Moringa – Vegetable garden

Moringa Oleifera is one of the most useful tropical trees. Its leaves are extremely valuable source of nutrition for people of all ages. Nutritional analysis indicates that Moringa leaves contain affluence of essential, disease preventing nutrients. They even contain all of the essential amino acids, which is unusual for a plant source. The young leaves are edible and are commonly cooked and eaten like spinach or used to make soups and salads. They are an exceptionally good source of provitamin A, vitamins B, and C, minerals (in particularly iron), and the sulphur-containing amino acids methionine and cystine. The composition of the amino acids in the leaf protein is well balanced since the dried leaves are concentrated; they contain higher amounts of many of these nutrients.Moringa is not a nitrogen fixing tree, but its fruit, flowers and leaves all contain 5 to 10 % protein-on average. All of these parts are eaten widely as vegetables, providing excellent food for both humans and animals. The pods are often cooked and eaten like green beans. The root tastes similar to horse radish . Moringa flowers also produce a good honey.

Scientific name: Moringa oleifera
Common name: moringa, drumstick tree, horseradish tree, ben oil tree, or benzoil tree.

How to grow and maintain moringa:

Planting:
Fill a pot that is 12-18 inches in diameter with loose soil.One pot can usually hold about five dwarf moringa trees, but it is a good idea to initially plant 7 or 8 in case a few seeds don’t sprout. Space out ¾- to 1-inch deep holes in the soil. Put a seed in each hole and lightly cover them with some soil. Once the plants have at least two layers of branches, it is time to start pruning. Cut back the tops of the seedlings and cut the branches back to half their length. When the tree is young, check the tree for new leaves at least once a week new leaves usually appear on the tops and in a sort of “junction” or fork in branches and cut these back as well.

watering:
Moringa trees needn’t bother with much watering, which make them in a perfect world suited for the atmosphere of spots. In exceptionally dry conditions, water consistently for the initial two months and thereafter just when the tree is clearly enduring. Moringa trees will blossom and create cases at whatever point there is adequate water accessible.

Fertilizer:
Moringa trees will by and large develop well without including especially compost. Fertilizer or manure can be blended with the dirt used to fill the planting pits. Phosphorus can be added to support root advancement and nitrogen will empower leaf shade development. In a few sections of India, 15cm-profound ring trenches are burrowed around 10cm from the trees amid the stormy season and loaded with green leaves, excrement and fiery remains. These trenches are then secured with soil.

Pruning:
Pruning the tree will keep it small, and will also produce a LOT of leaves, which is all the better for you to use in your food. All moringa trees need regular pruning to promote leaf growth, curb branching, and prevent the tree from being taller than you want it to be. If a moringa tree is left alone to grow, it will become tall with many branches and few leaves, and will only flower near the top, which is very unhelpful. A good height to aim for is 8-12 feet, and if you continue to prune the tree will keep growing lots of leaves and growing branches from the trunk instead of out the top of the tree. To prune, simply cut branches back to half their length and trim the top of the tree.

Harvesting:
When harvesting pods for human consumption, harvest when the pods are still young (about 1cm in diameter) and snap easily. Older pods develop a tough exterior, but the white seeds and flesh remain edible until the ripening process begins. When producing seed for planting or for oil extraction, allow the pods to dry and turn brown on the tree. In some cases, it may be necessary to prop up a branch that holds many pods to prevent it breaking off. Harvest the pods before they split open and seeds fall to the ground. Seeds can be stored in well-ventilated sacks in dry, shady places.