Thursday, May 15, 2014

Finally....!

Those of you that have been reading this for a while will know about my obsession and failed attempts to grow a luffah. Yeah, I know!

Anyway, this year, I have finally managed to grow not one, but four! Four!

Only one of them was ready to be peeled. It was the first one to grow on the vine, so a couple of weeks ago I picked it and took it inside to dry. The other three are now drying out as well. I picked them off the vine this morning, I was worried it was getting a bit wet and dewy and that they may rot. I've hung them in the cats' room larder to dry.

BUT! here's the one I peeled, got the seeds out and cleaned. It may not be the biggest luffah in the world, but it's my luffah. Can you tell I'm thrilled?



And another plus point is that I now have lots of seeds to plant!


These ones are off to dry out.


Here's what you do ~

wait until the luffa has dried out.  I saw lots of pictures of ones where the skin had gone totally brown and crispy. I did my first one when it was still a yellowy green colour. I picked a tiny bit off to see what it looked like, then decided to go for it! the skin came off very easily. The luffah wasn't dry, so I left it overnight in the wee cupboard beside our range. It was nice and cosy. In the morning I shook out as many seeds as I could. It took a while. Then I washed it, in only slightly, warm water. After that I soaked it for about an hour in a very, very mild bleach solution. Then left it on the outside table to dry again. And voilá!
Hopefully the other three turn out as well.

Suggestions for what to do with it!

22 comments:

  1. Scrub your...well, you know.

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  2. I am impressed that you have managed to grow luffa - I thought it was truly tropical - most of the weeds I pull up are luffas. I think that happens because my grandkids favourite thing in the world is to shake the luffas to get out all the seeds, so of course they fly everywhere. :) I leave mine on the vine until they are quite old and brown. They are awesome in the bath or shower, but also for cleaning around the house - you can scrub surfaces without them getting scratched.

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    1. so did I! I think I'll use this one in the shower. Can't believe they grow like weeds with you - rather jealous!

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  3. Laura, are these what I call loofahs? I feel this is a really stupid question :-)

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    1. yeah! there's a gazillion different spellings!

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  4. How fab - I'd just look at it and puff up with pride!

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  5. How exciting Laura, your first Luffa, you must be so proud. What did you call it?? Now that is something I would have a crack at growing. Are they good for dry skin like pumice?

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    1. you know, I don't really know! you should give it a go :)

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  6. Hip, hip, hooray! Success at last!

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  7. Caroline4:33 pm

    Where did you get the seeds originally? [would love to have a go at growing them]

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    1. I got mine from Kings seeds in nz. Where are you, Caroline? I could perhaps send you some?

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    2. Caroline11:02 am

      I am in Kumeu [north west Auckland].
      Will contact Kings Seeds directly, thanks

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  8. That is so cool. I feel stupid because i thought they were from the ocean like sponges. When you wrote of it last time i googled it to read about them. I had no idea they were a veggie like thing. HAH! Scrub a dub dub

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    1. Jenny, everyone I've spoken to about them thinks the same, so you''re not alone!!

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  9. Finally! I have smiled in some earlier posts when I read you were having trouble growing these Laura. We couldn't get rid of them at one stage - ... and gourds, don't get me started!

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  10. I have so enjoyed reading your post. Your luffah is exceptional and congratulations on growing 4! You have excellent tomatoes, olives and those artichokes - what a welcome sight. Okay, I didn't know you could grow luffahs either, I thought you bought them at a chemist. Well done :D

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I love it when you leave me comments, it lets me know there are folk out there reading my ramblings! Thank you, I appreciate them loads and loads
Laura x