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Smooth Luffa

Luffa aegyptiaca grown in conditions that are too hot or too cold can result in poor growth and spindly vines. The plant requires little water and is drought tolerant once established. Conditions that are too wet can cause root rot and lower yields. Once harvested, luffa fruits cannot be stored at room temperature for more than a day. If not consumed immediately, they must be placed in a brown paper bag and stored in a cool refrigerator for up to three weeks. The luffa fruit is too tough to eat until it has been soaked or boiled. It can be peeled after soaking because the skin is thin and softens after a few minutes. Even ripe luffa fruits can be peeled and eaten while still crunchy, although the flavor is more subtle than when fully ripe. Luffa flowers can also be eaten and are similar in taste to squash blossoms. Cucumber-shaped luffa fruits are harvested when they are still young and green. If left on the vine, they will continue to grow until they resemble large yellow summer squash. If allowed to fully ripen, luffa fruits lose their delicate skin and become tough-walled, with a strong bitter taste that makes them unpalatable. Each seed is contained in a tiny brown circle from which it must be cut or pulled from the fruit. The seeds are removed and allowed to dry for a few days, then planted in a warm, well-drained growing medium. Luffa aegyptiaca produces cucumber-shaped gourds that the plant uses as a means of propagation and dispersal. The fruit grows after flowering and can be harvested when it is still young and tender for use in a stir-fry or other dishes requiring a crisp texture. As the fruit matures it becomes tough and fibrous. The fruit can be dried and turned into a scrubbing sponge or left to mature on the vine, which produces the angled luffa. Properly identifying luffa fruits is necessary to determine when they are ready for harvesting. The young green fruit, sometimes mottled with green markings, has smooth skin that feels somewhat like sandpaper. The ridged angled luffa has sharp, elevated ridges running the length of the pods. Luffa aegyptiaca grows best in full sun. Germination can be erratic and hard to establish from seed, so planting four to five seeds per hill is recommended. Hot weather conditions are preferred for germination and growth of Luffa aegpytiaca; daytime temperatures of 86 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit and soil temperature of 80 to 90 F.