I grew them many years ago in Gainesville...they are just like summer squash, the babies are on the bottoms of the female flowers.

They were easy and really fun. I would just let them dry on the vines, and flake the skin of--mine were always a little black..but softer than the store bought variety.

I would love to grow them again..Where did you find the seeds?

They look good, Sue. I'm not sure, but I would GUESS the gourds are the elongated green parts growing behind the flowers in the last two photos. I'll bet someone here can tell you for sure, though. What fun! Maybe I'll try them someday, too. Right now, I can't keep up with what I have.

Thanks for sharing the photos!

Marcia

Sue,
Great that you posted these photos. Floridata writes that one of their people had them grow up the trunks of their sabal palms and I wondered how they looked like. I was afraid that I would have to have my people call their people to find out. :-)

Thanks guys for the feedback.
My girlfriend up in the Boston area sent me a seed packet a couple of months ago. The label on the back of the packet has a price sticker of $1.89 and came from New England Nurseries. There were approx. 20 seeds in all and everyone sprouted after soaking them for about a week in a moist paper towel and left on the window sill. The web site listed is www.botanicalinterests.com and here's an address if you're interested...
Botanical Interests,Inc. 660 Compton St.
Broomfield, CO 80020

The cover on the seed packet has a photo of what almost looks like green zucchini to me. This is what is printed next to the photo..........
Gourd Luffa (Chinese Okra)
Luffa aegyptiaca

110days. Warm season crop-plant after last chance of spring frost.
"What fun to grow your own sponge! Simple, easy to grow AND young gourds can be cooked and eaten like summer squash!"

BTW, my girlfriend sent me a beautiful basket filled with gardening goodies too. Not just the seeds. Although I have to admit I'm having a lot of fun watching the progress of these little climbers!

I'll bet you can find these seeds in any of the Big Box stores.
Good luck,
Sue.

Yes, the luffa are at the base of the female flower, like Maggiepearl said. You let them dry on the vine, then pick them, peel them and shake out all the seeds. Then I soaked them in 1/10 Clorax and water over night to make them white. Save the seeds and start them again. I haven't grown them in a while now as I still have lots from before. The bees love the flowers too.

Thanks! I knew someone here mentioned awhile back that they had success and way too many gourds too. I'm looking forward to my harvest. I'll post again as soon as the gourds begin taking shape.
Oh, Katkin, where can I purchase some Clorax? Just pulling your leg. I'm not the best spellar eithar.
Thanks again,
Sue.

Sue,
You're gonna need more room.

LOL!! I'm probably the one who mentioned having TOO MANY luffa. Family, friends and neighbors all got (cleaned) luffa for Christmas. In fact, I still have a baby luffa that I use as an exfoliator on my face. Soft but effective. Use them to scrub dishes (also called Mexican dishrag), the car, boat, patio furniture, whatever. Luffa is one of Mother Nature's blue ribbon products. cora

LOL, I didn't get it at first,that's how bad I am. :o) GW needs spell check.

Edible, too. When young.

I have bottle gourds planted and growing up the skeleton of a yellow tabebuia tree that died from too much shade and being planted in toxic rubble landfill. It was here when we bought. Hope to replace it someday.

....just make sure that after they begin to sprout that you don't point directly at any of them. According to my grandmother, if you point at a gourd while it is on the vine it will fall off.

That's interesting billbrandi. From everything I've been hearing (and reading) it looks like I'll have more gourds than I need.
I do believe in some superstitions, so if I carry the camera out that way, I'll try and be discrete.
Thanks all for your feedback,
Sue
(My luffas have certainly enjoyed all the rain they received today! And even more forecasted for tomorrow!)

Luffa are a lot like zucchini...at the end of the summer, you can't even give them away, there are so many. I actually ate some of mine. They're really good fried or in a casserole, but I didn't like them alone. Kind of tasteless. To eat them, you can't let them get over abour 4 or 5 inches long.