Weekend Gardener : Growing your own loofah

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) - The loofah is a popular shower tool used by people all over the world, and now you can save yourself a trip to the store by learning how to grow one in your very own backyard.

“You can grow these yourself, they’re fun as long as you can trellis it and have an area to grow it upright,” said Lisa Whittlesey, with the Texas A&M Department of Horticultural sciences.

She added that after picking them, getting loofahs ready to use in the shower is relatively easy.

“Before you use it, you just want to take all of the seeds out, and you’ve got your loofa sponge ready for your bath,” said Whittlesey.

Whittlesey says a loofah takes time to grow, and while the fall is the perfect time to pick them, those considering growing them should start early. Experts say they need a long season to ripen.

The Leach teaching gardens in College Station has a number of loofah plants for the public to visit and learn about. The gardens are located at 566 John Kimbrough Blvd, College Station, TX.

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