Skip to main content

Loofah plants are unique and interesting vegetables – here’s how to add them to your garden

How to grow and care for your own loofah plants

A flowering loofah plant
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Summer vegetable gardens are often filled with tomatoes, cucumbers, and beans, but there are other options for more adventurous gardeners. The loofah plant, sometimes also spelled luffa, is a prime example. Loofahs are tasty, useful, a great conversation starter, and even make wonderful gifts. Want to know more about growing this unusual vegetable? Here’s your simple guide to growing loofahs.

What are loofah plants?

When you hear the word loofah, your first thought is likely the sponges — and you’d be right! Loofahs are a member of the cucumber family native to South and Southeast Asia. When the vegetables are young, they’re edible and have a flavor similar to zucchini. If the vegetables are left to mature and dry, then they can be harvested and turned into sponges.

Loofahs are warm-weather vegetables, and they don’t tolerate the cold. Additionally, they are annuals. If you want to keep growing them, you’ll need to plant more each spring.

A pile of dried loofahs
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Planting loofahs

Start planting loofahs in mid-spring or early summer. However, they can grow out of season if you have a greenhouse. Loofah plants prefer rich, well-draining soil. Adding compost to the soil before you begin planting is a great idea, especially if you have poor soil. When planting, be sure to space the seeds 8 to 12 inches apart. Loofahs grow on vines, so they need plenty of room to grow and spread.

To ensure healthy vines and fruits, add a trellis, fence, or other climbing structure along the row. This keeps them from climbing over other nearby plants, and it also keeps the fruit away from the ground, reducing the risk of damage from pests and diseases.

A loofah plant growing over a trellis
attempted / Pixabay

How to care for loofah plants

Once planted, caring for loofah plants is pretty simple. Fertilize them two to three times during the growing season. As they sprout, train them to grow up the trellis by gently tying the vines to the trellis. While growing on a trellis keeps the loofahs safe, it also leaves the ground exposed to the sun. Water will evaporate faster, so you’ll need to water them more frequently, add a layer of mulch, or plant a living mulch underneath them.

A yellow loofah flower
Image used with permission by copyright holder

How and when to harvest your loofahs

Your harvest time depends on whether you want to eat your loofahs or turn them into sponges. For edible loofahs, harvest them at three to six months old. With sponge loofahs, you can harvest and dry them starting at six to eight months, but you can also leave them to dry on the vine. However, you should harvest all your loofah plants before it gets cold, to prevent frost damage.

From cooking to cleaning, loofah plants have a lot to offer! Now that you know all there is to know about growing and harvesting them, you can enjoy fresh loofahs this summer. They make particularly good companions to peas, beans, corn, and onions, both in the garden and on the plate.

Editors' Recommendations

Cayla Leonard
Cayla Leonard is a writer from North Carolina who is passionate about plants.  She enjoys reading and writing fiction and…
How to make plant food that’s better than store-bought
Creating fertilizer is easier than you think
Person watering a plant using a white jug

Plants use a lot of nutrients when they’re growing leaves, putting out flowers, or producing fruit. For many gardeners, the solution is to get a bag or bottle of plant food from the local garden store, but is that really the best option? In this simple guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about making your own plant food. We'll break down how to make plant food and go over the pros and cons of creating your own plant food.

What do you need for homemade plant food?
For the best plant food, you’ll need to cover a few key nutritional needs. Plants use a range of nutrients in a myriad of different ways. If you know your soil is deficient in something, or that the plants you’re going to be feeding use a particular nutrient more than others, then this is a good situation to customize your plant food. You may want to test your soil before starting, especially if you plan on adding any micronutrients to your food.

Read more
How much sunlight should your succulents have?
Ensuring your succulents have enough light
5 different succulents planted in clay mugs

Succulents are well known and loved for being beautiful, versatile, and easy to care for. There are many stunning and unique succulent varieties to grow, and they don’t need a lot of water or attention, just a sunny window. How much light do succulents need, though? How can you tell if your succulent is getting too much or not enough light? Which succulent types are best for your lighting situation? We’re going to answer all your questions so you’re prepared for keeping your succulent happy and healthy!

How much light do succulents need?
This can vary between different succulent varieties, but as a general rule your succulents should get roughly six to eight hours of sunlight a day. Most succulents do best with direct or mostly direct sunlight, but succulents that have been previously kept in darker environments will need to be moved into sunlight slowly to avoid burns.

Read more
Why mulching might be the best option for your old Christmas tree
Turn your Christmas tree into eco-friendly mulch
Person carrying old Christmas tree

The gifts have been exchanged, the parties have ended, and you're ushering your relatives out the door so you can enjoy the last of the holiday season in peace. There's just one lingering loose end to tie up: What in the world are you going to do with that huge, old Christmas tree?

If you have an artificial tree that’s still in good shape, the answer is simple — just pack it back into the box and put it into the attic or garage for another year. What about a natural tree, though? With environmental sustainability an ever-growing consideration for consumers, it’s no longer as simple as tossing the tree into the next available garbage truck.

Read more