Luffa gone Guffa!

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My luffa is doing spectacularly well. It is actualy taking over everything. I have cut it back severely several times, yet it grows and grows. I am wondering.....if I uproot some plants will the gourds dry on those vines, or do they need to actually be heavily frosted before they will dry out?

I tried to hang some in a shed and the majority of them moldered. It seems there are two viewpoints on the harvesting, and not a lot of info out there on the web. Anyone here have intimate experience with luffa? it sure is a beautiful plant!

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@yahoo.com), November 06, 2001

Answers

Hi Doreen My loffa I let hang till spring on the vine I dont know what others do but this works best for me as the outer skind come off so much better after they have been fri\ozen all winter . Indiana Country Friend Jack Bunyard

-- Jack buinyard (bunyard@cnz.com), November 07, 2001.

I let our seed pods grow to about two and a half feet and four inches in diameter on the vine, then laid them in the sun to dry until they rattled like a maraca. The seed was black just like my original seed that was given to us.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), November 07, 2001.

Thanks guys...I need to reclaim that part of the garden before March, so I think I will give your method a try, Jay. Maybe I will put them on one of my metal roofs so my dogs don't decide to play with them!

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), November 07, 2001.

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