![]() I used rebar to support the old arch because to be honest it did look a little flimsy, so it was an easy leap to think of them as support for the new arch and I spaced them out to suit all my materials and banged them into the ground It turns out I had just the right amount of trellis, once I cut off the little bit extra Cable ties are perfect to hold it all together. So, I had to give the arch concept a rethink and came up with what I think is a great idea for an arch to last in this harsh environment. I have to say it was a tad disappointing, but on close examination it became evident the salty sea air had not been kind to my arch and had completely rusted it out. It was my intention this year to get it right, but we had a storm and it completely destroyed my arch. Hubby the Un-Gardener was a great help attaching the cable ties while I held the trellis tight. This was also a little late in the season and so buy the time my luffa seedlings made it into the ground, life was against them as they didn’t get a chance to settle in before it got too hot and they didn’t make it. Last year I acquired one of those powder coated metal arches and excitedly assembled it and popped it in the pumpkin area. The irrigation pipe made a great natural arch shape when put over the rebar supports. The thing is they do best when growing up a frame of sorts and I just didn’t have plan for this. The first season I grew them as seedlings but dithered about so much about where I would plant them they died, and it was too late to start again. ![]() ![]() Since we moved to this new garden I haven’t had much luck growing luffa. The rebar poles were measured out and banged into the ground. So just thinking about the combined potential of these benefits and soap making magic! They are also great in the kitchen as a natural scrubber that can be composted when it has nothing left to give. I have grown then for many years and I found them great to help scrub off the dirt from a grubby gardener hands after a hard day in the garden and as an exfoliator for gently sorting out dry skin. Tying this in with the garden, I am really excited to grow luffas this year as this adds a whole new level of fun when processing them. There is no recovery for this mangled arch and it never got the opportunity hold up any plants. I just make it for us and haven’t been too adventurous with it yet, but there are loads of cool things that can be done with it. It is all about weighing out the ingredients exactly and getting all geared up in safety gear – goggles and gloves and using dangerous chemicals. It is a bit fun because it reminds me of my time in a previous life working in laboratories. I have been dabbling a little bit in making my own cold process soap.
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