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anettemartinrn

luffa seeds

anettemartinrn
18 years ago

is there a secret to getting luffa to sprout? the first seeds i just planted, the second set i soaked then planted, the third set i nicked and have had soaking for over a week with no sprouts yet. what am i doing wrong???

Comments (11)

  • sharonInAustin
    18 years ago

    Not sure. They sometimes take several weeks to sprout for me. Did you buy your seeds, or were they given to you? I have luffa seeds that I saved from last year if you need some more.

  • Gralfus
    18 years ago

    Warmth is the key to sprouting luffa seeds. I read a study where they tried various forms of "encouragement", such as nicking the seeds, giberillic acid, soaking in water, etc. Warmth was the only one to show results.

    I just sprouted 8 seeds by placing them inside a few paper towels, soaking it with water, and placing the folded towel onto a "pet warmer" for about a week (make sure to keep it moist). The pet warmer is a plastic covered heating unit that fits inside a pillow and is for keeping cats or dogs warm during winter.

    Now I get to find out if they will stand the shock of transplanting outside into my pots...

  • Gralfus
    18 years ago

    Update: They did indeed survive and I have 3 or 4 growing in a pot up one side of an open slat fence, and down the other side. I weave them through the crosshatch of the fence to keep them up off the soil. Lots of blooms (and ants pollinating the blooms). No gourds yet (Mid Sept, temp in the 70's now, semi-cloudy).

  • JunkGypsyMt
    18 years ago

    Ok, I am such a dunce...I just ran across thesse "luffa gourds" in a craft forum...duh hello, I thought they came from the ocean...whom or where do you buy the seed for these? They are so cool.
    Thanks in advance for any advice.

  • Gralfus
    18 years ago

    I got mine from Nichols Garden Nursery, on the web. I get many of my seeds from there, as I used to live fairly close to them. They also include a small booklet about harvesting and preparing the finished product.
    I think luffa seeds can be had at many nurseries.

    Mine are finally producing fruit, about 3 inches long at this point. I hope the cool weather we are heading into doesn't discourage them.

  • Gralfus
    18 years ago

    Well, mine only produced a couple of very smallish luffas before the cold and dark took them out. I'm going to start some seeds inside this month and transplant them when the weather starts getting a bit warmer. Hopefully that will give me enough of a head-start on the growing season.

  • mrree
    17 years ago

    Anyone ever try to grow Luffas up north ??
    I summer up in Michigan and would like to try.
    Maybe if I start them inside and transplant them after it warms up ?? How much cold can they take ??

  • mrshoney
    16 years ago

    I cannot find luffa seeds. Several years ago we had a huge luffa vine with 15 huge gourds. Unfortunately, when we moved, I neglected to save one to harvest the seeds. Now we are back in southern Alabama and I am looking for seeds to plant again. I went to several online nurseries and had no luck. Can anyone help?

  • gingersoftexas
    16 years ago

    I got mine on ebay

  • tivo532
    12 years ago

    I got mine this year from Evergreen Y.H.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Evergreen Seeds

  • farmerdill
    12 years ago

    Just remember there are some 30 odd varieties of Luffa available. Some may be better suited to your area than others. All of them can used young as a vegetable. The smooth version Luffa cylindrica is most ofter used for sponges. Ridged version Luffa acutangular mostly touted as an edible. There is also a round version Luffa operculata.
    Evergreen (link given by tivo) has 10 varieties. Kitazawa carries two. Baker Creek has four.

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