Luffa Seed Germination: How to Sprout, How Long It Takes, and the Benefits and Uses of Luffa Seeds

Luffa is a vegetable, also known as sheng gua and cai gua, an annual climbing vine of the Cucurbitaceae family, widely cultivated throughout southern and northern China. But how much do you know about luffa seeds? Do you know how to sprout luffa seeds? How long until they germinate? What are the benefits and uses of luffa seeds?

Luffa seeds: when the fruit is fully ripe from September to November, collect the seeds while harvesting the luffa sponge, and dry them in the sun. So how do you sprout luffa seeds? How long until they germinate?

1. Soak luffa seeds in 50-degree water for 5-8 hours, then place them on a moist cloth or paper. Pay attention to the moisture level of the paper or cloth: it must not drip water, but it must not be too dry either.

2. Cover with moist paper or cloth to block out light.  

3. The suitable temperature for luffa seed germination is around 28-30 degrees, with humidity around 40%. They will break through the seed coat in 2-3 days, and then you can sow them. Note: Be sure to keep them warm at night.

4. Generally speaking, the germination rate of directly sown luffa is relatively low, especially in early spring, so it is best to sprout them until they show white before sowing. If growing luffa seedlings for transplant, they must be transplanted before the first true leaf appears, otherwise the survival rate will be affected. Seedlings emerge 4-5 days after sowing, and can be planted out 3 days after emergence.   

5. Another thing worth noting: after soaking the seeds, if you use a cloth to blot the water from the seed coat, then let them air for 1 hour, and then place them in a container lined with soaked paper or cloth, covering them with soaked paper or cloth to germinate, the effect will be even better. After soaking, the permeability of the seed coat affects the germination rate and germination vigor of the seeds. Only after blotting the water from the seed coat and letting them air for a certain period can the permeability of the seed coat be improved, thereby increasing their germination rate and germination vigor.

The Benefits and Uses of Luffa Seeds

1. The benefits of luffa seeds

Luffa seeds contain a large amount of acidic compounds, especially linoleic acid, stearic acid and oleic acid, whose content is particularly high. In addition, they also contain protein, carotene and various sugars. Once used as medicine, they can provide important benefits such as promoting diuresis and clearing heat, and can be used to treat conditions such as edema, urinary stones and intestinal wind.

2. Luffa seeds can treat lower back pain

Lower back pain is a common ailment in daily life, and some people find it difficult to recover once afflicted. At this point, luffa seeds can be used for treatment. The ideal method is to fry the luffa seeds in a pan until scorched, then grind them into a powder, mix with white liquor, and after mixing, drink the white liquor while applying the remaining residue directly to the painful area of the lower back, which can provide a good pain-relieving effect.

3. Luffa seeds can expel roundworms

Roundworms are a common parasite in the human body, and they can be expelled by taking luffa seeds. For treatment, black luffa seeds must be chosen; white ones have no therapeutic effect. Remove the seed kernels from the black luffa seeds and chew them directly on an empty stomach, or grind them into a powder and make capsules. Take once a day. The dosage for adults should be around fifty seeds, and for children around thirty seeds. After taking them continuously for two to three days, you will see the roundworms expelled from the body.