The listing, Loofah seeds to make exfoliating sponges! has ended.
Did you know that those fancy exfoliating sponges come from plants? Yep, and you can grow them in your garden!
This auction is for 20 loofah seeds from the loofahs I grew in my garden in Virginia this year.
Plant them as you would plant gourds, because that's what they are. They love to grow up and over obstacles—they've taken over the six-foot-tall pile of sticks next to my garden, and I had to start a new stick pile for all the sticks I pick up in my yard!
I'm still learning how to harvest and process them, but I can tell you this: if you want to grow sponges, let them grow until they're old and very light. Then peel off the skin (the older and browner they are, the easier that is), shake out the seeds, rinse them, and dry them. They'll turn a light brown unless you soak them in a weak bleach solution, which I don't bother with.
Enjoy!