How to Grow Loofah in the UK and Europe

What is loofah?

Loofah (also spelled luffa) is an annual climbing plant that grows naturally in south-east Asia. It belongs to the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae), like cucumbers and pumpkins. Its young fruits are eaten as a vegetable, and their taste and shape are similar to those of a cucumber or courgette. Loofah is very popular in countries such as Vietnam, Bhutan, China, India, Bangladesh and Nepal. As the fruit ripens, its inside becomes more and more fibrous. At that stage, it can be turned into a natural sponge with strong fibres: the loofah sponge. There are several species of loofah, and the most common is the smooth loofah, Luffa aegyptiaca, also known as Luffa cylindrica. In this guide, you will learn how to grow loofah yourself and how to use it as a plastic-free alternative to kitchen sponges.

How to grow loofah in the UK and Europe

The loofah plant comes from the warmer regions of Asia, so it is not the easiest plant to grow. As the climate warms (see our article on global warming), loofah now grows well in more parts of Europe. Outdoors, grow it only in a warm, sheltered spot in regions with long, hot summers, for example the lowlands of central and southern Europe. You can grow loofah in the UK too, but in most areas it needs a greenhouse or polytunnel, because loofah needs a long, warm growing season.

Loofah seeds

Loofah seeds are large, oval and flat. Their colour is closer to black than brown. You can buy loofah seeds from a seed supplier, but a better option is to get them from a grower in your area, for example through local gardening groups on social media.

This has an advantage: seeds saved from plants grown in your area are likely to be better adapted to the local climate, which gives your plants a better chance of thriving. When you buy loofah seeds from a local grower, ask how long they have been stored and in what conditions, because this affects how well they germinate. Ideally, they should come from last year’s harvest.

Growing loofah seedlings

Loofah loves heat, and it needs 150 to 200 warm days to ripen properly. For this reason, in cooler climates it is better to raise the seedlings indoors in pots, or in larger reused plastic containers such as ice cream or margarine tubs. Sow in late March or early April. First soak the loofah seeds in water for 48 hours, changing the water several times.

Loofah takes one to two weeks to germinate, and above all it needs warmth: about 25 °C is ideal, so a heated propagator or heat mat works best. A windowsill or an unheated greenhouse is usually not warm enough for germination, but once the seedlings have come up, they can grow on a warm, bright windowsill. Raising a loofah seedling takes about two months. The plants are ready to go into their final position in late spring or early summer, once temperatures stay consistently warm. For a year’s supply of sponges, you will need about 10 loofah fruits. The exact number depends on the size of sponge you prefer and on the size of the fruits.

Transplanting loofah

Loofah is very sensitive to transplanting. Plant it outdoors only after the last spring frost (in central Europe usually in mid-May; in the mildest parts of the UK, in late May), when the plants should be about 30 cm tall. In a greenhouse, plant it in the soil bed or in large pots at about the same time. Smaller plants may not survive being transplanted. If frost is still forecast after that, wait a few more days. Plant into warm soil, ideally after at least three sunny days in a row. Space the plants at least 1 m apart. The fruits are quite heavy, so the plants need strong support, ideally a fence or trellis with wide mesh, 1.5 to 2 m high. In a greenhouse, you can train the vines up strings tied to the roof frame. Loofah plants prefer fertile, loamy soil with a slightly acidic to slightly alkaline pH (6.0 to 7.5).

Caring for the loofah plant

Give loofah the sunniest, warmest spot you have. Slugs like the plant, so protect it, for example by checking the plants after dark and removing slugs by hand, or by using a slug control product approved for garden use in your country. Also keep the area free of weeds so that they do not compete with the loofah for nutrients. Water loofah growing outdoors in the ground at least once a week, and three times a week during heatwaves (four or more cloudless days above 30 °C). Plants in pots or in a greenhouse or polytunnel dry out much faster and may need watering every day in hot weather. We recommend fertilising once a week with pelleted chicken or sheep manure, or another organic fertiliser.

Harvesting loofah

The loofah fruit is green at first, and that is when it is suitable for eating. If you want to grow it for a sponge, wait until the fruit is fully ripe, which means a dark yellow to brown colour. As well as the colour, check how the fruit feels: when it feels light for its size and the skin has become hard and dry, it is ready to harvest. Outdoors, leave the fruits on the plant as long as possible, but keep an eye on the forecast and harvest them just before the first frosts (in central Europe usually at the end of October). In a UK greenhouse, the fruits are usually ready from mid-September to November.

Loofah growing timeline

Stage	Timing
Germination	7 to 14 days
Seedling stage	2 months
Growth	6 to 8 weeks after the seedling stage
Flowering	after 8 weeks of growth
Fruit development	50 to 90 days from flowering
Harvest	depending on the weather and colour, usually at the end of October

How to make a loofah sponge

The sponge is the fibrous network inside the ripe fruit. If you want to save seeds, shake them out of the dry fruit first (see below). To get the sponge out, first soak the whole fruit in water so that the skin softens. Break off the end where the flower was, push your finger between the skin and the fibres and peel the skin away from the bottom upwards. Then wash out the seeds under running water. Leave the fibres to dry and cut them into smaller sponges.

How to collect loofah seeds

The bottom of the loofah (the end that was not attached to the plant) has a small natural opening. Break off the small end and pour the seeds onto a plate, a bowl or another container. You may need to shake the loofah a little more to get the last seeds out. If you picked the loofah while it was still yellowish, let the seeds dry for about a week before storing them. If you waited until the fruit was fully ripe, brown and dry, this step is not needed (simply go by whether the seeds are damp or already dry). Then put the seeds in a paper envelope or another container and store them in a cool, dry place. Next season, you can raise new seedlings from your own home-saved seed.

Buying loofah

If you do not feel confident about growing loofah, or you do not have suitable conditions for it, you can buy ready-made loofah sponges. Check where the shop sources its loofahs: ideally, they should not have travelled from the other side of the world, so that their carbon footprint is as small as possible. The best option is to buy from a local grower who has harvested more than they need.

How to use loofah

Loofah for washing up

Many kitchen sponges are made of cellulose (natural fibres), but the rough side is usually made of polyester or nylon. These materials do not biodegrade, are rarely recycled and are made from non-renewable sources such as oil. If you replace your kitchen sponge every week, as is often recommended for hygiene reasons, your household throws away around 50 sponges a year. You can easily avoid this waste by choosing more eco-friendly alternatives, such as a loofah sponge.

A loofah sponge is suitable for washing dishes as well as for washing your body, and it can fully replace a kitchen sponge. It is much more durable and has a naturally rougher texture, which makes it ideal for use in the kitchen. Loofah is flexible and adapts to the shape of what you are washing, and with washing-up liquid it produces plenty of suds, which is not always the case with ordinary sponges. Every loofah is unique: some have denser fibres, others have a looser texture.

If food scraps get caught inside a new sponge while you are washing up, simply sew around its edge with thread. You do not need special disinfectants: rinse the sponge well after use and let it dry completely. Loofah dries much faster than synthetic sponges, which gives mould and bacteria less chance to grow.

Loofah for the body

Loofah is also suitable for body care. It is rough enough to be used for exfoliating the body, but we do not recommend using it on the face, which has more delicate skin. If the loofah feels too hard to the touch, you can soak it in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes or boil it, which softens it considerably. Besides its exfoliating properties, it also has a gentle, natural woody scent, which is a pleasant extra.

If you use a loofah on your body, keep that loofah for body care only. After use, let it dry thoroughly in a well-ventilated place. Do not leave it in the bathroom, where bacteria can multiply in it, as a scientific study and the Cleveland Clinic warn. When a loofah sponge reaches the end of its life, simply put it on the compost heap, where it breaks down naturally.

Loofah for decoration and shade

If you grow loofah, its climbing habit gives you one more bonus: on a fence or pergola, it provides shade and keeps the space a little cooler. It also looks very attractive.

Other alternatives to kitchen sponges

Used cotton clothing

Old cotton T-shirts make good cleaning cloths. The fabric must not release dye, which should no longer happen with clothes that have been worn and washed many times.

Eco-friendly dishcloths

Eco-friendly dishcloths are compostable and are made mainly from natural materials. Online shops offer a wide range of designs. The main advantage is that most of them can be washed many times, some up to 200 times.

Metal scourer

Metal is recyclable. The disadvantages are that a metal scourer is not suitable for all surfaces (for example non-stick pans), because it damages them, and that it is hard to clean. If you have so far used it only for burnt-on food, you can also use it for everyday washing up. There are also scourers on the market that are gentler on surfaces. When buying, also check how well it is made. Some fall apart over time, and metal pieces can be left behind in your dishes. If you do not notice them, you could swallow them with food or drink.

Washing-up brushes

Several types of brush count as eco-friendly because of the materials they are made from, mostly wood, plant fibres or recycled plastic.

Sources: Savvygardening.com, Sashe.sk, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, Cleveland Clinic, National Trust, Natural History Museum, RHS