100 Seeds Short Smooth Luffa Seeds; culinary sponge gourd; 短型絲瓜 菜瓜; muop huong; non-GMO heirloom

Description

100 Seeds Short Smooth Luffa Seeds; culinary sponge gourd; 短型絲瓜 菜瓜; muop huong; non-GMO heirloom; Kitazawa Seed #149 germination rate 98%; tested 04/2021; packed for the year 2022 This smooth skin sponge gourd has dark green and slightly ribbed fruit. It is grown for food or sponges. The young fruit are cooked or used in salad. The buds, shoots and young leaves are also edible. The immature flesh is especially good stir-fried with chicken, bamboo shoots or cashews. Mature fruit is dried for its fiber. Growing tips: 1) Do not transplant too early, as young plants could be stunned when overnight temperature below 40F. Here in Chicago Zone 5B, better growth is observed when transplanted after Memorial Day 2) Let the vines climb to chain link fence, cattle panel, arbor, trellis…etc. Best fruit yielding when maximum sun exposure is provided. Allow at least 50-100 sqft aerial space per vine. 3) Once a female flower is found, you can pinch off the rest of the “branch” to achieve best fruit size, as well as provide “bushy” growth to the main vine. Warm Season Maturity: Approx. 80 days Planting season: Late spring to early summer