Extending Luffa Season: Creative Cold Weather Solutions for Tropical Plants

Extending Luffa Season: Creative Cold Weather Solutions for Tropical Plants

Today, 11/21, I did not think I would be this fortunate to have such a long luffa growing season!

We had snow flurries earlier today and the weather forecast says it will go down to 32° but feel like 25° this evening.

Since luffas are a tropical vining plant, they are not amused by this type of weather.

Since our building STILL isn't finished, my sweet man (a.k.a. MacGyver) came up with an idea!

I have a heating mat that is 4 feet long. He laid it on a board so the metal wouldn't convect the cold to the luffas. Then, he turned a vented container over so that the heat radiating from the mat would rise through the vents and keep the luffa from freezing while we come up with a solution to let them mature. We pulled a tarp over the bed of my utility vehicle and pulled it in the high tunnel.

A high tunnel does not have a heating source, but a greenhouse does.

The luffas will be fine- they won't freeze, but they won't bake either.

That brings Luffa Season 2024 to an end! Now, I will continue to process them as I have been the past 2 weeks. I will make an announcement on this page in the next few weeks when I have luffas for sale.

I will have some at the First Vineyard Christmas Fair, Saturday,  November 30th, from 10 am - 3 pm.

Today, 11/21, I did not think I would be this fortunate to have such a long luffa growing season! We had snow flurries...

Posted by Floral Fox Farm on Thursday, November 21, 2024
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