May 06, 2025
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Growing luffa distracts Plainfield family from 'the weird times we live in'

'When we found out about luffa, it made sense with our lifestyle'

By DENISE M

Like many people, Susan and Ryan Hart of Plainfield (pictured) thought they grew in the water. But during a trip to California at the end of 2017, a relative inspired them to grow their own luffa, a type of gourd.

Like many people, Susan and Ryan Hart of Plainfield (pictured) thought they grew in the water. But during a trip to California at the end of 2017, a relative inspired them to grow their own luffa, a type of gourd.

“He handed us a luffa sponge and told us he grew them in the backyard,” Susan said. “He said it was a plant and he gave us some seeds.”

This year, the Harts harvested more than 80 luffas from their luffa “farm” at their Plainfield residence. But the road from first planting to successful harvest took some “trial and error,” Susan said as she recalled that first growing season. “We failed miserably,” Susan said. Above: Marie Weiss, a neighbor of the Hart family, had the honor of cutting the first luffa of the year.

They had planted those seeds into pots in May 2018 and then moved them outside in June. Hart said they started with six plants and only two grew into gourds but they never fully matured into sponges, Susan said.

Susan did some research and learned luffas have a long growing season – up to 250 days, she said. They also cannot be transferred outside until the threat of frost is gone.

So then in 2019, they started the seeds sooner – about the end of March, Ryan said. They moved the plants outside at the end of June and wound up with 50 gourds.

But on Oct. 30, 2019 the temperatures dropped, and snow began to fall. Susan said her mother helped her harvest the luffa. “We lost half,” Susan said.

But that past summer, the Harts had met a luffa gardener from Ohio at a festival who recommended starting the plants in December. So that’s what the Harts did in December 2019. They grew up the walls in the kitchen, Susan said. “These are my ‘babies,’” Susan said. “I feel totally responsible for them.”

Last year, Ryan made half circle arches with PVC pipe for the luffa to hang. Later, Ryan made an outside tunnel for the luffa out of cattle panel. Pictured is Ryan (right) and Ann Osacky of Oak Forest, Susan's mother.

Then they added Plexiglass to create a “greenhouse” type of structure to protect the plants from frost.

The Harts were happy with their harvest this year. “Most of them had sponges inside,” Susan said.

The Harts’ website at faithoilslove.com recommends soaking seeds overnight before planting them – three luffa seeds per pot. Only about 67% will germinate so planting this way helps to ensure one to two plants from three pots. Each plant yields an average of three luffa.

As luffa love light, so the Harts recommend using an indoor UV light while the plants are inside. Once the plants move outside, Ryan assumes most of their care, especially the morning watering.

“I make my coffee in the morning and go out to water them,” Ryan said. “I’ve got quiet time for prayer, for spirituality, for listening to music.”

All the weeding is done by hand. The Harts’ three children – Tessa, 8 (pictured); Lincoln, 6; and Paisley, 4 - get involved, too. Susan said the family has done "fun things," with the luffa tunnel.

"We put out tables, chairs and a bedsheet for a tablecloth and had a meal out there," Susan said.

Ryan feels growing luffa has made a wonderful family hobby. “It’s kept our minds occupied with some of the weird times we live in,” Ryan said.

When the luffa is ready to harvest, the skin lightens in color and the inside feels “squishy,” Susan said. “We peel the skin right off,” Susan said.

The Harts clean out the luffas with a natural cleanser and then lets them dry.

Because they only need about 100 seeds for the next growing season, the Harts have sold the remaining seeds to family and friends for $1 per 30 seeds, Susan said. “We have a big jar of them,” Ryan said.

The Harts hope to gradually expand operations inside the tunnel, perhaps seeing if they can accommodate more luffa plants, as well as other plants, such as peppers, to utilize the space more efficiently, Ryan, pictured with Susan's father Bob Osacky, said.

The Harts use the luffas for bathing instead of the commercially available plastic sponges, Susan said.

She said luffa makes a great exfoliator and a good scrub for the children's feet when they come inside the house with muddy feet from playing outside barefoot.

Susan also makes soap, so sometimes she cuts up the luffa and melts soap with it to make luffa-soap-on-a-rope, she said.

"For the last six and a half years, our family has been very focused on health and wellness and getting toxins out of our homes," Susan said. "When we found out about luffa, it made sense with our lifestyle."

Homegrown luffa is also softer than luffa that’s available in stores, the Harts said.

“It’s natural, from the earth,” Ryan, pictured above, said. “There’s something beautiful about that.” (All photos)

#A&EPlainfieldluffaloofaloofahgrowing your own luffahow to grow luffaSusan HartHart Family Luffa FarmRyan HartDenise M. Baran-Unland