Moringa Research Products™ Division

Consumer Guides

HOW TO GROW MORINGA

This short guidance is for home gardeners growing moringa trees from our seeds or seedlings. There are many manuals and other publications that provide more detail and information on larger scale farming and processing of moringa products. A selection of these references is available here.

STARTING SEEDS

Germination Rates. These seed plackets for general consumer use are special mixtures of Moringa oleifera (Indian moringa) seeds from 40+ worldwide sources intended to provide maximum genetic diversity, and many of them are fast-maturing PKM1 hybrids. Based on recent testing, the germination rate for these mixtures was in the range of 80-95 percent.

Packaging and Storage. Our moringa seeds are shipped with silica gel packets sealed in plastic bags inside the outer labeled seed envelopes. The silica gel should be discarded, and the seeds removed from the bags and kept in the open air for a day to re-hydrate them before planting. They should be planted in the same year that they were purchased. If you are unable to plant the seeds, keep them in the plastic bags with the silica gel and put the sealed bags in a freezer for long term storage.

Presoaking. Some growers recommend soaking the seeds for one day before planting to hasten germination. We have not found this to be necessary.

Germination on Wet Paper Towels. The seeds may be placed between wet paper towels and kept in a warm place for germination. This method is most suitable for situations where space is very limited. The seeds should germinate within two weeks. Those that sprout can then be transferred to pots.

Planting in Containers. Moringa seeds should be started in pots or any small container that has adequate drainage. We use disposable plastic glasses with holes drilled in the bottom.

Use any well fast draining soil mixture, preferably something like a commercial potting soil that is not likely to contain insect pests.
Plant the seed to a depth of about twice the diameter of the seed.
Water and keep the soil moist but not wet.
Excess water and cool temperatures will promote rot and fungus.
Keep the containers in a warm, well-lit place, preferably in full sunlight.
Watch for pests – rodents may consume the seeds and some birds will attack young seedlings.
Most of the seeds should germinate within two weeks. A few will take a much longer time. If the seeds do not germinate, remove them and replant with new seeds.

PLANTING SEEDLINGS OUTDOORS

When the seedlings have reached a height of about six inches they should be planted outdoors or transferred to larger containers. If they were grown indoors it is advisable to transition them outdoors slowly before planting.
The seedlings grow fast and if kept too long in pots they may become root bound and not grow well after transplanting.
The outdoor planting area should be in full sun and with good drainage. Avoid heavy clay soils.

TREE CARE

Moringa may be grown with spacing as you would provide for a small tree. For leaf production in intensive cultivation they can be planted close together and managed like a hedge.

Moringa is highly drought tolerant when established and requires little fertilization to survive. However, trees given adequate water and fertilization during the growing season will grow much faster and may produce better quality leaves and pods.
Under suitable conditions moringa grows very fast. If left untrimmed it may grow with a single trunk to a height of more than 40 feet. Don’t let it become a telephone pole! Especially for leaf production, moringa must be kept trimmed to encourage production of branches for easy harvesting within reach.
When the tree gets about three feet tall begin removal of the young terminal buds (great for salad greens) and more leaves can be harvested as the plant grows. After the first year of growth it may be cut down to a height of 1-2 feet above the ground to promote branching. Don’t be concerned about harming the plant; it probably has developed large tuberous roots and will grow back rapidly.
In suitable growing areas the trees may begin to bloom when they are several months old. The flowers are edible and provide nectar for bees. Pollinated flowers will begin to produce pods that can be harvested while they are immature for consumption as a cooked vegetable. As they mature, they become tough and fibrous, unsuitable for consumption.

GROWING MORINGA IN SHORT SEASON CLIMATES

If you live in a climate with a short growing season and cold winters, you may be able to grow moringa as a low-cost annual crop. In the early spring start the seeds indoors and plant the seedlings outdoors after the date of the last expected frost. Left untrimmed, the trees can reach a height of about 10 feet by the end of summer. During that time, you can harvest leaves for fresh use or dry them for winter use. Freezing temperatures will usually kill the trees. In areas with warmer winters the trees may be killed to the ground but may survive in their tuberous roots with adequate mulching for cover and insulation. They may reemerge as the weather warms in the spring. Moringa may also be grown in containers and brought indoors with the onset of cold temperatures. With high light and warmth, it can be grown indoors in large containers, but it is subject to mildew and spider mite infestations. Extra dwarf varieties of Moringa oleifera are most suited for growing in containers.

HOW TO USE MORINGA

All of the parts of the moringa trees have many different traditional and modern uses. The leaves, flowers, immature pods (known as “drumsticks”), seeds and seed oil (known as “ben oil”) of the two most widely grown species (Moringa oleifera and M. stenopetala) are commonly used as foods. There are many recipes available on the Internet for the leaves and pods.

We have developed some guidance on the use of moringa in the context of this section. It’s based on the available literature, but no directly applicable studies on the stability of medicinal compounds in moringa have been performed.

Raw Leaf Products. For the medicinal or dietary supplement uses discussed in this section the leaf products of M. oleifera (Indian Moringa) are the most widely available and investigated for their medicinal properties. In selecting and using moringa leaf products for these uses we believe the greatest potential benefits are provided by consumption of freshly harvested raw leaves. These can be used in salads or smoothie drinks made with other ingredients to mask the taste of moringa that some people find objectionable. As for all raw produce items, moringa leaves should be obtained from approved sources and washed before use.

Dried Leaf Products. Dried leaves and leaf powder is more widely available than fresh leaves but drying, processing and storage may reduce the concentrations of some beneficial compounds found in the raw leaves. This has received little research and is speculative. You can dry the leaves for later use or obtain prepared leaf products from many sellers of dietary supplements and some pharmacies. Drying the leaves in the shade, drying quickly at lower temperatures and storing the finished product in sealed containers that prevent the entry of light and moisture will help to preserve these compounds and nutrients. Dried leaf products can be stored for long periods of time without refrigeration and used as teas or added to other foods.

Cooking of fresh or dried leaf products may tend to deplete or alter the beneficial medicinal compounds; most of the nutritional content of proteins, vitamins and minerals should be retained. It is best to add moringa to foods near the end of the cooking process to avoid over cooking.

This page was last updated on April 21, 2020.