Put the seeds in a plastic sandwich bag and store in a warm, dark place like a drawer or cabinet. Germination times range from days. Do not add extra water to the bag. Check them every two days.
Once the seeds have broken loose from the winged shell, you will notice two shoots protruding from the seed. Do not let the shoots get too long as they may get fragile and break when handled. One of the shoots will have some ruffled growth at the extremity; this is the shoot that contains the first leaves cotyledons and should be the shoot exposed to the sun. Sandy loamy soils work best. Use a pot that is at least 18 inches deep if this is the final home for the tree.
Moringa loves the sun so make sure they get plenty of direct sun. Keep an eye on them, they will tell you if they are getting distressed from too much sun, water or lack of food. It is a good idea to use pots to get the trees started since you have more control over the care of the tree.
Critters will eat the Moringa starters if given the opportunity. We recommend that you let the potted plants grow at least eight weeks or longer before transplanting into the ground. When transplanting, try not to disturb the root system.
Like many plants the roots are very vulnerable until they are established in the ground. If using a plastic pot before transplanting to the ground, use a long thin blade to loosen the soil from the inside edges of the pot.
Turn the band or pot upside down to allow the entire plant and soil to slide out of the container. This prevents disturbing the roots. If you are planting more than one tree, space the plants feet apart for optimum access to the mature tree.
The tree will branch out feet from the trunk so this spacing will allow you to walk between trees and let the sunlight to do its job. Of course, if you want a windbreak, just plant them all at one-foot intervals, as they do in Africa and India. Moringa is like any plant that appreciates plant food and fertilizers and an ample supply of water.
To grow from a cutting: After the trees have stopped producing fruits each year, branches need to be cut off so that fresh growth may take place. These branches are excellent for growing new trees. In India, the custom is to put some cow dung on top of the open end of the cutting.
This is an excellent way to protect the cutting from pests. Top of Page. To grow from seed: Moringa seeds have no dormancy periods and can be planted as soon as they are mature. In the ground: It is best to plant the seeds directly where the tree is intended to grow and not transplant the seedling.
The young seedlings are fragile and often cannot survive transplanting. To plant seeds directly in the ground:. Note: If the soil is heavy, dig a larger hole of up to 3 ft 90 cm in diameter and 3 ft deep, and backfill with 1 part sand and 2 parts original soil.
Added compost or manure will help. The ground where the trees are to be planted should be light and sandy, not heavy with clay or water-logged. Dig a hole 1 ft 30 cm square and 1 ft deep. Here is a Moringa Leaves Curry recipe from Superfoodify that may become your new favorite dish:. The Moringa could be one of the most diverse, unique and precious trees we can grow; it has a positive influence on everything from clean water to our health.
We love this tree! Reach out to your local SummerWinds Nursery over the next couple of weeks to find out when these incredible trees will be ready for you to buy. Note: Our blogs are written specifically for Arizona — and the valley, when possible. If you live outside of Arizona, we encourage you to check the invasive species list for the state in which you live before planting a Moringa tree, as it is considered invasive in some other states and ecosystems.
A leading high-end retailer of garden and nursery products. SummerWinds appeals to both the serious and casual gardeners, with a broad selection of premium gardening products and a friendly and knowledgeable staff. Privacy Policy Account Deletion. Who Knew? Here are our best tips to grow these plants locally: New Moringa starts need warm summer nights to thrive so new seedlings will have to be kept consistently above 60 degrees.
The simplest way to accomplish this is to bring them inside every night and put them back out every day until you are comfortable with the forecast. You can also direct-sow seeds in your sunniest, warmest spot when nighttime temperatures consistently stay above 60 or more degrees and there is no risk of frost. The last average frost date in Maricopa County is February 7 th , but the latest recorded frost was on March 31 st in , so while the window is wide, it would be very unusual to have frost that late in March.
Containers are not a good solution for Moringa long-term unless you want to treat it like an annual. Moringa seedlings have a very aggressive tap root that can be easily damaged, which means they need to be kept in a large enough pot so that the tap root does not curl around the bottom. To avoid this from happening we highly recommend you plant your Moringa in the ground as soon as the weather warms up.
Moringa trees can grow up to 18 feet in less than six months, making it hard to harvest leaves and seed pods. Young Moringa trees will die back to the ground in cold weather. Typically, the tree will re-grow the following spring when overnight low temperatures rise above 60 degrees. After four of five years, healthy Moringa trees will become more frost-hardy and less prone to dying back.
Here are a few different ways to harvest your own tree as detailed by Trees for Life: Growing Moringa Trees from a Cutting: After the trees have stopped producing fruits each year, branches need to be cut off so that fresh growth may take place. Make a cutting at least one inch 2. Dig a hole three feet one meter x three feet one meter and three feet one meter deep.
Place the cutting in this hole and fill it with a mixture of soil, sand and composted manure. Pack firmly around base of the cutting. Form a slight dome or cone shape, sloping down away from the cutting. Water generously, but do not drown the cutting in water. Growing Moringa Trees from a Seed in the Ground: Moringa seeds have no dormancy periods and can be planted as soon as they are mature, but remember not to plant them during colder months when the temperature will drop below 60 degrees.
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