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LUFFA STARTER ROUNDS IN FIVE STEPS
Luffa sponges, which are the dried fruit of a vining plant, are more
than the ultimate body scrubber in your bathroom. You can also use
them as starter rounds for your seeds or root cuttings. Here’s how.
L How to Make Luffa Starters
What is a Luffa? Luffas are full-sun plants that need a
long, frost-free growing season. To aid in
germination, consider soaking the seeds
for a day or two in water before planting.
They can be started indoors before the
last frost, but care must be taken not to
set them outside too early as they are not
frost tolerant. Harden transplants slowly
and handle them carefully as they are
susceptible to transplant shock and growth
may stall if their environment changes too
dramatically. Plant in mounds of one to
three plants. A healthy luffa vine can grow
quite long over the course of the season,
and a sturdy trellis is recommended as
fruits on the ground tend to curl.
Water and feed like squash and cucumbers.
Keep soil from drying out, but avoid overwa-
tering. Use a mild application of a balanced
fertilizer monthly. Luffas are monoecious
and have male flowers that form in clusters
that bloom along a stem length and female
uffa sections can be a backyard-sourced
organic alternative to store-bought
rooting cubes and plugs. The fibers of the
luffa provide structure, allowing each
round to be free-standing with excellent
drainage. They also promote the air
pruning of side roots. Being organic,
they will eventually compost completely,
without leaving behind plastics or artificial
binders. Luffa sponges can even be used
for their original purpose, which is to start
more luffa plants.
Luffas, which are also commonly called
“loofahs,” are in the cucurbit (gourd) family.
As such, they are related to (but cannot
cross pollinate with) gourds, squashes,
melons, and cucumbers. The three most
popular species are Luffa acutangula
(angled luffa), which has noticeable ridges;
the smooth-sided Luffa aegyptiaca or Luffa
cylindrica; and the small, round, and spiky
Luffa operculata (wild luffa).
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grow cycle
STEP ONE: Grow a Couple of Luffa Plants