I recently saw a cool homemade gift idea – Homemade Gardener’s Loofah Soap. Right now, if you grew loofah last year, and still have some on hand, you can make some of this nifty soap. If you didn’t grow loofah last year this is a good gift to plan for in 2010. To make the soap you just need some simple supplies – essential oils, glycerin soap, raw loofah, four-count foil muffin pans, jute rope, a slow cooker and a disposable slow-cooker liner. See how to make this soap at the Dallas News.
Now as for the loofah. You can grow loofah from seeds, but you need to start soon after the last frost. Loofah can take a long time to germinate and needs around 180 warm climate days to thrive. Starting them in pots far ahead of the final frost to get a nice jump start on the season can be the best plan. You can sow loofah seeds directly into the ground if you live in a warmer climate.
An entire tutorial (including images) on growing your own loofah can be found at Luffa.info.
[image via Wikimedia Commons]
Post from: Blisstree