I would appreciate if people in the forum could recommend ways of increasing flowering in Moringa/Drumstick trees. We had good flowering in Jan. Fruiting occured until March. New flowers are coming again but are not as abundant as before.
Thanks for the help…
Hello,
There has been times when moringa has flowered 2 to 3 times in a single season(I am based in Kerala). However most flowers fall off only less than 1/4 of it fruits.
I feel this can be some of the reasons:-
- lacks some nutrients
- excessive water. Moringa needs less water(I heard it is raining in some part of TN, by any chance did it rain at your farm?)
PS: You should also increase the canopy area of moringa by pruning the bigger branches which tend to grow long. Once you cut the branch you will notice new sprout. Apply the same concept for the new branches next year. Canopy will become dense and you should be able to get a bountiful harvest. I believe you would have already researched about pruning.
Thanks Anoop…
When is a good time to prune Moringa in TN ? Yes, we have pruned in the first 6-8 months, however after the first harvest there has been no pruning done.
Is it not too hot right now for pruning ?
There have been cloudy days but no rain.
Kaustubh you are welcome,
Best time to prune is from mid feb till mid march(obviously you will have to leave the branches which have pods on it and the ones which have flowers on it). When you prune during this time new sprouts will immediately come up and that new branches will develop fruits. I am sure same will apply in TN, but you may want to check with some elderly folks(Agri university guys lack practical knowledge).
Go a head and prune moringa anytime(avoid during peak monsoon time). no worries it likes pruning. It comes up with more vigor. If you don’t believe me; then experiment on one tree and see the difference.
I just have 2 trees, I give good mulching, humus is always present.
PS: Never prune a branch totally always cut top 1/4 of a branch. Because the top 1/4 area of the branch is weak and they don’t store nutrients there. So once the branch is cut new sprouts will come just below the cut area.
so that is the reason. clouds cause the flowers to drop.
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anoop
Curious - What are other things you are cultivating ?
What kind of mulch do you apply ?
Thanks!
I was brought up in Bombay. just another IT guy.
Moved to our ancestral property last 3 years back. It is a coconut Plantation with some cashewnut, jackfruit and wild trees.
Because of excessive tilling for coconut(root feeding) top soil is no where to be seen. I have stopped the process and moved to less investment method or the popular Subhash Palekar’s way. So I can plant a lot of other plants.
Since we have lot of wild trees, I use the leaf litter, waste hay, grass, coconut leaves and anything that will decompose and act as mulch. Once in 10 days I give Jeevamruth.
I only maintain native breed of seeds and animals. They are sturdy and sustain them self without much care.
- have 2 kasaragod cows and a bull calf.
- planted few black pepper will let them climb on coconut trees. I pluck our coconuts. So when I harvest less damage is done to other crops.
- Banana
- Kanthari chillies / Bird’s eye chili.
- Greater yam.
- Brinjal.
- ash gourd(White pumpkin) and Nei kumbalam(medicinal pumpkin)
I also maintain 3 native variety of rice and 3 types of pluses which I plant on lease basis in paddy fields.
I would love to share seeds. But not on a large scale. Just for people who are interested and keen on conserving the breeds.
In coming few years, I would love to document about plants, cattle and most of the old sustainable agrarian activity of Kerala. So after 10 - 20 years or may be much later some people may find the site useful.
naturalfarmerskerala.com
welcome 
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anoop
Dear farmer friends, please show diffarence in pruning methods between Annual Moringa Olifera and Perennual Moringa olifera plants. Pruning time is diffarent for both the above. For perennual Moringa Olifera plants, pruning is a continuous process as and when required. For Annual Moringa Olifera, after the harvests. First at a height of 2 to 2.5 ft , again after a month for the came up shoots,again and again and leave the plant to flower and develop pods. g.p.rao, farmer
Hello g.p.rao,
Thank you for the information. I don’t have a camera with me. Will try to post a picture some time later.
I am unaware of annual moringa. after doing a little research online.
For annual Moringa types, directly following the end of the harvest, cut the tree’s main trunk to about 90cm from ground level. About two weeks later 15 to 20 sprouts will appear below the cut. Allow only 4-5 robust branches to grow and nib the remaining sprouts while they are young, before they grow long and harden. Continue the same pinching process as done with new seedlings so as to make the tree bushy. After the second crop, the trees can be removed and new seedlings planted for maximum productivity.
For perennial Moringa types, remove only the dead and worn out branches every year. Once in four or five years, cut the tree back to one meter from ground level and allow re-growth.
Source:- ttiitn.com/M/planting.html
Thanks for the info.
Wow…that is quite a spread…
Would love to visit your farm sometime. Please send me your contact details at info@saverafarms.com.
Dear Anoop sir, gathered good information. Moringa Olifera is a fantastic tree and if we can make good marketing net work, it gives gold to farmers who follows the technicalities properly. g.p.rao , farmer
Mr Rao,
I have 800+ Moringa trees and the biggest challenge so far faced is the marketing. Rates in TN fluctuate from Rs 15 to 115 retail.
I would like to know more about the marketing strategies you or others may have used to get maximum revenue . Ideas would be much appreciated.
What are you cultivating ?
Respected M/s Savera Farms, Sir I am telling most of our friends that Moringa Olifera or any other crop is profitable ,only if we can market it properly in time at proper place. I suggest you to search new markets in other states, or change the harvesting periods if your’s is an Annual Moringa variety. If your"s variety is a perennual Moringa Olifera, naturally you will get an average price. In India Marketing is a general problem as we do not have proper information network and on thorough study only we can reach good edges. I think we will get a fair price in places like, hyderabad,vijayawada,Bengaluru,pune etc. oNE THING i CAN TELL YOU SIR, THAT mORINGA oLIFERA IS ONE GOOD CROP. All the best to you sir, g.p.rao, farmer
welcome saverafarms,
send you PM.
Hello g.p.rao,
very true. it is really amazing tree. when all the green leafy veggies perish due to water scarcity in summer. Moringa leaves are still there ready for harvest. Yes the merchants and stockist make life miserable for farmers(Last year the price for drumstick was 100+ rupees and when I take my harvest after 2 days. Price was down to 20 rupees a kg).
saverafarms, since you have 800+ tree why don’t you start making moringa leaf power. it is a great life saver in some parts of the world.
Seeds are also sold in the market for consumption, oil production and nurseries. But the downside is if you wait till the pod to mature and naturally fall off. Production may go down in long run.
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anoop
Dear members
I wanted to start moringa cultivation in ujjain mp we have 1.5 feet soil coversge.plz suggest me economics i will start from 1 hectare.
T the Bud stage, go for Spraying Plano-fix and Fungicide. If you find any House fly lke at the Bdstage Spray Neem oil if you are going for Organic. Otherwise Spray Monocrotophos at 15 Days intervals up to Flowering stage.
MANNE.SN,
for vasudha Green Farms,
Hyderabad,Telangana, 9133498366,
Mail ID:vasudhagreenfarms@gmail.com,