Growing in West Wyalong

Best time to plant luffa in West Wyalong

Luffa species

Also called loofah, loofa, Chinese okra

Sow luffa in West Wyalong in Nov to Mar.

Eaten young as a vegetable, luffa is the fruit of a vine in the pumpkin and gourd family. Once fully ripe it turns too fibrous for the table, but the mature fruit can be processed down to its fibre network and used as a sponge for the bath or kitchen.

When to sow in West Wyalong

West Wyalong, NSW is in the arid zone. The zone also plants in Aug to Oct, but West Wyalong's frost dates make those months risky for a frost-tender crop.

Not yet checked against a local guide.

Your local conditions can shift any months shown here, so treat them as a guide.

Frost in West Wyalong

Frost usually arrives in West Wyalong around mid May and finishes by early October. In about 1 year in 10 it comes as early as late April or as late as late October, so frost-tender crops are planned around those dates.

From its Bureau of Meteorology station, 1991 to 2020, counting a night at 2°C or lower as a frost. Frost hollows and hillsides can shift these dates by weeks, so ask the growers at your garden too.

On a shared plot: needs a lot of room

A big climber that needs a strong frame. Check where its shade will fall.

Growing details

How to start
Raise seedlings, then transplant
Sowing depth
15mm
Plant spacing
50cm
Row spacing
25cm
Height
900cm
Germination
14-21 days at 25-30°C
Frost
Frost tender
Sun
Full sun
Life cycle
annual

These are typical figures, and varieties differ. Your seed packet takes priority.

Luffa elsewhere

Luffa across Australia