Search Tropical Organic Garden

June 13, 2014

How to grow moringa oleifera from seed

This has been my most reliable method of growing moringa oleifera from seed.
How to grow moringa from seed
2 Jan: placed in a dark corner of the kitchen counter between two thin layers of moist tissue paper. The paper was always kept moist.
I have tried to grow moringa oleifera using several methods. This method has been successful repeatedly and with 100% germination most times. Thankfully, it is a simple method.

I placed all of the moringa seeds between 2 thin layers of tissue paper. I moistened the paper every morning or more frequently if it seemed dry.
How to grow moringa from seed
2 Jan: Moringa seeds emerging
Moringa seeds grow very quickly. As you can see below, they have grown by a few inches within only 2 days. As moringa seedlings grow, they bend quite noticeably in the direction of the light source. In that case, turn the dish in the opposite direction to prevent the moringa seedlings from leaning to one side too much.
How to grow moringa from seed
4 Jan: All 8 moringa oleifera seeds showed a sign of life.
As above, so below! I lifted the top layer of the tissue to reveal the roots. As you can see in the photo below, the roots also grow vigorously.

Moringa seedlings should thrive if transplanted into soil at this stage of growth and watered in well. In fact, if you do not have any concerns with snails, you may transplant them into (small) plant pots and place them out in the tropical sun. If you are concerned about snail damage, you can plant them in pots, place them in the sun at dawn and bring them indoors at dusk. Either way, when I placed moringa seedlings that were this young outside, they were in a verandah that gets direct sunlight only in the morning.
How to grow moringa from seed
4 Jan: All moringa oleifera seeds germinated. I pulled back the top layer of paper to expose the roots in this photo. Quite unlike many other plants, the root and trunk of moringa seedlings emerge from the same end of the seed.
How to grow moringa from seed
10 Jan: All of the moringa seeds have grown into seedlings. This is a little too long to keep them indoors exclusively and in this germination container. They should have been planted in soil already. 
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This moringa seedling desperately needed to be carried outside to face the sunshine. Although this moringa plant is still alive and well, this photo shows what you should not do. In this photo, it needed to be propped up with a skiing twig and tied into place for support. Just in case you are wondering, this moringa plant is managing fine in the sun today. It no longer needs any support. If you transplant a tender moringa seedling like this into the sun, it is likely to survive if you chopped off the top leaving the bottom row.
I planted the seedling into soil that drains well. My seedlings liked a combination of my homemade garden compost and sand (not salty beach sand). As you can see in the photo below, I planted the seedling with some tissue around the roots. I decided to do this in an effort to disturb the root system as little as possible.
transplant a moringa seedling into soil that drains well
The soil was a combination of my garden compost and sand (not beach sand)
I have found that supermarket products are often packaged in plastic containers that can be recycled into plant pots. Even the plastic covers come with the perfect diameter to be made into plant pot saucers.
how to transplant a moringa seedling into soil

moringa seedling
Moringa seedling 47 days later the previous photo

moringa seedling


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10 comments:

  1. i'm growing moringa. can't wait till they get bigger. but am letting them stay in the house, as i live in the UK :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Amazing that you are growing moringa in the UK. Would never have imagined. How do you manage? I'd imagine it must be potted so you can bring it in during the colder periods, which, in your case, will be most of the time.

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  2. I try it before but not with double layer tissue only with one layer and i put the seed on top of the tissue. I waited for three days and it didn't even sprout. What should be the problem?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Be sure that your seeds are fresh and viable. Also consider the conditions surrounding the seeds re humidity, warmth, etc. (See my other note below)

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  3. I try yo grow it in my house but it's doesn't seem to success. I use one layer of tissue and i didn't cover it up. I always keep the tissue moisture. I waited for 3 days and nothing happen at all. Which step that i do wrong.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What were the conditions of the environment? The room must provide sufficient warmth and humidity. When I did these seeds, the seeds were on a counter that was somewhat shaded by a counter above and a draining tray that blocked light from the window above it (the draining tray).

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  4. I have tried growing these many times but no luck. I usually throw a few in a glass 9x13 with a rubber lid. I keep it moist and most seeds sprout within days. Ill try leaving them out but in shade this time.

    ReplyDelete