Why has my luffa vine produced many flowers but no loofah?
The most likely cause is a lack of pollination. Bees and other pollinating insects are needed to produce a good crop. Even with an abundance of insects only a fraction of the flowers will pollinate. Bees are diverse and abundant here in the southern Appalachians, yet we only have about a 20% to 30% rate of successful flower pollination. Bees are having survival issues in some parts of the world. Insecticides used near the vines will reduce the pollinating insects. Hand pollination is an option. Use a cotton swab to move pollen or gently rub the yellow hair-like structures of a male flower against the middle parts of a female flower. Another possible cause is a lack of female or male flowers. Typically a larger single female flower grows on it’s own stalk while clusters of male flowers bloom in sequence on another stalk. Normally the ratio of female to male flowers ensures a reasonable amount of pollination. Some plants may not produce enough males or females. The ratios of fertilizer e
