Let’s grow loofahs and use them to make scrubbing brushes to wash our bodies! (lol)
Misha: So, this time we’re going to try growing loofahs.
Hachibee: When you say loofah, you mean the scrubbing brush you keep in the bathroom, right?
Ruru: Loofah equals bathroom scrubbing brush. It’s nonsense to stop thinking there.
Hachibee: And yet, who are you, showing up with a scrubbing brush hairstyle?
Ruru: Hehehe, I’m Ruru, the loofah fairy. Besides scrubbing brushes, loofahs are also loved for their moisturizing properties; the “loofah water” extracted from their stems is used as a facial toner, and actually, the young fruit has a texture similar to zucchini and can be eaten.
Misha: It’s truly useful for everything—clothing, food, and shelter. That’s why people have always said, “Nothing goes to waste with loofah.” So, let’s get started cultivating loofahs!
Loofah “Almost Weekly” Cultivation Report
4/13 Seed planting
Hachibee: They’re black and flat seeds. They kind of look like watermelon seeds.
Lulu: Oh, that’s an interesting point. It’s true that watermelons belong to the same gourd family, but they’re not exactly close relatives.
4/20 It hasn’t germinated yet.
Hachibee: Not yet?
4/27 It will not germinate.
Hachibee: Not yet.
5/4 Buds appear
Hachibee: The sprouts have finally come up! They’re growing at a pretty slow, steady pace.
5/11 Leaves begin to emerge
Misha: They’re cute little seedlings with unique colors.
5/18 The buds begin to open
Hachibee: Oh! Leaves have sprouted! They’re a bit jagged.
5/25 The leaves begin to grow.
Hachibee: Once the leaves started to sprout, they suddenly began to grow at an incredible rate!
Misha: But even after the true leaves appear, the cotyledons are still trying their best, aren’t they?
6/1 Transition to planting in the ground行
Misha: Let’s plant them in the ground soon, before the vines start to grow.
6/22 The vines begin to grow.
Hachibee: Oh! Here it comes! The vines are starting to grow!
Lulu: From here on, the vines will grow incredibly fast. Please prepare some stakes and netting.
7/6 The leaves are growing rapidly.
Hachibee: Wow! It’s true. It’s really starting to grow!
Misha: And the leaves have grown big and there are so many of them now. They look great against the summer blue sky.
7/13 Leaves cover the sky, and flowers begin to bloom.
Hachibee: The flowers have already bloomed! They’re growing incredibly fast. And in no time at all, they’ve covered the net that was crawling along the ceiling!
Lulu: Loofahs have large fruits that hang down, so if you set up a net to create a ceiling, it will be easier to harvest them.
7/20 Flowers bloom and fruit is produced.
Hachibee: Wow! There are already fruits!
Misha: That’s an incredible rate of growth.
Lulu: By the way, if we were going to eat them, I guess we’d harvest them around here.
7/27 The fruit is growing
Hachibee: The fruit is getting thicker and longer. This is fun to watch.
Lulu: Were you surprised by the loofah’s growth power? The fruit is nice, but I hope you’ll also enjoy the beauty of the flower’s vivid yellow color.
Misha: That’s right, the contrast between the yellow of the flowers and the green of the leaves and berries is so beautiful. It really makes you feel like it’s summer.
8/3 The fruit ripens
Hachibee: This is a loofah! It’s grown into a magnificent shape.
Misha: The size and weight of this thing are truly impressive.
8/24 It starts to change color
Hachibee: The pear-shaped loofah fruit has started to change color a little.
9/7 The fruit ripens
Hachibee: Starting around September, the fruits will gradually turn chocolate brown.
Misha: It looks like it’s losing moisture and starting to dry out.
9/14 The fruit ripens to a chocolate color.
Hachibee: Ah, it’s completely chocolate-colored. It looks delicious like this, though. I guess it’s probably not edible anymore.
9/28 Harvest
Hachibee: Awesome! Looking at the size and quantity of these loofahs, for some reason I feel like I’ve accomplished something great.
Misha: Whether it’s great or not, all that’s left is to dry it in the sun for a while, and then the outer layer will peel off, and finally the scrubbing brush will be revealed.
10/5 The end
Hachibee: Wow! You’re right. Once the skin peels off, there’s a scrubbing brush underneath…
Lulu: It seems like all you can think about now is scrubbing brushes. I’d love for you to use them to your heart’s content as scrubbing brushes, but before that, please collect the seeds and plant them again.
Misha: Growing loofahs was so much fun. I was especially surprised by how fast they grew once it got hot in the summer. It really gave me a boost of energy. They even provided shade from the summer sun. I would definitely recommend growing loofahs to everyone as a part of their lives.
~A quick tip! Loofah cultivation points~
Cultivation difficulty：★★☆☆☆
Strong germination power and robust growth
Heat tolerance that can withstand scorching heat
Loofah is recommended for beginners
Watching the vines grow so quickly
Loofah gives you energy
Don’t forget to set up stakes and netting before the vines start to grow
