Loofah Update

I really truly thought at one time that Loofah sponges grew in the water. I didn't know they grow on vines and, not only cn you plant them but they produce like crazy! After we ripped up the cucumbers, I set out some loofah seedlings I had started a month ago. Mid-July they looked like this: Two weeks later, we have this: In this third picture, if you look closely, you can see a yellow flower of the vine, and attached to it is a tiny baby looafah, soon to become a really long husked object, which, when totally dry on the vine, can be taken off, the outer shell peeled, the loofah cut in half, and all of the seeds removed; and let me tell you what, there are a LOT of seeds in each and every loofah. And in the end, you have a wonderful stash of loofah sponges, which as we know, we pay a stupid amount for in the beauty section of the 'whatever' store. My great aunt told me that, before those colored cellulose sponges we get in the grocery store, people used loofahs to wash dishes. Of course, how sensible is that? Here is the end result. These are fomr last year - it's what is left. If all goes according to plan, there should be plenty more sometime in October.