Gourd Seeds - Yu Sing - Hybrid

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Other Common Names: Luffa plant, or luffa gourd.

How to Grow Yu Sing Gourd

To prepare gourd seeds, they need to be soaked for 24hrs and are best germinated on a moist paper towel in a dark container. If you live in zones 5 or 6, start the seeds indoors before the last frost and transplant them outdoors, post-frost, after hardening off. If you live in zones 7 or higher, germinate the seeds indoors and then direct sow. Luffa Gourds don’t transplant well, be sure to get the seeds or seedlings to their permanent growing space as early as possible.

Yu Sing Luffa Gourd needs a trellis to climb up throughout the growing season. Protect the plant from any temperatures below 50℉. Luffa gourds need lots of nitrogen. Supplement nitrogen if necessary or interplant with a nitrogen fixator such as a legume. Prune the plant throughout the season to only have one lateral vine. In climates with an extra long growing season, remove the first few blooms allowing the plant to better establish before fruiting.

Harvesting Yu Sing Gourd

For consumption, harvest the gourds when they are bright green, firm, and less than six inches long. For shower luffa harvest, leave the gourds on the plant until they are brown and soft. Then, gently peel away the skin and shake out the seeds.

Culinary Tips

Eat the young gourds as soon as possible. Yu Sing gourds can be chopped and cooked in place of zucchinis or summer squash.

Tips From Our Gardeners

“The plastic shower luffas at the store are terrible for the environment. We use them for a few months; then, they go in the trash. With a luffa gourd, use them for a while, and then toss them into your compost bin to fuel next year’s harvest!”

- Lara Wadsworth, True Leaf Market Writer

"How To Germinate Hard Gourd Seeds"

Seeds Per Package

• 2 g packet - Approximately 32 Seeds
• 1 oz - Approximately 450 Seeds
• 4 oz - Approximately 1,800 Seeds
• 1 lb - Approximately 7,200 Seeds