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How to Harvest Home Grown Luffa Welcome to the luffa.info loofah sponge harvest page! Here are photos with step by step descriptions of luffa sponge gourds from the home garden being picked, peeled, and cleaned for use. When to pick your loofah is the big question. The luffa seed pods can hang on the vine until they are crisp and dry if they have fully matured but it isn't necessary to wait that long. It is easier to peel them when they are more dry. However, the loofahs tend to get darker the longer they hang. If it rains much it is also likely to develop rot or dark spots. For the fiber to be fully developed, you don't want to pick it too soon either. If the skin feels loose, like it will come off easily, then it's ready. Waiting until the skin gets papery dry and brown is not necessary. If any part turns black from decay then it should be peeled before the whole thing rots. Once the green color has started leaving and the weight has decreased, the fiber has mostly stopped growing. Feel and lift to see the difference. Anytime after that, they can be picked and peeled. If they have been hit by frost, they have quit developing and should be peeled soon before they begin rotting. If the vines have died off before reaching full maturity, there may still be some good fiber, but they will be harder to peel. |
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| The first step is to select a loofah that is ready to be peeled. Luffa lose the darker green color and become lighter in weight when ready. Some varieties go from green to dark brown. Some types turn a yellow or brown color. The photos show two different varieties. Sometimes just being a lighter green signals ripeness. The skin feels loose and thinner when they are ready to pick. If it feels like it can be peeled easily then it is ready. |   |
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| The loofah sponges can be removed by twisting until the vine breaks. If the vine is still alive it may be desirable to neatly cut the sponges off in order to minimize damage to the vine. |  |
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| Slamming the luffa against a hard surface will loosen the skin and knock the seeds loose. Slightly crushing the sponges can also loosen the skin. This is especially helpful for peeling less mature loofah with hard green skin. |  |
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| The bottom tip of the sponge is easily knocked off. Many of the seeds can be shaken out before peeling. Seeds should be allowed to dry before storing. Luffa seeds have a thin clear layer on the outside that comes off easily after drying. Gently rub and blow off the seed coating. As soon as the seeds have dried, store in a cool place. Refrigerate or freeze in airtight containers for long term storage. |  |
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| Use your thumbs to find a loose spot along a seam. Push in to create a tear and pull apart the skin. Tear up the seam. If the loofah is fully ripe it will come off easily. If not, then some slamming, crushing, and digging with fingernails may be needed. |  |
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| Peel the skin back off one end, usually the top, and pull off the other end. Do whatever works best for you. After peeling a few you'll get a feel for the best method. Try to get all the skin off as little pieces left behind tend to turn brown. |  |
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| Applying a thorough high pressure water spray from a hose removes most of the sap color. It washes out many seeds also. Squeeze and shake out excess water. If your luffa fiber is very dark, or has many dark spots, soaking in a bucket of water with some chlorine bleach will remove most stains and sap. It doesn't take much bleach, maybe one cup for 3 to 5 gallons of water. Don't bleach any longer than needed. Rinse well. Most loofahs are good without bleaching. This one was rinsed with water only. Then dried. |  |
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| The final result is a loofah drying in the sun. Allow to dry completely, rotate as needed. The sunlight will slightly lighten and change the color. Leaving in the sunlight for longer periods will change the texture of the loofah, it gets rougher feeling. Make sure it is completely dry before storing or mold may grow on any remaining sap. Store dry loofahs in a bag or box where dust won't settle on them. They can be kept for years as long as they stay dry and dust free. |  |
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