Grow Moringa
How to grow Moringa in Australia
Moringa Oleifera is a warm loving plant that grows throughout the sub-tropical and tropical regions of the world.
If you live in a warm part of Australia, you will be rewarded with a strong healthy plant that produces lots of leaves that are packed with nutrition.
Moringa can tolerate mild frosts and cooler climates as well. For colder climates they can be grown in large pots or greenhouses.
Ok now that you have purchased your seeds from The Moringa Shop what to do next?
Firstly, never store your Moringa seeds in the fridge. This will kill them. Store them in a dark place like a drawer of cupboard. The Moringa seeds will last up to 2 years so there is no hurry to get them in the ground.
Soak the Moringa seeds in water for 24 hours. This triggers the growing mechanism and duplicates the normal growing cycle of Moringa Oleifera. In their natural habitat the seeds pods dry out and split open at the beginning of the Monsoon season. Then wind and rain storms come and blow the seeds out of the pods. The small wings on the seeds help them disperse. The seeds land in small puddles of water and the growing cycle of Moringa starts.
After soaking you can get the plants started in small seed raising trays, small pots, larger pots or directly into the ground. I prefer small pots or seed raising trays.
Use a high quality general potting mixture or your own free draining soil.
Water regularly in the early stages of germination.
When the Moringa roots start appear at the bottom of the pot it's time to find them larger accommodation.
Carefully remove the seedlings from the small pots or trays. The tap root is fragile but I have found that minor damage does not kill the plant, it just sets it back a bit.
In the cooler climates Spring and summer is the best time to plant Moringa.
Planting Moringa into the ground.
If planting directly into the ground, make sure you dig the hole as deep as you can and then backfill. This will break up the soil and make it easier for the root system to get deep down. Water regularly in the early stages but don't over water.
Planting Moringa in pots.
Use either a high quality potting mix or your own well drained soil mixture. Select the deepest pot possible as Moringa likes to grow deep roots. They don't fill the sides of the pot as much. You can use a self-watering pot and I have used these successfully. The trick is to only water from the top of the plant and don't water too much. You don't want large pools of water collecting at the bottom of the pot. You can drill small holes in the bottom to drain the water if you wish. The reason I like self-watering pots is that it keeps the roots from escaping the pots. Normal pots do let the roots escape and head down into the ground.
Pruning Moringa.
If left alone a Moringa tree will grow long and leggy. This means that all of the nutritious leaves will be at the top of the tree where you can't reach them. Prune your Moringa Tree heavily and it will become very bushy producing plenty of leaves. There is no special secret in pruning Moringa.
Fertiliser for Moringa.
Moringa can be grow without fertiliser, but to get the best results (especially in pots) a good organic fertiliser works a treat. I have found with my Moringa that Blood and Bone, or a seaweed based fertiliser works a treat.
Best Soil for Moringa.
Moringa hates to be sitting in water so a good well drained soil is essential. Moringa will die in a few days if it is flooded in a swampy clay environment.
Position.
Moringa is a heat and sun loving plant. With that being said it also grows well with some shade. So pick the sunniest position possible.
Best time to plant Moringa.
In the tropics they can be planted anytime.
In the cooler climates Spring and summer is the best time to plant Moringa.