Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

ALMOST BEEKEEPING - RELATED TOPICS => GARDENING AROUND THE HOUSE => Topic started by: beechet on January 10, 2018, 10:44:01 pm

Title: Luffa (sponge plant )
Post by: beechet on January 10, 2018, 10:44:01 pm
I haven't grown any yet because they need a substantial fence or trellis but I accidentally discovered some on my morning walk and the bees were crazy about them.  From what I have read they have a long growing season.  http://www.luffa.info/luffagrowing.htm
Title: Re: Luffa (sponge plant )
Post by: Dallasbeek on January 11, 2018, 12:26:21 pm
My Chinese friends like to eat them (green, of course), but I haven't found a way to prepare them to make them taste very good.
Title: Re: Luffa (sponge plant )
Post by: beepro on January 14, 2018, 06:22:01 pm
I grow them every season.   My bees never forage on them because they found better
forage sources.  Though mine are the triangular luffa not the one shown on your link.  Maybe the
bees like the other type better?
Title: Re: Luffa (sponge plant )
Post by: beechet on January 26, 2018, 04:50:01 pm
My Chinese friends like to eat them (green, of course), but I haven't found a way to prepare them to make them taste very good.
Funny that's where I found those, it was behind a Chinese restaurant and owners / employees had planted them and looked like they really knew what they were doing.  I watched them for weeks and most of the time several bees would be in the same bloom at the same time.
Title: Re: Luffa (sponge plant )
Post by: Dallasbeek on January 26, 2018, 08:04:50 pm
I grow them every season.   My bees never forage on them because they found better
forage sources.  Though mine are the triangular luffa not the one shown on your link.  Maybe the
bees like the other type better?

My neighbor has grown them and one year one grew in their rain gutter.  Nice square luffa.
Title: Re: Luffa (sponge plant )
Post by: beepro on January 29, 2018, 08:24:22 pm
Are we talking about the rounded Luffa or  its cousin with the ribs on the squash?
I've never planted the rounded Luffa before.