Luffa Closure

 If you've been reading any of my garden posts, you know that one of the things I was excited about this year was my luffas. I planted them for the first time ever this year, albeit a little late. 

Fortunately for my late planting self, the weather here was very unusual. It stayed warm enough until a few weeks ago that I didn't have to harvest them. Covering them for the two days in October that it got around 32 degrees was enough to keep them going until this month.

I had initially thought I would only get 2 or 3 luffas from my three plants (one of which was not doing so well). I ended up with 6 decent sized -- although I will start them on time this year so I can get them a little larger -- and 2 babies that had just gotten going.

One was already starting to yellow when I had to cut them all off the plant. A hard freeze was coming that night. I had a pole hanging at the side of the garage that we use for clothes when we have yard sales so I just hung them from that with some yarn.

Today, I got my first dried one off of the pole.

It looks like something that should be thrown in the trash, doesn't it. But not so.

I knew what to do with it.

I broke off the end and started peeling away the dried up outer skin. And behold... luffa appeared.

Before I got too much further, I shook out all the seeds. One way you can tell they are ready is if you hear the seeds rattling around. Look at all those seeds.

I was a little shocked at the sheer number of seeds in just this one (by the way, any of my local friends who would like some just need to let me know). I think the seed packet I bought probably had less than this in it. Crazy!

I could still hear a few rattling around in there but, after getting most of them out, I finished peeling off the papery outside.

It was a little like peeling a hard boiled egg, except very, very dry. 

And, suddenly, there was my new luffa.

I will soak it a few minutes in a little bleach water to kill any yuckies, rinse it very well, and let it dry. Then we should be ready to go. 

I'm so excited to have grown these. And I'm hoping to make a few into gifts next year when I get some larger ones.

Even if I don't, it's an awful lot of fun to grow them!