Growing luffa (sponge gourd) plants requires a certain amount of patience. It s not a typical garden plant. It grows for a longer time than most gourds. Sometimes the seeds can be slow to germinate. Luffa is a hot weather plant and growth slows in cool weather.

The flowers appear over an extended period of time blooming sequentially as the vine progresses. The vines can grow 30 feet(10 m) long over the course of a growing season. Once the fruits form it may take a long time to fully develop fibre and dry for harvest. Then the work of picking, peeling, and cleaning happens late in the year. Luffa requires about 150 to 200 or more warm frost free days, depending on the location and variety grown.