the _Luffa acutangula_ type, which is ridged and angular, whereas the one in this video is _Luffa cylindrica_ or the smooth luffa. Search online and you're sure to find it. Be warned that the seeds can have a low germination rate compared to other squashes, so you're going to want to start a lot. Once they come out, you grow them like cucumbers.

[@nicole-yn2kr]

Thank you so much for uploading your videos. They always cheer me up and inspire to live a more self-sufficient life! :)

[@Selfsufficientme]

Thank you Nicole for supporting and inspiring me! :)

[@jamespeters2859]

Amazing! I’m one of those dumb asses whom thought they were a marine plant. Luv this gardener / propagater dude. Such a happy soul.

[@lichlikefish]

The caraille (bitter gourd) have to be sautéed until it gets soft and you can cook it with other foods that can mask the bitterness. Something salty and/or something sweet. Eg. Salted fish and/or sweet corn.

[@rumpelstilzchen9876]

Yess! It's also good with tofu and sesame. Really refreshing in the summer

[@terryleebo]

I'm the only one in my house who likes the bitter gourd. We grow a very similar variety to yours. I fry it up with onion until they're a little crispy.

[@briannawarren4174]

Someone shared this video with me, I had no idea they were a grown thing. I thought they came from the sea. You explained this topic really well, I'm a new fan now!

[@zackthephoenix237]

I am new at gardening but l started 3 months but l am learing more things to teach people that are inspired

[@tempestindustries9446]

Hoe many mothes now? Lol but congrats man ive always wanted to grow stuff but I don't have the energy it feels

[@crazygoatlady4287]

That is really great that you are inspired to grow a garden. Just remember don't fight against nature, work with it the best you can. I am sure you will be a pro in no time at all.

[@zackthephoenix237]

@@crazygoatlady4287 yes bugs are eating all off my staff

[@shawtop]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/b4azomN8ltOLhsk

[@fluxpistol3608]

Maybe invest in some English lessons so you can do that better

[@thecheatingfoodie5028]

Gourds are yummy. In London if you see gourd vines coming over someone's garden fence, you know it's likely a Bangladeshi home. Its quite common in East London UK. Best cooked with chicken in a stew-like lightly spiced curry. In Bengali we call them water pumkin :)👍🏼

[@beeplk7290]

Your channel singlehandedly got me gardening. Thankyou, Mark!

[@nicholem908]

You said it, "absolutely fascinating"!! I was floored with this information! Thank you for sharing.

[@wyattarich]

I love this channel. Thank you for all your efforts.

[@diannerichard2509]

I do think they are fantastic. I planted some a few weeks ago and can hardly wait to see a full luffa. Thank you for posting such an informative video.

[@troystokes69]

Hey big guy, I sure do appreciate your videos. I’m in subtropical Florida, USA. You have become my new favorite KZbin gardener. Thanks for sharing all this knowledge with us all. Keep it up!

[@oilin2558]

Love this video! I never knew what a gourd was although I have always seen the infamous gourd tunnel in your videos. I was never interested in it but now seeing how versatile it is, I would love to start growing my own sponges 🧽. Keep the educational content coming!

[@SixAcresFarm]

Thanks for great info on growing loofah. My first year adding the amazing vegetable gourd.

[@keatomic]

I was not aware of where they come from. I'm thinking about growing them now. good job my man. thank you very much.

[@DestructionBots]

Best gardening channel by far ! I'm going to grow these next summer

[@the.vinodd]

It is a wonderful vegetable... Absolutely love it... using it as a sponge is secondary ... Primarily it is awesome vegetable

[@jacquiehurns98]

Oh my goodness! Ive been using loofahs & receiving them as gifts for years & never knew they came from an actual plant! Thank you so much for your informative instruction!

[@Ridley369]

Sitting here, just brought home a nice dinner and enjoying it while also enjoying a marathon of your videos!! One of my new favorite pastimes! :D Love ya tons, keep up the amazing and informative work!! Just ordered some organic luffa seeds after watching this - can't wait to put some down in my patch!

[@jennifermuryn2129]

I'm growing luffa this year for the first time (Chicago, IL suburb). I'm excited about using it dried for cleaning. Your video got me enthused about it again. Thanks! Great videos!

[@keatomic]

I noticed that 12 people give a thumbs down to this video. there is absolutely nothing in this video that is disagreeable.

[@tauniafemrite2963]

I had no idea! That is so cool!

[@pimpozza]

..and THIS.. is a total joy to watch 👍🤗

[@rafaelvieira7897]

What I love about your channel is that we share the same climate and I can grow most of the veggies you have in your garden. The lufa plant is very popular here in Brazil 🇧🇷 it grows like a weed and sometimes we let it but thanks to you I have one more use for it besides scrubing my body. Thank you mate! 👍👍👍

[@Dan-bj1kx]

They are so much fun to grow and use. Fascinating plant isn’t it!

[@lucylu530]

I have been growing them for three years. It's an amazing and very useful plant.

[@kladewilson598]

Thanks. I have another thing to research now. We live in very different climates but your methods are inspirational. I’m a big fan of the gourd tunnel.

[@Clarachk]

TIL! Thank you for the garden lesson this morning!

[@SAK59]

So interesting! I had no idea about any of this. Thanks for this video!

[@vmorganbogart]

Luffas are very interesting. They do take a while to clean & get the seeds out, from what I have read from others that have grown them. I might try growing some on my fence next year. You have such a beautiful garden. Thanks for sharing it & your knowledge with us. I enjoy your channel. Blessings, Love & Hugs from Vicki in Ft. Worth, Texas 🇨🇱🇺🇸👍❤️😊🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@Hydrargiros]

I use luffa sponges since some years already, and they are great.

[@sams2271]

Very nice. Reminded me of my childhood days spent in my village. We too used to have a similar vegetable garden for self-sufficiency. We used to give excessive vegetables to our neighbors.

[@peggybreaux8973]

Old ones could be cut up and put at the bottom of pots. It may help hold water for the plant. I plan on trying.

[@donoghrees4051]

I was thinking the same for holding water in the garden during rain starved times. Also great for using to clean the dunny, that I can attest to, so many nylon bristles to avoid dropping into the environment.

[@juliedurlak]

What a fantastic unique story that was thx Mark

[@davidarnold3975]

Ooo we have a lot of these here in Vietnam!!!

[@bm5906]

That was really cool. You are one of the most interesting persons on KZbin.

[@TheGamiingNetWork]

I live in nyc and watch all ur videos . I’ve been growing vegetables on my fire escape for 3 years now. Thanks for all the tips

[@Selfsufficientme]

That's a dedicated veg growing example (fire escape) I love it when people grow anywhere they can! Cheers :)

[@adamcrisis8442]

Have one growing right now in the garden. Cant wait to see how it goes.

[@MrRandomdancer]

That's fantastic! We live in a flat atm with a little roof box. We're growing some courgettes, tomatos, carrots, beetroot etc. The plan is to move to the country in a year or two. I'll definitely give this a go! Thanks for the great video!

[@sandimorreale3685]

Very cool! Thanks Mark for the vid!

[@hetheringtonfamily8798]

Thank you for this video. I am wanting to grow some in Western Australia so this is handy 👌👍

[@marinamagic6394]

You blow my mind like every other episode lol. Thanks for the great info!

[@David-by8wt]

Love your channel, very informative. My family grow them every summer, and they are very common where I'm from (South-East China). My family harvest approx. 100+ each summer, and some of them grow up to 1m long (depend on the species you have). We let some of them grow to full maturity and use the sponge for dishes and the seed for next year's planting.

[@shuntersharpy]

We are trying these in the U.K this year fingers crossed all goes well . I'm jealous of the length of your growing season down under , but I could never live there , too many stingy , bitey things for my liking . All the best Rob.

[@Selfsufficientme]

Good on ya Rob for giving them a go in your climate - you never know until you try and I've had many pleasant surprises in the garden for things that are not supposed to do well here. Cheers :)

[@simock03]

UK grower, I wonder if it would be possible outside a greenhouse, just in the garden. Could become my new kitchen sponge.

[@shuntersharpy]

@@simock03 I've got mine in the polytunnel

[@simock03]

@@shuntersharpy Thanks Rob. I shall hold off then, until I manage to upgrade my garden with a polytunnel. :)

[@Deeloveshergoldies]

Ok so I’ve been watching your videos and have decided you need to come and help me set up my vege gardens.

[@evandavis6703]

I learn more everyday on this channel. I never knew my helpful soap buddy was also a part-time plant.

[@ludwigsugiri4916]

Thank you!! I always wondered how to grow them. My mom used to cook a simple loofah noodle soup with eggs. Delicious

[@nannygranny9534]

Yeah!! Got my tee shirts ordered with new design!! Thanks

[@Selfsufficientme]

Cool! Thank you :)

[@dougyd9743]

Used to grow these in our roof garden when we lived in Asia. Plant the seeds as soon as spring starts, then watch as they grow like crazy with the warmer weather. Provides a great shade crop that will die off when the weather cools down again.

[@nicknewberry6175]

This is very cool. I like to germinate seeds in rockwool. I want to try using these sponges in the same way instead. I had no idea anything like this existed

[@irmadennington2773]

In Asia that is vegetable, when young it can be stir-fried, put on soups. It can also be added to fish, pork or chicken dishes.

[@szymczyk77]

Fascinating. I had no idea. I use these myself, oblivious to their origin. Just assumed they were some kind of sea sponge 🤣. 3am in Perth and I’ve learnt my 1 thing for the day already!!! Thanks Mark.

[@fork4soup761]

I'm in Tennessee and you're down under but you are like a neighbor. Have a bountiful wonderful day.

[@carachevis6089]

Thanks for sharing. I never knew this before. 😳 cool video

[@kmathis2352]

I just tried loofa for the first time last year. Very fun to grow!

[@danshep69]

Very cool, I had no idea!

[@syddlinden8966]

I never had any interest in eat them, but I was super excited to learn I could grow these even in zone 4 with enough lead-time on seed starting when I was looking for compostable sponge options for our household to switch too. And they last ages in use too, way longer than we get plastic sponges to hold up. :) This is the first year I've succeeded in getting full-sized gourds (didn't plant seeds early enough last year) and I am super excited to get to harvest them soon and clean them up for use.

[@garden_geek]

Oh man, a friend gave me some luffa seeds last year and I totally forgot about them until this video! Now I’m off to find/make more garden space...

[@sianapapalii1939]

Wow your luffa garden so outstanding in my look good job sir thats awesome 👍👍

[@Gairuntee]

Mind. Blown. I had no idea.

[@hask2515]

Learned so much. Thanks

[@tanarehbein7768]

Really fascinating! It's the platapus of the gardening world!

[@nash18211]

that veggie taste good, you can cook it when the fruit is still young

[@shawtop]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/b4azomN8ltOLhsk

[@scottiegrav]

Dang learn somthing every day love these kinds of videos

[@Yestradamus-]

Luffa, in the Appalachian Mountains of the USA are sold as “Appalachian Dishrag Gourd”. Mostly used over a carport to shade the Chevy.

[@DJmanuelperez3]

Wow wow it looks great 👍

[@suhelavaneerten419]

You can also use to a small slice to do dishes etc! I'm gonna look for seeds next year, thanks!

[@shyfilipinangrumpyveterandude]

Love all your videos and I have some of this growing in my backyard right now can't wait to eat them🙂

[@ThePaul555]

Agreed. I love growing luffa! Its an easy gift and always I have sponges

[@toritease6132]

Awesome video. Very informational.

[@RhyBeezy]

Amazing vid can’t wait to grow these 🤙

[@yanjijay6752]

Wow I so have been wanting to grow some

[@gracenjuguna7292]

I have plenty in my garden in kilifi, Kenya. They grow prolifically, but had no idea I could eat them!! Thanks

[@ritashahin5141]

You continue to amaze me , thank you so much for the enlightenment I wish I could live next-door and learn everything

[@ebennett7]

I grew loofahs a few years ago. Until I saw them at my friend's house I thought they came from the ocean. It was a very fun plant to grow

[@kyoglesage]

Oh - thank you for using that spelling; 'luffa' was driving me crazy. I've known them as loofahs my whole life (73 years)

[@tiborhenry4788]

Really cool to avoid plastic

[@andrewp.8406]

Good video Mark

[@mg9353]

I had no idea they were vegetables- you just blew my mind 😲 learnt something today- thank you!!

[@nancyh2378]

My son-in-law grows loofah. I not only like them for bathing, but also for housecleaning. They make good scrubbers for tile and grout. He had one vine that he let go, and it grew up a tree. The loofahs hung from it like ornaments, but he did remove it before it grew too wild. I never thought of eating them.

[@fernandocarvallo9135]

Love your videos mark. One day I hope to move to Australia myself. Cheers

[@anhsaigon4132]

Hi there. I used to washing dish by a piece luffa sponge in my hometown, so organic. But now they prefer to sell something inorganic, plastic-made. Thanks for remind me this stuff. This weekend i'm going to grow one or two luffa on my roof-top :))

[@Berkeloid0]

That coral at 1:00 looks a lot like a hand giving someone the finger 😄 That was a fascinating video though, I've always wondered how luffas grew and what they looked like at the different stages, particularly in use as a kitchen sponge, so you answered all my questions! Very informative.