harvesting luffas

I just found this site today! This is great!
This is my first year growning luffas. I have about 7 that are almost 3 ft long. When can I pick them -or- do I have to leave them on the vine until frost. Here in SC that could be in Nov. I like to clean up my beds before it gets cold,so bugs dont overwinter in the soil.
Thank you for any help!
Willowsrain

Willowrain, I have grown Lufftas and I always leave them on until the stem is dry or begining to dry...I then harvest them and hang them in a cool dry place....under my deck was always the best and let them finish curing.......so they should be getting pretty close to being ready....if you have some extra seeds that you won't need LMK and we can trade or do a SASE..... :o)

Thank you WillowWasp this helps. I will be more then happy to give you some seeds. I should have plenty. WE can trade, I'm up for just about any seed. lol

Sounds great.....send me you addy and I will get some seeds together for you........I have been collecting what I can this year......This is my first year to garden after spending 2 years in an apartment.........but do have a few things you will like........... :o)

Welcome to Dave's Garden, Willowsrain. We have another member in Greenville I believe....Angelsong....daughter of Sledder. Go to the Welcome Mat Forum and tell us something about yourself.

I grew some Louffa's last year and the Javalina discovered them ....AFTER the grasshoppers ate all the leaves off and they could see them (Javalina's have poor eyesight, but a terrible odor!). They bit into them and I had to harvest them early....thus they never achieved the length yours did!!

Great to have you here. Jo

Welcome, Willowsrain :) I grew luffas last year and had ALL sorts of questions...

Here's a similar thread I posted last year. It might have some helpful ideas for ya. http://davesgarden.com/t/345232/

So glad you found Daves ☺ I'm another luffa/gourd lover!!! I'm trying to get mini-ball luffas to produce fruit this year. Still no luck, but lots of green!

Just re-read that whole thread. That was a good one!

Morph, how'd the soap stuff ever come out? Didja end up making some soap, and getting it into the luffa?

Now that's a good story, Shoe! Should I tell you here or wait for the round-up?

Hah!...well, now you got my attention! Surely you ain't gonna keep us all wondering about it!

Maybe it would be easier to put the luffas in the soap than putting the soap in the luffas. I found a link for it at the American Gourd Society site.

http://www.americangourdsociety.org/slideshow/luffasoap/print.html

Morph, Did you ever get any fruit or flowers from your mini-ball luffas? I've heard that sensitivity to daylength can be a problem for some of the wilder types.

Yes, that was my conclusion, Agrinerd :) Thanks for the link...

Lots of flowers on the mini-ball luffas but no fruit :( I'm not sure why, but I'll try again next year and start even sooner I think.