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Luffa Gourd
Lagenaria aegyptiaca. This old fashioned gourd’s cylindrical fruits are tasty when young and tender, and can be eaten like Summer Squash. But if allowed to dry on the vine, their skin will begin to crack, showing the fibers inside. Peel them, shake out the seeds, slice them into rounds and wash and dry them for a non-abrasive sponge for scrubbing skin, dishes, cars, or floors. Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before transplanting out after the last frost. Give them room to ramble, or grow them on a large trellis. (OP.)
One packet of about 25 seeds
- Buy 10 for $4.45 each and save 10%
- Buy 50 for $3.70 each and save 25%
- Information
Lagenaria siceraria. Large Fruited Gourds are commonly referred to as Hardshells, which may be crafted into whimsical, hanging bird houses. Closely related to Squash and Pumpkins, Gourds need lots of room to ramble and a hot growing site in full sunlight. Start seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the last spring frost date and transplant out into the garden. These crafty Gourds are not colorful but make up for it in an amazing range of fanciful shapes and sizes. Only harvest Hardshells after the vines have totally died back: frost and even freezes will not affect Hardshells. Cure thoroughly outdoors on pallets or screens until the Gourds are light and the seeds rattle inside the shells. Bee friendly. Deer resistant.
Average seed life: 3 years.
Average seed life: 3 years.
Lagenaria siceraria. Large Fruited Gourds are commonly referred to as Hardshells, which may be crafted into whimsical, hanging bird houses. Closely related to Squash and Pumpkins, Gourds need lots of room to ramble and a hot growing site in full sunlight. Start seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the last spring frost date and transplant out into the garden. These crafty Gourds are not colorful but make up for it in an amazing range of fanciful shapes and sizes. Only harvest Hardshells after the vines have totally died back: frost and even freezes will not affect Hardshells. Cure thoroughly outdoors on pallets or screens until the Gourds are light and the seeds rattle inside the shells. Bee friendly. Deer resistant.
Average seed life: 3 years.
Average seed life: 3 years.
