Luffa

Jeanine M Davis (jmdavis@fletcher.ces.ncsu.edu)
Fri, 21 Jul 1995 11:12:06 -0400 (EDT)

I have grown luffa in the greenhouse in the mountains of North
Carolina several times in both cool and warm seasons. The plant
grew beautifully until the gourds were about 10-12 inches long.
At this stage the foliage was very dense. Each time we then
suffered from spider mite infestations in the new growth in the top
of the plants. Because of the way we trellised the plants in the
greenhouse, we had a hard time directing our sprays to control the
mites. A similar thing happened the first time we grew luffa
outside; we were not set up with our spray equipment to get good
coverage in the tops of the plants.

Now we routinely prune the plants in the field. The foliage
is not as dense and we have fewer problems with diseases and
insects.

Although I have no research to support this statement, based
on our experience here at the research station and for the many
people who have grown luffa in the region in the past seven years,
the best growth, highest yields, and fewest pest problems occur
when luffa is grown in a fertile soil with good organic matter
(following winter cover crop, for example), and not planted in a
field that had been in cucurbits in recent years. 

-- 
Jeanine M Davis
E-Mail  : jmdavis@fletcher
Internet: jmdavis@fletcher.ces.ncsu.edu
Phone   : (704) 684-3562