Luffa 120 days 2 oz About 8 to 12 inches long, sometimes used as a dishcloth, needs a long growing season. Cultural Practices Plant seeds 1 inch deep and 6 to 12 inches apart. Allow 6 to 8 feet between rows. Control cucumber beetles with weekly applications of a suggested insecticide from the time plants emerge from the soil. Keep the rows free from weeds by shallow hoeing and cultivation during June and July, when rapid vine growth should cover the entire ground.
Some gardeners use black polyethylene mulch to warm the soil for better growth and to control weeds.
The plants should be grown on a fence or trellis so that the fruit grows long and straight. The New Guinea Bean is frequently grown on a support for easy harvesting. Ornamental and utility gourds should mature on the plant until September, when the fruits develop hard, glossy, brightly colored shells. The stems should be quite tough. Harvest with 1 to 2 inches of stem.