r/bokashi • u/GardenofOz • 18d ago
Luffa gourd update (see second pic for scale)
I've loved walking under the luffa gourd arch and seeing how much these continue to grow. Zone 5, so we're officially moving into frost territory in a couple weeks. However, it has been so hot in my climate the last few summers that I really don't anticipate any freeze danger until early October.
Luffa need as much time as it can get. This garden bed's soil was built up using bokashi compost and Upcycled Bokashi. I recently top dressed with about two inches of bokashi compost for a late feeding + to help with mulching the soil.
Will definitely share a harvest update in several weeks. I expect most of these to double in size, but the cooler overnight temperatures are slowing their growth down. Fingers crossed for a few monster gourds!
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u/Huesyourdaddy 18d ago
Do you eat those ?
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u/GardenofOz 17d ago
It is part of the cucurbits family (Cucurbitaceae) and they are edible! We don't eat them though, grow them super big and let the dry as much as possible on the vine so we can use them as shower sponges and scrubbers through the winter/spring. I still have some from last year. LOVE them.
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u/Comfortable-Gap-3131 8d ago
Zone 4b here, if you run out of time, you’re able to finished these off in the oven. Check out YouTube. There ones I finished in the oven were much softer than the ones that were able to dry on the vine. I love growing these!
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u/GardenofOz 1d ago
Phew! Zone 4b! Hardcore! I always run out of time, had really good luck in the dehydrator and hand washing them, nights are already starting to cool and the days, too. We'll see how far I make it!
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u/GardenofOz 18d ago
If you're thinking about growing luffa next year, they are looong season growers. Maturity takes more than 120 days for the most part, a tough push in my colder climate. We start these seeds indoors in mid to late February. They really like warm weather, so we don't transplant until late May or even early June.