In September, Backyard Gardener Colleen volunteered to write a blog post about the loofah plants she’d been telling us about all season. Colleen has her own homemade soap and natural products business, and I had no idea it was born out of a happenstance excess of loofah gourds! She makes a great point that while there are sure to be ups and downs with gardening, if we’re growing things that bring us joy it’s easy to enjoy the process. 

My journey through the years of Loofahville:

One of my all time favorite plants to grow each year are loofah or luffa. This plant really makes me excited about the growing season to come. It’s the first seed to hit the soil each year for me. My first loofahville was grown in 2019. That’s when I grew to love this beautiful plant.

Loofahville has had great years and not so great years too. But I will never give up! Theres always next year. I love its long lush green vines, and beautiful tropical yellow flowers. It sure is a sight to see each morning. The growing season for loofahs is 200 days! I typically harvest early each year as the frost hits too soon. But there is still a wire sponge surprise on the inside!

Loofahs have inspired my life so much. I grew so many loofahs one year and had no clue what to do with all of them. So, I decided to have a craft night with a few friends to make soap. Now fast forward 3 years. I have soap business inspired by a simple plant, loofah. Plants can impact your life daily, inspire and make you happy in so many ways. Grow plants that give you joy. Try new things that you have neve done before, and you never know where that plant will take you! If your looking for a natural way to wash try growing loofah next year.