I don't have a photo of when the plants first came up and were growing, but fear not my dears I have a photo of one blooming.
Here is a photo of a "fingerling"; theoretically they can be eaten at this size. Cut them up into bite sized pieces and use in soups, stir frying or whatever way you like. I know, freaky that we can actually eat those tough scratchy bath thingies for food.
But of course if left on the vine they grow and grow, looking like this
And that is what I wanted so I let them be and watched for the tale tail signs they were ready to be tuned into bathing tools, pot scrubbers or even white wall tire scrubbies (cool). Okay so I didn't exactly wait the recommended time... which was to leave them on the vine till they turn brown, skin becomes leathery / hard, become light (not heavy) and the seeds rattle inside when ya shake 'em. Anyways I noticed that my biggest one had become pale and yellowish and not being able to wait I cut it from the vine. See here just before cutting it off
The skin had become leathery and I could feel that it had pulled away, slightly, from the fibrous meat inside, but my seeds did not rattle, it weighed only ounces almost like a balloon with regular oxygen in it. So I left it to sit on the dining table for a while. You know this was hard for me, and maybe the remaining fruit that hangs on the vines I'll do the "right way...blah, blah pretty much let the vine just wither away and die before I pluck 'em off, blah.
Okay that's it for this post, Jai has taught me well to leave y'all wanting more. Well do ya? Want more? Keep an eye out for the next time I post about my loofahs to see how this looked on the inside, etc. and junk.
Missing y'all but the learning is going oakie-dough-key.
10 comments:
Don't you always leave us -your readers -wanting to hear more and more still from you?
Well, what do you know. I never knew you could grow these or that they were edible when they're little. I learned something here today, and that's always a good thing! Hope you have a nice week! :-)
Hi Paige .. it's just bombed me out .. irritating to say the least .. it looks like you could do with a little more patience is a virtue time!
They look like okra (perhaps a little when they're growing) .. but to think you can eat them young is interesting.
I bought a loofah in Greece years ago .. & I guess it looked like your yellowing one at some stage?!
Happy days ahead .. let's see if this gets through .. Hilary
Paige, I want more!
My mother's a fanatic vegetable gardener and she always leaves a few of the vine veggies on the vine, like you, so that they dry up and she can use the seeds next year.
Looking forward to the next post!
Jai
How have you Bean? It kinda looks like one, tho you say it's that lumpy petaled Loofag blossom-
Think I'd rather have the blossoms to admire tho!
Oooh you have my interest now.
Well, I feel...dumb. All this time I thought those things came from sponges in the sea. You've taught me something Paige, AND left me wanting more.
So glad to hear your learning time is going well. Hope you're enjoying every minute.
Now come on, let's hear the rest - we've waited long enough. :)
P.S. I have the strangest verify word - resinesp. Does resin have esp?
I thought Loofa were undersea plants...huh. Wow.
I am so speachless that I can't even blog. For at least another week, I will just be dumbfounded by your plant, and your helpless urge to pick earley.
Heh!
BTW I am still alive. Been doing some creative writing, some creative working and some creative sleeping, but I thought I better come over here and poke you.
Consider yourself poked.
i bin so missing yoo too, butt glad to heer yor lerning is going good.
i eeted my jannies loofa, butt she was not madd liek wen i eeted all she caek for the big partee.
xoxoox
me
BB
wit mutch loves.
Paige, you taught me something today. I had no idea that loofas were grown! I can't wait to see the ones that do make it all the way to completion:) Patience dear friend, patience:)
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