Semillas Calabaza Luffa Esponja
Precio por paquete de 8 semillas.
Luffa es un género con 7 especies de plantas con flores perteneciente a la familia Cucurbitaceae. Las plantas y sobre todo sus frutos son conocidos como estropajos o esponjas vegetales. Es el único género de la subtribu Luffinae. El nombre del género deriva del árabe Lufah, لوف. Son plantas trepadoras tropicales y subtropicales. El fruto de al menos dos especies, Luffa acutangula y Luffa aegyptiaca, se cultiva para ser cosechados y se come como un vegetal, es popular en Asia y África. Su popularidad nace desde que se la comenzó a utilizar para la elaboración de esponjas exfoliantes, siendo de alta calidad y brindando muy buenos resultados dermatológicos.
Especies de Luffa son utilizadas como plantas alimenticias por las larvas de algunas Lepidopteras incluyendo especies como Hypercompe albicornis.
· Soak seeds overnight before planting.
· Sow in warmth (65 degrees +) ½”- ¾” deep from 4 weeks prior to the last frost under cover. (18-22 days to germinate)
· Remove weaker seedlings, as they do not transplant well.
· When 3-4 inches high gradually acclimatise outdoors after all danger of frost has passed.
· Site the plants in a warm sheltered position with good drainage, these will need full sun and warmth to thrive and sturdy support. (110 days from germination)
· Plant out at least 24”apart and avoid feeding or the crop will be reduced. They will start slow and when established and with warmer weather will quickly accelerate.
· Keep moist throughout the summer and stop watering in autumn as fruits mature.
· In autumn, mature gourds will begin to turn brown and dry turning yellow/brown, feel light with the outside skin loose.
· Harvest remaining fruit before the first frost and mature in a warm well-ventilated position.
· When fully dry the blossom end cap can be broken off, and a vascular
· bundle can be pulled up the side of the gourd like a zipper. The sponge will pop out and be very wet and white.
· Quickly rinse the sponge in water to prevent the plant juices from oxidizing on the sponge and remove the seeds at this time.
The sponges can be rinsed in a 10% bleach solution to whiten them.