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Re: Luffa cylindrica

Sven Jönsson wrote:
> 
> Hi everybody!
> I've got several big fruits of Luffa Cyl. I've been told that the inside
> can be used as a sponge. The fruits are between 10 and 30 inches long, 5
> inches diameter. When shall I harvest? Drying time? Need hints.
> Thanks
> Sven from Sweden

Sven,
Wait'il the luffa starts to yellow (the exact point is light yellow).
Never let it dry in the plant because it will get almost black inside.
After you harvest it then you can peel them easily. After peeling you
beat them against a border with the largest diameter portion down (it is
from this side that the seeds will be spitted off). Save the seeds if
you want (only the black and intact ones). Thereafter you have two
alternatives: (1) do not wash the sponge and let it to dry in the shadow
(not washing will spare the substance attached to the sponge and that
will do good for the skin during the first uses); (2) wash the sponge
and remove the substance-very light green-attached to it and let it to
dry in the same way as in '2'. In the alternative '1' the sponge will be
light brown after dried (as you use it it will become almost white), and
in the alternative '2' the sponge will be almost white.
Besides bathing with the sponge you can use it also as dishcloth. By the
way one of the names it is known is 'dishcloth goard'.
To finish: when you harvest the goards when they are light yellow the
sponge will result very soft. If you let them dry on the plant the
sponge will resemble sandpaper.
Good luck!

Angelo
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