Did you know you can grow luffa? How to grow luffas, where to get seeds, and what to use loofah for. Find out more about everything luffa.

How to Grow Luffas

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Did you know you could grow luffas at home? I’ll tell you how in just a few short steps. It’s easier than you think. I was amazed to learn luffas are a gourd that grows on a vine. For more on growing gourds, check this out.

Some freshly harvested luffas cleaned and drying in the sink. How to Grow Luffas

I always thought they came from the ocean. During the gardening with kids class, I took to learn how to grow food with kids, one of the speakers brought some luffas seeds to give us. She told us about how she grew them with her children and let us each take a few. I was so excited and took a couple of seeds and set out to grow my own luffas. What an exciting adventure! 

We grow a large percentage of the food my family and my home daycare kids eat right here in the garden, WITH the preschoolers. If you want to find out how our gardening got real around here, click here. It’s not as hard as you might think to ditch and switch to natural products. So for more ideas than just luffas, check this out.

baby luffa growing on vine

Uses for Luffas

Luffas are so useful from exfoliating in the bath to washing dishes. You can see a ton of uses for luffas here.

Even if your luffas is old and worn out, there are still things you can do with it before it goes to the trash. Find out what to do with old luffas here.

Keeping your luffa clean is important too. Check out how to sanitize your luffa here.

How to grow luffa from seed

Luffas are so easy to grow. Even for a beginning gardener. To find out the best time to plant different plants, check out this month by month garden planting guide.

The first step in growing some amazing luffas is to plant your seeds.  The growing season for luffas is extremely long, so you need to expect to start your seeds extremely early and grow them indoors under a light sort of like a house plant. 

How long does it take to grow luffas?

Luffas have a fairly long growing season, they grow best in warm climates. If you have 200 months of summer ever year like we do in Oklahoma, you’re golden. They like it HOT! It takes several months to grow them to maturity.

In Oklahoma, I start mine in January and set them in the ground outside around April 15 or early May.  They need to grow a foot long or more before you plant them in the ground.

How do you prepare the soil for growing luffas? 

There’s nothing much to do to the ground. Luffas like low quality soil as long as it drains enough. They aren’t finicky and don’t require a lot of care. If your soil is too hard, just rough it up a little bit with a spade or a fork and then smooth it back out. If it’s super compacted, you can turn it over and mix in some sand, compost, or peat to loosen it up so it won’t continue to compact.

Poke a small hole in the soil, press the seeds in about 1/2 inch deep and cover with soil. Pat the soil about as hard as you would rub your eye.

Is it hard to grow luffa gourds?

Luffa seeds can be tough to germinate.  It can take anywhere from a week to two months for them to sprout.  The ones we planted two years ago took 6 weeks to germinate, and the ones we planted this year took one week.  Be prepared to be patient.

sprouting luffa gourd seeds

Here are our sprouts two weeks after germination.

Luffa vines will grow to around 30 feet long and need a strong trellis to grow on so be prepared to give them a sturdy home.  We grow ours on our chain link fence.  Luffa gourds also need 8 or more hours of sunlight a day to form the blooms and gourds.

How to grow luffas

The vine will flower and behind the flowers, a tiny gourd will start growing, and continue to grow into a large gourd around a foot long.

luffa gourd vines
luffa gourds

Once the gourds begin to turn yellow, they are ready to pick.  You can wait until they turn brown to harvest them, but it will leave dark spots on the luffas, so if you want them to look nice and light, harvest them when they are yellow.  As soon as you harvest them, pull the end of the gourd off and shake the seeds out. 

Each luffa makes an inordinate amount of seeds, so it will take some work to get them all out.  If you want to save the seeds and grow them again or share them, you can just leave them to dry on a paper towel for a week or two. 

Then package them in an air-tight container and store them in a cool, dry place.  The seeds I germinated this year are ones I saved two years ago and all of them sprouted, so they store very well.

Where do I get luffa seeds?

To get seeds the preschool kids have saved from the luffas we grew, check out our etsy store here.

removing seeds from luffa gourd
luffa gourd seeds

When you get most of the seeds out of the luffa, you can pull the peels off the sponge.  They are very fibrous.  It takes a little work to get them started, but once you do, most of the peel usually comes off in one piece.  The luffas are covered with a slimy wet substance that you can just rinse off. 

luffa coming out of the skin
luffa just peeled

Once they are clean and seed free, you can let them dry and store them in a dust free location.  They will last for years.  When we grew our luffa gourds, we had three vines and ended up with almost 100 luffas.  It was great fun and we use them for many uses. 

Luffas are great exfoliators for your skin.  I keep one hanging in the shower. I have super sensitive skin and I use my luffa in the bath with Tom’s natural soap. As long as it’s not sitting in water, one luffa will last for several months.  You can exfoliate with it a few times a week or you can use it as a wash cloth and wash your whole body with it.

I have seen many homemade soaps online that contain luffa as well. They would be awesome to use in your homemade soaps. Luffas are great for washing the car or scrubbing dishes as well.  The possibilities are endless. 

Growing luffas is a unique and interesting experience.  The kids loved taking them home to their parents and we also did a Mom’s pampering party with them. Check out some of our Mom’s Night Out parties. I have given them as gifts to many different people as well. 

This project was one of the favorites with the kids. They were enamored at how huge the vines grew and the funny looking fruits that grew on them. Kids learn so much by growing things, if you want to read about some of the benefits, click here.

I hope you will try your hand at growing some luffas.  Tell me about the most unusual thing you have enjoyed growing. Thanks so much for reading along with us!

For more ideas on growing gourds, check out how to grow birdhouse gourds, and how to grow bushel gourds.

Can you eat loofah?

Also, another gourd that is more for just eating is Chinese Python Snake beans. They taste a little like zucchini and a little like cucumbers. They look really cool too!

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217 Comments

  1. I don’t have a conventional garden as I live in AZ. Will these grow in the desert? Clay and potting soil is the only thing that I can grow anything in. If you think that I would be able to grow them I would love to have some seeds. Thank you so much for all of your posts!

    1. It depends on what zone you’re in. Do you have cold nights or is it hot 24/7? If you live in 6 or above, you can, if you live in zone 1-3 i wouldn’t try it. They love heat.

  2. What an interesting post about Luffas. I do love this plant a lot. Other than harvesting its mature fruits for their sponges, I do like to harvest them early for their deliciously edible fruits. Recently, I have sown some few-years-old luffa seeds direct onto the soil in my garden but they have not germinated yet the last time I checked on them. I hope at least one will come to life so that I can have its vine cover up my whole backyard fence to screen off my back neighbour’s house while able to enjoy its fruits in many ways.

    1. Thank you! I’m so interested in how you enjoy eating them. I have tried them raw but that’s it. The seeds take a while to germinate. Don’t give up! I hope you get some.

      1. Oh, you are welcome! I just add a little water ( very little – as this sponge gourds are already very watery ) + a small spoon of grapeseed oil + a little salt. Then, I cooked them under small fire and that’s it. They have a kind of taste I don’t know how to describe. But, that just taste great to me.
        Perhaps its because I am not fussy when it comes to eating. Some people said these gourds are very cold in nature, so we cannot eat them every day. Once a week would be fine though. And thank you so much for your encouragement. Previously, I paid for and harvested the fresh gourds from my neighbour’s garden. She has a lot of them. Actually, this is the first time I try to grow and sow the seeds on my own. It is from your writing that I come to know that they could take quite some time to germinate. I have actually almost given up on hope that they will ever germinate. Now I have renewed Hope. Thanks again! Have a great weekend!

  3. I grew some luffas a few years ago, and yes, they take a long time to germinate. I looked online, and found if you soak them overnight in water, clip the tips off with nail clippers, place them between damp/wetted paper towels in a ziplock bag and leave them in the oven with the light on, they germinate in about a week.

    Like you, I did this a while before seasonal weather allowed me to put them outside. By the time it was warm enough, most didn’t make it. Didnt know soaking and clipping would germinate so quickly. Will have to adjust my attempt next year.

    1. Great tip. I have tried soaking mine before and they ended up rotting, I need some more practice with this! Thanks for checking out the post.

  4. Hi Christina! I’m new to gardening but have planted some luffa seeds which have now sprouted. You said you had 3 vines which produced almost 100 luffas. Does one sprout = one vine once grown? I’m unsure how many to plant of the ones that have sprouted and how many to gift to others for them to plant!

    1. HI Catelyn, Thanks for asking! We did have 3 vines produce almost 100 luffas and one sprout is one vine. This past year we had about 15 vines and they produced about 200 luffas, so it depends on a lot of variables. The luffas on these vines were really big, so they produced less, I’m guessing. Some people have only had a few luffas per plant in different growing conditions. I would say to keep several and if you get too many luffas, give them away. 🙂 Happy growing, I hope you get a ton of them. 🙂

  5. I have grown two types of loofah. Last year we grew Chinese loofah, which is longer and thinner, and even more prolific than the Egyptian loofah we are growing now. You are right about needing patience to grow them. I have developed quite a lecture about giving me grandchildren. The Chinese loofah blooms at night, and the pollinator s work overtime making the blossoms dance in the moonlight. The Egyptian loofah blooms in the day time, closing up shop when the sun goes down. The Chinese loofah would be beautiful in an arbor.

    1. How fun. Thanks for the information, so interesting. Do you use the Chinese loofah for scrubbing as well or is it only for eating?

  6. I love to grow the usual veggies and herbs, but also hot peppers. It’s so difficult to find organic hot peppers in the markets. I hope I win this giveaway.

    1. I hope you do too! I wish everyone could win. 🙂 Thanks for commenting. We love to grow unusual veggies and hot peppers too, we had a bumper crop of them this year.

  7. My always favourite is heritage tomatoes. I just love the flavour. But this year I also had a lot of fun with diakon. I’m always up to try something new… Which luffas would certainly be!

  8. I love to grow all sorts of things … pretty flowers and ornamentals, all sorts of edibles … veggies, herbs and fruits. I’ve been gardening since I was a toddler … with my Dad then and now, with my kids … I LOVE sharing the miracle that is within each seed with kids and seeing the joy as the seeds they planted sprout and grow and become beautiful healthy plants!
    I’ve not grown luffa yet but, look forward to trying it! 🙂

    1. That is so the best part for me too! I love the miracle in there. I’m amazed every single time! Thanks for commenting!

  9. I have grown Luffahs for many years. They are so fun to watch grow. later we made soaps scrubbers with them

    We always grow one different vegetable a year. It adds mystery to the gardens

    1. We like to do that too. Next year I plant to let the kids plant spoon gourds, last year we did cotton. It’s fun to learn about new things.

  10. We love to garden at Cribs To Crayons Childcare. We had lettuce, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, carrots, green beans, peas, and broccoli this year. Next year we are adding blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, pumpkins, squash, small watermelons, green peppers, luffas, and potatoes. Can’t wait!

  11. Oh dear, what do I love to grow? If it grows, I love it! I’m excited to give loofahs another go next year. Tough in New England with the shorter season. I think my favorites, especially with kids are lemon cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes (the weirder the shape and color, the better!) and sunflowers!

  12. I saw this article awhile back so we planted some this year. We planted about 10 seeds. Two came up and one survived. It covers the side of the chicken coop. We have so many gourds coming on. It has been such a fun experiment and we will continue to do it. I think we ordered fom an Heirloom seed company.

  13. I just asked my husband, “Where do you think loofahs come from?” He went, “…from a factory?” I’m with you, I always thought they were from the ocean, too. So we were both wrong (although him more than me, I’d like to think, hahah!) – thanks for including these great photos to dispel our crazy misconceptions!

    1. Ha ha, that’s great. Yes, i think he was more wrong than you. 😉 Thanks for checking out the post!

  14. This is way cool! I love the idea about using your fence to grow them on, would make a great vision barrier while growing. Did you pant in the ground at the base of your fence or in pots? I’m afraid my moles would disturb them in the ground , for some reasons they are super active under my fence. Going to jump on the loofa growing train!

    1. We have grown them in the ground and in raised beds along the fence, they did the best in the ground.

  15. Would you like to trade some seed for Trumpet flowers? I have some already rooted and you should not have any problem with them. I enjoy them very much. The first year they may not bloom. In the winter I just mulch and they come back starting in the spring.

  16. Okay who knew there were so many different kinds of luffa seeds…..and they vary hugely in price. What are the best ones to use (& reasonably priced)?

    1. I like the ones from renees seeds, but i love buying from them. The link is in the post. Thanks for asking.

  17. A friend of mine gave me some seeds. I can’t wait to get started growing them. This is new to me. I had no idea that this was even a possibility to grow. Is there a certain time of year that is best to start? How long does it take, beginning the seeds to picking the gourds?

    1. It depends on where you live, what the growing season is, but get them started asap, they take a long time to grow. Check out the article, it tells about that. Thanks so much for checking it out. I’m excited you are growing them. I live in oklahoma, and we start ours in february and get them in the ground around may 15, then we harvest until freeze in fall. We usually start harvesting around june or so.

  18. They are also very delicious when cooked when they are young. We make savoury and sweet dishes from them in Indian cooking.

  19. How lucky you are to have a friend give you some seeds.
    If you have a couple extra, I’d love to have some to try.
    Good luck with your planting.

  20. This is a perfect post. A friend actually gifted me some loofah seeds, but I didn’t know what to do with them, so this is great! Thank you!

  21. I have the vines and the flowers growing but I have ants under the flowers. I do not see any sponges growing. Can you advise me on what the problem is.

    1. The sponges will start to grow after the flowers start, so be patient, it’s coming. The ants shouldn’t bother the luffas, i have ants all over mine and luffas are starting to grow on them. 🙂 Don’t give up!

  22. If you have any seeds left, I would love to have some. It would be fun to grow some luffa’s with the grandchildren.

    1. It sure would, i hope you get to. We don’t have any seeds left here, but there’s a link in the post that leads to where you can get some. Happy growing and thanks for reading!

  23. Hi Cindy, I don’t know how often you check your comments. I accidentally left my address on my previous comment. I would appreciate if you could delete it once read. Thank you.

    1. Hi Tara! I went ahead and deleted your previous comment so your address wouldn’t be on my blog. I wanted to make sure I’d be able to remove it because Cindy won’t be able to. 🙂 You could recommend to her and just leave your email address if you’d like, then you could email her your home address. Thanks for reading the luffa post, I hope you get some seeds from her. Havea wonderful day!

  24. Hi, this is actually a beloved vegetable in China. You pick them when they are still young and green, slice it in to 1cm thickness, fired it with garlic and eggs and oyster sauce… Wonderful summer dish that is short on calories and full of fibre and vitamins. The texture of the young gourd is crisp and delicious. So I think it is really a pity to miss it as food.

    And people do let the young gourd grow for seeds and for using them as a kind of ‘scotch-bride’. We used them to polish pants and dishes and all sorts of things before 3M enters China. 🙂

    1. That’s so cool! Thanks so much for sharing it! We did try them raw and they were yummy. I didn’t cook any of them though. We were excited to grow the sponges, so we didn’t want to eat too many. Thank you for reading and for your comment!

      1. Hi, so how do they feel? Are they rough and eventually soften up with use? Are the kinda hollow-ish? I’ve never used even the ones at the store, so I wouldn’t know what to expect… Thanks. =)

        1. They are scratchy like a scrubbie that you get in the bath section of the store, that’s where i have seen them. They stay scratchy like that, they are great for exfoliating. They are like a bunch of strings all wound together, so over time they break down and get flat, but they are still scratchy. It takes about 6 months to wear one out. Thanks for asking.

  25. What no one tells you is that you will get tons of them! lol
    I sliced them about 1.5″, and bought glycerine soap at Michaels, added scent and color, put the slices in the bottom of red party cups, poured the soap on top. I wrapped them in lace, tied them with ribbon. They made a great Christmas gift! Everyone loved them!

    1. That’s a GREAT idea! We got tons, but some other people I know that have grown them did not, so I’m not sure what the magic touch is? Thanks so much for reading!

  26. These for so fun to grow and harvest! They make my skin so soft and now that I’ve used them, I can hardly go back to a regular rag. They also are great for scrubbing the unscrubbable on dishes.

  27. “Luffa seeds can be tough to germinate. It can take anywhere from a week to two months for them to sprout. The ones we planted two years ago took 6 weeks to germinate, and the ones we planted this year took one week. Be prepared to be patient.”

    I germinate all my seeds in peat pots placed in trays in my kitchen oven with the light kept on. You just have to keep an eye on them as they will germinate quickly and you have to remove them asap or they will grow rapidly and leggy.

  28. This is so interesting I would love to give it a try. I live in southern fl. & would love to have some seeds would be willing to buy them or help on how I can get some. Thanks so much for any help you can supply.

  29. Thanx so much for your quick response. I looked it up and I found that burpee seeds has them so I bought some. I’ll look foward to contacting you again in the future. God bless!

  30. I was as amaized as everyone else. I grow a lot of things but nothing unusual just the plain old veggies. Thank you for sharing. I would also ask if you can share some seeds. Or where I can get some Thanx so much. MAY GOD BLESS…

    1. Thanks for reading. I know luffa seeds are available at park seed online and maybe baker creek. I hope you find some. Happy growing!

  31. Hi ! This seems amazing ! I don’t think we have those in France ! I would love to have some seeds and more Infos !
    lang.elodie67@gmail.com
    Have a perfect day !

  32. This is very interesting. Would LOVE if you could send some seeds. Have many knitting projects and seeds of many different veggies if you are willing to trade. Please email me at christacole23@gmail.com. Hope your day is fabulous!!

    1. I clean the luffas by just rinsing them like I would a rag or regular scrubber, then if they get extra yucky, I run them through the washer or dishwasher. If they don’t come clean enough from that, I just compost them and get out a new one.

  33. Just found this on Pinterest and I am pinning it! What a fun idea to share with the kids! I want to start making some soaps and these would be perfect to accompany them. I love gardening, started raised beds this spring and a new perennial garden with a dry creek bed this fall. Plants… I think I am addicted to growing them! My inside bay window is green, with the latest addition being an avocado plant that is just now sprouting a third stalk! And we have a marvelous fence line out back just waiting…

    If you have a few spare seeds… fastype77 @ yahoo(.com)… or know where to purchase, let me know. Thank you!

  34. I have plenty of seeds & love to share. Been growing for years…Note: white seeds aren’t mature & will not grow…only plant black seeds…give me info & I’ll send any of you a few seeds untill supply is gone…maybe u have something to exchange? I have thousands from this summer .. 1 luffa can yield 75+ seeds.

    1. I would LOVE to grow luffas. I can send you a SASE. I could crochet a green and white cotton wash/dish cloth. Some people love them, some people…aw, not so much. ?

    2. I would love some seeds if you would be willing to send some to me, I would really appreciate it. Feel free to email me at mmrealestateagent@gmail.com and I will send you my address. Thank you in advance!

    3. Hey. I would love some seeds! My family has a tradition where each of us endeavor to learn one new skill per year that would help in an emergency/life altering situation. I’ve always wanted to teach everyone how to grow and use these instead of artificial sponges, but I could never find seeds in my area. I’d really appreciate it if you could send me some.

    4. Cindy, I would love some luffa seeds if you still have some. I have recently retired and I’m on the look out for fun projects. Thank you

    5. I had no idea lufas were a goard! I would love some seeds! I can send a Self addressed envelope – Jeremiahcooper89@msn dot com

    6. I would LOVE to try my hand at growing luffas! I live in southern Alabama so I think they would grow extremely well. My email is brooke.m9b@gmail.com, if you have any seeds available 🙂

    7. I know loofa long time ago , we use it in Lebanon , and we call it lifa ,Greeks call it loofa . We used to use also natural sponges , they become rare later but I know that Greece sea is rich with it . I live now in Quebec Canada , we have loufas in stores , I tried to plant their seeds it didn’t work . I appreciate if some body send me some seeds to grow , our Sumer here is short , so we need to prepare it before , best regards to all .
      Saad Faour

    8. I would also love a couple of seeds, and would happily pay postage. Are there different varieties of luffas, and is there a chance that one variety of luffa will overgrow my area? Should I be looking for a particular type of luffa, that is? I live in NC, and invasive species tend to be problematic.

      1. The luffas grow at least 30 feet long and need a strong trellis, but they do not reseed themselves everywhere and become invasive in that way. You do need a large space to grow them though, they will go everywhere during their growing season. 🙂

    9. Hi Cindy I would like to have some of the luffa seed. I will appreciate it . I also have some other seed I can share. I can send you paid envelope.
      My Email lalidahal@yahoo.com
      Thank you !!!

    10. Would love to grow luffa. Will swap with whatwever I have. How about spaghetti pumpkin? Or spaghetti beans? or flowers. Whatever you like. Please reply. Or anybody else with exquisit growing.

    11. My husband and I love our farm and I tried my first garden last year. Learned a LOT of what to do and what not to do, gotta learn somehow I guess. But I never knew that a puffs was a gourd, for some reason I thought it was a man-made item. I apologize that I don’t have much to offer in return for a few seeds. I crochet in my free time so if there is something you could use I would be more than happy to make it. Also, if you have any helpful tips on when to plant, what works best for growing, I would appreciate it very much. My email is Heather.pennington1987@gmail..com.

    12. Will you please mail me some seeds? I grew an abundant display of Morning Glories this year and I’d be more than happy to send you some seeds from them. They were a wide variety of colors and the plants were very healthy as I’m sure the seeds will be.

    13. I would love to try to grow these. My skin could use some attention, it has taken a beating from chemo. Cancer was three years ago but medication has made my skin feel rough. I think luffas will help. I love to grow anything I can. Thank you so much for any seeds you may be able to spare.

      1. I’m sorry, but I don’t have any seeds left to give you. 🙁 There is a link in the post to renees seed if you would like to purchase some. I wish I had enough for everyone! Thank you for reading. I know you’d love the luffas if you grow some.

    14. Cindy- i just came across this thread. if you have any seeds, i would love a few.
      can’t wait to try my hand at growing luffa’s.
      thanks again
      karen

    15. Rachel Donnell
      6620 Cove Hollow Rd
      Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73132

      I welcome seeds , I can’t wait to start my loofah journey. I will definitely send you plants or something special for sharing. Thank you so much!

  35. Clearly I am not one of the first 8, but I would love to get some seeds. I don’t even know where to begin to look for them locally. Do you know if they will grow in any region?
    The weirdest thing I ever grew was a trumpet squash.
    I live in Northern Utah.
    Debi

    1. I have been told you can grow them in northern areas if you start them 12 weeks before your last frost date indoors. This way they get a jump on the season. You can find the seeds online at Park seed or Baker Creek Heirloom seeds as well. Thanks for checking it out.

  36. I live in the thumb area of Michigan and was wondering where you would get the seeds and can they grow in Michigan? Thanks

    1. Park seed or baker creek heirloom seed might have luffa seeds, I have seen them have them in the past. Growing in northern areas, you will have to start them indoors 8 or more weeks before the season, but I have had other people up north say they have grown them. I would sure give it a try! 🙂

  37. I put my seeds directly into the ground without any problems. I also read elsewhere to let them dry on the vine. I just checked mine and discovered a few that were ready and they came out beautiful! I tapped and squeezed them to release all the seeds, broke open the bottom end to dump the seeds out and then easily flaked off the dried outer shell. Just beautiful.

    1. From what I have read, since luffas need such a long growing season, they cannot be grow too far north, BUT I have had other readers say they grow them up there, so I would try it if I were you! 🙂 Park seed sells them and I think Baker Creek Heirloom seeds does also. Check out their websites. And GOOD LUCK! I hope you get to grow some!

  38. I always thought Luffas came from the sea. I would love to grow these in my 2016 garden. I’m always looking for different with a purpose/use. Luffa would be perfect. The most unique thing I have grown to date was black oil sunflowers. They actually turn their heads and leaves to follow the sun, facing east in the morning and west at sunset. Creepy but fascinating all the same. We had a plot about 40 feet deep by 65 feet wide. It was like they danced with the sun all day and bowed their heads at night to sleep. ?

  39. Wow. Never heard about or seen luffas before. They look fun. Seems strange to both eat it and wash with it, though. Sponges, however, do come from the ocean. 🙂

    1. It is interesting that they are edible but I guess other foods are good younger too and become tough and inedible if left growing too long. Luffas are super interesting to grow. Thanks for reading!

  40. Wow! Interesting post…I never knew they came from a plant. I thought they were from the ocean too. Thanks for teaching me something new. 🙂

    1. no, i’m sorry, I don’t have any more to give out. There are several places that sell them including park seed online. I hope you grow them, it’s great fun!

  41. I actually harvested my seeds from a farmers market vendor who grew his own and we bought some from them and I saved the seeds from ours since he didn’t use chemicals on them to clean them, so check out local farmers markets where there are local/organic farmers or soap maker vendors!! I am starting mine late so I’ll see if they do very well fingers crossed I’ll get some out of them!! Thanks for the post I can’t wait to plant these with my son tomorrow!

    1. Several seed companies have them, Park Seed online is one of them. There are also some others mentioned in the comments above. Check it out and thanks for reading!

  42. They are also edible, pick them when they are green, cut into chunks and stir fried with some garlic & salt (or soya sauce). They are really sweet and the young seeds are edible too. Great source of fibre.

  43. I very much want to try this. I’m not sure if they’ll work in Minnesota. But this post makes me want to try. (I also once believed luffas came from the ocean; a gardening friend set me straight about a year ago.)

    1. Isn’t it crazy that we all thought luffas came from the ocean? I wonder where that came from? Thanks for checking this out!

  44. Luffas are gourds; there is a gourd society in every state but there is the American Gourd Society and you can Google to find out where to buy Luffa seeds. There are gourd farms and they sell seeds. Have fun!

  45. Dang it! I wanted those seeds, but I didn’t make it in time. I never realized luffa was a plant, never really thought about where it came from at all to be honest. I definitely want to try growing some. What a cool gift for Christmas a homegrown luffa and some homemade bubble bath would make! The most unusual thing growing over here is a Japanese Quince. Shortly after we moved into our house two years ago this big bush in our yard bloomed with tons of gorgeous fuschia colored flowers. Once the fall rolled around the flowers were gone but there was a strange fruit all over the bush. I didn’t know what it was until I saw someone on Hometalk post a picture of the same bush asking the question. I’ve heard it makes great jelly, so maybe this year we’ll take a stab at that in the Fall. Thank you for sharing this post – it’s the most interesting thing I’ve read this week!

    1. Thank you so much for checking it out! I love growing luffa, it’s super interesting! I wish I had more seeds to give.

  46. I pinned this page so I could remember I wanted to grow these. I just wanted to share with everyone looking for where to purchase that I found some on Amazon that seem like they’re a high quality and are US grown (many sellers were international,) and then I ended up finding luffa seeds at Target of all places last week!

    1. I sure wish I could have given some to everyone! We are planting them again this year, so we will have plenty to share again next time. 🙂 Thanks for reading!

    1. I have read several places zone 5 and warmer, but another reader said they grew them cooler by starting them inside even longer. I would try it and see what happens. Can’t hurt, right? 🙂 Thanks for asking!

  47. I’m so happy I came across this post! While rummaging through our seeds, I found some Luffa seeds and planted them! I had no idea what they could be used for, but now I know! Thanks for posting, and I look forward to experimenting with the endless possibilities for this lovely plant!

    Blessings –

    ~ Aspen

  48. Hi Christina! Loved the post we enjoy growing luffa’s too! I chose your post to feature this week for the From The Farm Blog Hop!

  49. I had heard you can grow these! This is so awesome. Loofah works so well for cleaning pots and pans (and people too). Yours look great! I wish I had some sun. I’m sharing on Twitter.

  50. Mi mama plantaba en Mexico, y por mucho tiempo estuve buscando como se llamaban en inglés y por fin lo encontré vivo en Wisconsin espero y pueda crecerlos….

    1. ¡Genial! Estoy tan contenta de escuchar esto. Usted puede obtener semillas de Park Seed o panadero Creek herencia Seeds. Le deseo mucha suerte y muchas gracias por leer!

    1. Someone locally gave them to me but I have seen them on park seed and someone else commented that baker creek heirloom seed has them. Thanks for reading!

    1. I would love you sell you some but they have all been mailed out. I have seen them on park seed and heard that someone else bought them from baker creek heirloom seeds. Thanks so much for reading!

  51. Oh my goodness! How awesome! I would LOVE to grow these and avoid having to buy dish scrubbers from the store! Where did you get your seeds? Can I buy some from you? :))

    1. oooh, enormous snake gourds sound fun. what did you do with them? I would love to give you some seeds, but they are all mailed out. But i did see them on park seed and someone mentioned getting some from baker creek heirloom seeds. I hope you get to grow some. Thanks for reading!

  52. What a captivating read. I was so interested to see how the “luffas” became the scrubber I’m so familiar with. Thanks so much for this! 🙂

  53. I am so excited to try and grow these. I am always looking for new things to try so thank you so much for teaching me they come from a plant. I thought they came from the sea as well!

    1. That’s funny that so many people thought that. Where did we get that info from I wonder? I hope you grow them, it’s so much fun. Thanks for reading.

  54. I would love some seeds if you still have them. I just started on pinterest and an heirloom seed fb page so I can learn how to indoor and container garden. I just started a sweet potato. I have a few Orchids, of course not edible, but lovely!
    Thanks

    1. Sorry Marion, all the seeds are given away, but I wish you luck in growing! Orchids, cool! Did you know that sweet potato vines are edible? YOu can cook them like greens. I thought that was super cool. Thanks so much for reading!

  55. I would love to find out how/where to order some of these seeds. I rent & live where I’m pretty sure I don’t get enough sun to grow them. But my Mom lives in a sunny desert like climate & I just know she’d love this. Thank you for sharing the information, great fun!

    1. Thank you so much for reading, and I’m sorry all the seeds are gone, but I have seen them on Park Seeds for purchase if you would like to check there. How fun for your mom! Thanks again for stopping by and happy growing!

  56. Does anyone know where I can get some seeds here in SW Michigan?
    Have the perfect place to grow some of these and would need to start them NOW.
    Great article – thanks for posting.

    1. Thank you so much for reading! I saw some luffa seeds on Park Seed, so maybe you could check there. I wish I had enough for everyone! Have a great day!

  57. Oh shoot! I missed getting into the top 8, but had to comment anyway…what a great post!! I, too, thought luffas came from the ocean (where did that come from, I wonder?) I’m super excited to try this, and it’s given me some great new ideas for homemade items to sell at our local farmers market. Thanks for the info!

    1. I don’t know why in the world we thought that? I wish I could send you some seeds anyway, but i’m out. I did see them on the Park Seed website. Good luck on your growing. And thank you so much for reading.

  58. I just started making soap in November and I can’t wait to try this and add to the soap, thank you I didn’t know they were a plant, yeahhhhhhh

    1. Yep, I was amazed too. Good luck in growing. And I saw the seeds available on park seed if you are looking for a place to purchase them. I wish I could send some to everyone. Thank you so much for reading.

  59. I can’t believe their are so many uses for them! I would love to get some started! We grew dragon beans last year. They were crazy and the kids loved eating purple “green” beans! Do you know where I can get some seeds?

    1. I saw luffa seeds in park seed. Luffas are crazy useful. I was amazed to learn all about them too. We bought some seeds for dragon beans this year, i’m excited to start them in a few months. thank you so much for reading.

  60. Maybe not super unusual, but I enjoyed growing valerian one year and then making a tincture from the roots. Great for relaxation and sleep!
    ~harkat2@hotmail.com

    1. wow, I’ve never even heard of valerian. That’s super cool. Sorry, all the seeds are given away, I wish I could send some to everyone. Thanks so much for checking out my post and happy growing!

  61. I love this!! I never knew you could grow luffa sponges. This is very cool and I want to grow some this Spring. Would love to know where to get the seeds. Thanks for sharing.

    1. Be watching your email for a message from me to get your address and send your seeds. Thanks so much for reading!

  62. I just started apartment container gardening last year, so I don’t have a lot of strange plant experience, but I got okra to come up very successfully in a pot.

    1. Okra in a pot is AWESOME! We love okra! Be watching your email for a message from me to get your address and send your seeds. Thanks so much for reading!

    1. Well now you will. 🙂 Be watching your email for a message from me to get your address and send your seeds. Thanks so much for reading!

  63. the most unusual thing we have grown thus far is lovage, but I am excited to expand our garden experience, my little bits just love growing things!
    Our growth experiment this year is going to be water chestnuts- so excited!

    1. we planted lovage last year, we had some trouble, but finally got it going. what did you think of the flavor? What have you used it for? water chestnuts, neat. We are going to grow peanuts. Be watching your email for a message from me to get your address and send your seeds. Thanks so much for reading!

  64. WHAAAT??? I thought they came from the ocean too!! I feel so silly for not knowing they grew as a plant. Thanks for the informative post with photos. I don’t think I would have believed it if it weren’t for the pics…

    1. Be watching your email for a message from me to get your address and send your seeds. Thanks so much for reading!

  65. What an amazing idea! I can’t wait to share this with my 4-H kids!!! Where can you get seeds to start?
    Angela

    1. Be watching your email for a message from me to get your address and send your seeds. Thanks so much for reading!

    1. Most unusual thing is probably pepper plants in pots. Not hard but it was convenient when I needed one for cooking it was right there. They grew back quick too.

    2. Be watching your email for a message from me to get your address and send your seeds. Thanks so much for reading!

      1. Hi Cristina ! Thanks so much for all the information that you provided about loffas , for years I’ve been trying to find out if I can grow them here in Michigan . We migrated from lebanon in the 80s and my grandparents used to grow them to use as sponges for bathing .

  66. We have ‘walking onions’, and they are really prolific. I really don’t need to grow regular green onions with those in the garden!

    1. cool, we planted those this fall. I’m excited to see how that turns out. Be watching your email for a message from me to get your address and send your seeds. Thanks so much for reading!

      1. If you’re talking about the luffa seeds, I have seen them on park seed and have see others post they got some from baker creek heirloom seeds. Thanks so much for reading!