Luffa/loofah

[gwynleg]

I was lucky enough to get these in a competition from Victoriana. I had 6 seeds but only one has germinated (so far but it has been a few weeks). anyone else tried to grow these? Any advice on keeping my one plant alive?
Thanks

[gwynleg]

[gwynleg]

Bump. Noone had a go at these?

[goodlife]

Oh,,hi....yes I have...once...cannot remember too much about it..it was some year ago..but I remember getting fruit and I did like it was instructed for getting the actual loofah...well it was quite a job...your fruit have to grow mature and if my memory serve me right you had to soak/ferment the flesh bit out so you are left with just "sceleton" which is then washed and bleached and dried to get the perfect spunge..after all that hard work of growing it and soaking etc...well I had only one decent usable loofah...I don't think I even had use out of that..
But the plant it self should be trailing and you would grow it like melon...but it is hardier and more robust plant..the actual fruit is almost like marrow.,,You can trail it up or let it sprawl on floor..
Hope that is some help ..but like I said it is some years ago and I never grown it since..you might find it interesting experience...let us know how you get on..and if you grow it again ;)