ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

Which family are luffas from?

They are a gourd, native to south and southeast Asia and are grown in conditions similar to greenhouse cucumbers.

How long do they take to grow?

It’s a long season. Once the plant starts growing, it grows quickly, but can be cut back if it gets out of control. They can grow extremely tall – to more than 10ft – and will fill any space you give them. Most people grow them in big pots of multipurpose compost, as they would do cucumbers or tomatoes, but they’ll need to be spaced around 45-60cm apart.

Do they need support?

Yes. They will need netting, canes or wires to climb up, but they won’t need little hammocks underneath them, as you would with melons, because the stem is quite tough and as they become more fibrous, they get lighter.

Can you eat them?

Yes, they are just like a climbing courgette or pumpkin. The foliage looks more like a fruit, but the luffa has a beautiful big yellow flower the size of the palm of your hand, a bit like a courgette flower but a bit more dainty. The first few flowers don’t set, but once they start setting you can eat them, until they are 5-6in long, using them like you would a courgette.

They look like courgettes, although they are not as smooth-skinned.

What can you use it for?

Obviously, you can use it in a bath or shower to exfoliate but you can also slice it thickly into rings and use it as pan scrubs instead of metal or plastic scourers. Some people even fill the thick-cut luffa circles with home-made soap and give them as Christmas gifts.