Luffa Sponge Gourd Tracking

[ChickenAJ]

I live in zone 5 (on the edge of zone 6) in Missouri and we are trying out sponge gourds in our garden this year.

I know sponge gourds can be very difficult to grow, almost as if its luck that determines if you get a gourd or not.

This is our second year for trying them - the spring 2021 had some late frosts that affected its jumpstart. This year, 2022, we basically had an early summer that brought very hot heat. This helped the plant grow - a lot!

I will post pictures and updates saying what helped the luffa plant grow. Wow! Has it been an impressive year for plants in general!

Here you will see our full luffa plant, which trails around the garden fence approximately 15+ feet. You might also see other plants in the photo: okra, carrots, kale, etc.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

Wow - that luffa sure looks happy! Hope you get more gourds than you know what to do with.

 

[ChickenAJ]

Flowers start popping up in August where I am at. Techinically we have a decent but short growing season. So we pray the first frost doesnt come too soon!

August is sometimes when it start cooling down here. Though I am thankful we are no longer seeing 100 degree temps, the luffa is still not ready for frost. From what I have read, its a race to finish the final last gourds before frost. This late blooming and fruiting is why its better to grow luffa gourds in longer growing seasons.

Anyway, i am posting a picture of the FIRST promising sign of a luffa gourd, taken today, August 24! So exciting!

The male flowers come in a bundle with longer stems and open one at a time per bundle, seemingly. The female flowers are much shorter and, from what I have seen, look like a starting fruit with a whitish hue. Of course the rest of the story is up to those pollinators!

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

Flowers start popping up in August where I am at. Techinically we have a decent but short growing season. So we pray the first frost doesnt come too soon!

August is sometimes when it start cooling down here. Though I am thankful we are no longer seeing 100 degree temps, the luffa is still not ready for frost. From what I have read, its a race to finish the final last gourds before frost. This late blooming and fruiting is why its better to grow luffa gourds in longer growing seasons.

Anyway, i am posting a picture of the FIRST promising sign of a luffa gourd, taken today, August 24! So exciting!

The male flowers come in a bundle with longer stems and open one at a time per bundle, seemingly. The female flowers are much shorter and, from what I have seen, look like a starting fruit with a whitish hue. Of course the rest of the story is up to those pollinators!

View attachment 3234500

 

[ChickenAJ]

General Information on Care, Nutrients, etc

Fertilizers I intentionally used: Bone Meal, Fertilome Fish Emulsion (5-1-1), and possibly some Muriate of Potash (0-0-60; cant remember if i put that near the luffa or not). Once I counted how many feet it grew, I decided to stop giving it fish emulsion.

The garden soil was a mix of (oak and other) leaves at the bottom, compost and garden soil. It is in a 1 foot high raised bed.

To my knowledge, no other chemicals or fertilizers were used.

Location of luffa in the raised bed is part shade/part sun, which is surprising because I thought they needed more sun.

Generally, watering occurred every other day in 90-100 degree highs. Humidity varied by day. Since we put a sprinkler system on it in July, it has continued being watered every other day.