Tag: moringa oleifera

Plants – Moringa Update

On By TimelessladyIn Plants4 Comments

My Moringa trees grew from seed, in dollar store buckets, to about four feet in height throughout last summer. I loved the look of the leaves, and even better than just being beautiful on the tree, they pressed perfectly between the pages of books.

In the Autumn, I waited too long to bring them indoors. They endured a bit of cold weather. When I brought them into the house, and put them in their winter resting place in the basement, they immediately dropped all their leaves.

I cut the branches way back with hopes they might send out some shoots, and I’ve been rewarded with a bit of green. The foliage is rather sad in appearance in comparison to what grew outdoors, but I have hopes all it will take is a few hot days on the back patio to bring them back lush growth once more.

Plants – Moringa Update

On By TimelessladyIn Plants12 Comments

In early May I posted a few words about my attempts to grow a Moringa plant. Moringa is a powerhouse plant, full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
You can read my first post here: How to grow and use Moringa. A few days afterwards I posted a guest article by SusieShy on her Moringa Tree.

Here are two of my Moringa plants, started from seeds in the Spring, and planted in containers. They have thrived, and are growing at an astonishing rate. Soon I will begin to harvest and use their leaves. I can’t wait to see if they will bloom and create the drumsticks. If they do another update will be sure to follow.

The trees have branched out in every direction and send out new shoots at a steady pace.

Unfortunately, the Moringa I planted in my garden plot has not thrived. In our area the added warmth of the black containers helped the patio Moringas grow better. They are, after all, a plant of the tropics. I am hoping to continue growing the plants and will try to bring them in to the house in the Autumn.

Plants – Moringa oleifera ( Part 2 )

On By TimelessladyIn Plants4 Comments

I am so honored to have a guest author write a post for my blog. SusieShy45, another WordPress blogger, has been a friend of mine for years through our contact on WordPress Blogs. She has grown Moringa trees from fallen stems into large trees. She has written to me of her experience and has given her consent for me to present it here. Thanks so much Susie. You can read more about Susie and follow her posts here: Susie Shy 45.

Moringa trees are a favorite tree of Indians- particularly South Indians- it can grow in warm dry rainless climates like in the Middle Eastern desert where a large number of the population has emigrated from South India. In a storm about 5 years ago, I got the watchman of our compound to get me fallen stems from moringa trees to plant in my backyard. This was in the heart of summer. Constant watering during the summer kept the plants alive, until they established roots. And then they survived on their own through the desert summer. By winter of that year, the leaves were green and the tree had started flowering. The flowers are creamy in colour and grow in bunches. They are used for cooking too- of course after removal of the stamens and pistils. Flowers are washed thoroughly to remove insects as they are a major source of nectar. The moringa tree loves the sun and direct sunlight, explaining why they are doing so well in the Middle East. And it is classified as a drought resistant plant, so does not require much watering. The tree grows tall in order to capture the sunlight.

Later the flowers turn to the moringa fruit, which is a delicacy and is used in many curries and sautes. The pulp from inside the fruit is what is edible, though the fruit is cut into small pieces and cooked – skin and all- only the soft part inside the fruit is eaten after they are cooked.

The leaves can be eaten any time, they are a good source of iron, folic acid, vitamin C. For us,eating moringa leaves in various sautees and curries, is supposedly responsible for the long, thick, black hair of many south Indians.

Here are some more photographs of Susie’s Moringa trees.

Drumstick Fruit

The flowers are edible.

Doves and other birds live on the tree.

Thanks Susie for the article and the great photographs.

 

Plants – How to Grow and Use Moringa oleifera/Drumstick Tree

On By TimelessladyIn Plants6 Comments

This year, as I was browsing information on heirloom seeds, my interest was piqued by an amazing plant/tree, native to India, known by the name of Moringa, or Drumstick Tree. After reading through the health benefits found in this plant, I searched out seeds and located a source. I almost felt I was in possession of Jack-in-the-Beanstalk’s magic beans when I opened the packet; large, amazing seeds lay in the palm of my hand, dark brown/black with papery wings. I was thankful for the instructions: soak in very warm water for three days, changing the water frequently. I followed the instructions and was amazed at how fast they sprouted.

Because I started several seeds, I have half a dozen sprouts, and they are plant-like already; their growth rate is phenomenal, I am able to grow them in several different conditions to see what suits them best.

I’ll grow one in the house. I’ll need to pot it up soon as I’ve read they develop a long tap root and I want it to have room to expand.

One is planted in a container on my patio. I have two more to plant in my outdoor gardens. I’m excited about growing these and the harvests of leaves and seeds I hope to gather from them.

In the meantime, I am enjoying this amazing tea. It’s delicious and it gives me double satisfaction in knowing I am doing my body good.

The video below is excellent with tips on the health benefits of the plant and how to grow them best.  Beneath the video is an excellent link with information on Moringa.

Benefits and Side Effects of Moringa