Luffas are probably here a bit too difficult to direct sow outdoors, but I’d like to see it myself. Based on what I have read there are some to timewise might make it, but temperatura lack of heat might be too much. Common wisdom says they have to be started in january and grown in a greenhouse, but it wouldn’t be the first time I have proven those wrong. A few dozen seeds would be enough to test, but could be more if someone has excess.
Pepinos shouldn’t be that difficult. Only problem is that there isn’t really different varieties available or at least they don’t go by different names. Also I have some experience that they might be daylight sensitive so having diverse mix to start with might be helpful.
I got about 3 or 4 strains of luffas yes👍. Of luffa acutangula and cylindrica species. Can send you some of each to you. They are heat demanding yes, more than all cucurbita, lagenaria, citrullus or cucumis, at least in my place in France.
Thanks. I didn’t go that far as to consider that there are different species. It might not be in this years plans to make crosses, but are those such that they cross between those species? Just for future reference.
I don’t know if they did intercross, but can tell you that they were interplanted in my field in 2022. About 4 plants of each on a 10m2 surface, then trelissed to a 2meters height.
The soil was covered with plastic. Grown from transplants started around 20th of March -1st of April, to be transplanted 20-25th of May.
Since I have only replanted an acutangula strain which :
is the better eaten young
make much bigger sponges
is earlier than the others, so more prolific in my place