Luffa- Summer Sweet

Luffa- Summer Sweet

Luffa aegyptiaca

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• Also known as "Sponge Gourd"

• Asian vegetable

Popular Asian vegetable. Vigorous vine producing sweet fruits with great flavour. Plants produce long green skinned fruit which are best picked at 20cm long for vegetable use, or at full maturity for drying and using as a sponge. Flesh is white and has a sweet flavour comparable to zucchini. Is sometimes used as a substitute for zucchini in warmer climates. Also known as "Sponge gourd", "Smooth luffa", "Egyptian cucumber" or "Vegetable sponge".

How to sow and grow:

Method:	Sow direct or raise seedlings
Sowing Depth:	15mm
When:	Spring (or after frost)
Germination:	14-21 days @ 25-30°C
Hardiness / Life Cycle:	Frost Tender Annual
Row Spacing:	75cm
Plant Spacing:	50cm
Position:	Full sun, well drained soil.
Days to Maturity/Flowering:	100-150 days

*Notes: Plants do best when grown on a trellis or other structure. Fruit is best when picked young, older fruit can become tough and bitter. *** Germination can be slow. Seeds need light to germinate. Scarification may be necessary: scratch or rub seeds with a knife, file or sand paper prior to sowing.

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