Moringa Oleifera Miracle Tree

Can Moringa oleifera be made even more nutritious? Yes!

The nutrient and medicinal status of Moringa oleifera can be enhanced with various soil amendments and cultural practices. This improves its already significant benefits for human health, as well as for livestock and pets. Some scientific papers supporting this are at the bottom of this page. Page under construction (Feb 2026).

The following suggestions are mainly aimed at growing Moringa in home gardens and small farms. They may not all be practical in large commercial Moringa plantations.

An AI illustration of an Arborloo. Trees such as Moringa oleifera, could be planted at the same time that the arborloo is built, with the roots growing into the human waste, recycling nutrients. The trees could, for example, be lopped for animal fodder. When the Arborloo is full, a fast growing grass such as Napier grass, Gamba grass or Guinea grass could be planted on top of the former hole for animal fodder or mulch. David Clode.

Mature Moringa oleifera leaves. Photo: David Clode.

In order for a plant to make a wide range of nutrients and medicinal compounds, at appropriate levels, it needs the full range of raw materials in the form of nutrients, and in adequate amounts. See the diagram below, about Liebig’s Law of the Minimum. In brief, human health may be limited from reaching its full potential, if there is insufficient vitamin C, for example, resulting in scurvy. Also, providing extra vitamin B or D, will not make up for the deficiency in vitamin C. Similarly, for optimal plant growth, adding more nitrogen fertilizer, for example, will not make up for a soil deficient in magnesium.

Liebig’s Law of the Minimum. The water level represents plant growth potential. The staves represent different nutrients. In the illustration, the shortest staves represent deficient nutrients, the lack of which are are preventing maximum potential growth. AI Illustration. David Clode.

Fertilizers

Research to date indicates that poultry manure is one of the best fertilizers for growing Moringa trees, and poultry manure usually has a wide range of major nutrients and trace elements. This may be enough to get excellent results.

In some research, the next best fertilizer has been found to be cow manure or compost combined with NPK fertilizer, which again may provide sufficient nutrients for good growth and high nutrient status of the leaves and seed pods.

Nevertheless, there are still more soil amendments and cultural practices which can further enhance the nutritional and medicinal status of Moringa leaves, seed pods, etc.

Mulch

Using black plastic mulch to grow Moringa, has been shown in some research to produce by far the highest growth rates, and nutrient content, compared to other colours of plastic mulch, a grass mulch, and a control of no mulch, in that order. This research was carried out in the Eastern Cape in South Africa, which does not have the year-round warmth of the tropics, so it is probable that the black plastic warmed the soil and significantly improved growth rates. In hotter equatorial and tropical climates, it is possible that this warming effect may not be as significant, or could in some cases even be detrimental. See the paper at the bottom of this page.

Other research has shown that the prunings of nitrogen-fixing plants, including Gliricidia sepium and Leucaena leucocephala, work better than non nitrogen-fixing plant mulches. The research showing black plastic to be the best, was comparing it with river grass as a mulch, which would not be nitrogen-fixing and probably had a high carbon to nitrogen ratio, making it a poor quality mulch. Also, A mulch from herbaceous nitrogen-fixing plants, would decompose more quickly (than Leucaena or Gliricidia), and provide nitrogen more rapidly to the moringa trees, potentially increasing growth rates and protein content. Examples of such mulch include lucerne/alfalfa, pea straw and cow pea foliage.

Herbaceous legume mulch would require frequent topping up, especially in warm and wet tropical climates, making them more costly and labour intensive. A mulch made of high carbon materials, such as wood chips or bark, needs additional nitrogen, otherwise decomposing microorganisms will compete with plants for nitrogen, reducing plant growth. They do, however, last longer.

Mulch also suppresses weeds. Black plastic mulch would increase soil temperatures, a likely advantage in colder climates or seasons. Mulch retains moisture in the soil and organic mulches moderate soil temperatures. Organic mulches decompose providing nutrients to plants, and provide an environment more suitable for earthworms to flourish.

Mulch needs to be topped up frequently, and may not be practical for large plantations.

Mulch can be grown on site, and cut and carried. Fast growing plants such as Napier grass are best, and could be fertilized with NPK fertilizers to get quick results, and then those nutrients would be made available to the Moring trees as the mulch decomposes.

Cover crops and living mulches

Prior to planting moringa trees, a cover crop such as Velvet Bean Mucuna pruriens or Jack Bean Canavalia ensiformis could be grown. This would add mulch, add nitrogen, improve soil structure and suppress weeds, but it does mean that the trees get planted later. Nevertheless, the loss of a Moringa growing season should be largely compensated for by improved growth and establishment for years after the Moringa trees are planted or sown in the second season.

As a Moringa plantation gets past its best, a cover crop would be good before the next planting, for the above reasons, but also perhaps to provide a break in the life cycle of possible pests and diseases. There are many advantages to multi-species cover crops/mixed improved fallows. See the page on this web site.

If the Moringa trees are spaced far apart, at two and a half metres/yards or more, as is common for drum stick (seed pod) production, then nitrogen-fixing plants such as cow peas (an annual nitrogen-fixing plant) could be sown in between them in the first year, with little or no root competition, because they would add some mulch when they die, and nitrogen.

Another option is a permanent groundcover, which would, on the plus side, reduce soil erosion and increase biodiversity and maintain a liquid carbon pathway, such as pinto peanut or green leaf or silver leaf desmodium. On the negative side, there is likely to be competition for nutrients and water. Also, the ground cover may be difficult to remove, if so desired. Finally, these plants can be invasive weeds in some areas.

Pinto peanut Arachis pintoi. A possible long term ground cover in Moringa plantations. Photo: David Clode.

Mature Moringa oleifera drum sticks (seed pods). Photo by David Clode.

Beneficial microorganisms

Mycorhizzal fungi could be introduced at planting or sowing, as they may help with nutrient and water uptake, increasing growth, nutrient density in plant leaves and seed pods, and the ability to cope with environmental stresses. Beneficial microorganisms can be purchased, but indigenous microorganisms may be best, as practiced in Korean Natural Farming. Adding biochar to a planting hole may help to promote the growth of beneficial soil microorganisms, as well as an organic mulch in a circle or square of about one metre diameter at planting or sowing.

Earthworms

Organic mulches help to increase earthworm populations, with all their attendant benefits. The presence and activity of earthworms is likely to significantly increase the nutrient and medicinal content of Moringa leaves and seed pods. See the Earthworm page on this site.

Kelp and other seaweeds

Seaweed is reputed to contain over 60 trace elements, and so is a good insurance policy to be certain that all the trace elements are in the soil, for the Moringa trees to make all their healthful compounds. Seaweed is also a good source of iodine, which is generally low in Moringa.

Liquid seaweed extracts are available in most countries, and can be added when planting or sowing, and possibly later with irrigation, and also as a foliar spray.

Seaweed can be used mixed with other materials to make compost, but collecting seaweed yourself is illegal in some countries.

pH and rock dusts

Generally speaking, the majority of soil nutrients are most available for plant growth at a pH between about 6 and 7. Fortunately, this range also happens to be the best for Moringa trees. It is relatively easy and cheap to test the soil for pH. A full soil test is of course desirable but likely to be expensive.

If the soil is more acidic than this, possibilities include adding basalt rock dust, combined with dolomite, at planting and at least once a year thereafter. Lime can be used, and may be cheaper, but it is less likely to have a long lasting effect compared to basalt, plus the basalt has a wider variety of minerals. Compared with dolomite, lime only adds calcium, whereas dolomite adds calcium and magnesium. Wood ash can also increase alkalinity in soil and may be freely available.

If the soil is alkaline, then adding lignite (brown coal dust or powder, humates, etc.) may help. If this is insufficient, then add elemental sulphur (sulfur) powder, and perhaps ammonium sulphate fertilizer.

Blood and bone fertilizer and bone char

Bone char provides phosphorus and calcium in a highly available form, and blood and bone fertilizer provides nitrogen and phosphorus in a slow release form.

Wood ash

Wood ash contains various nutrients, including potassium an possibly other nutrients.

Foliar sprays

Liquid seaweed extract and some fertilizer elements such as urea, selenium and zinc can be applied as a foliar spray.

Flowers of Moringa oleifera. Photo: David Clode.

Some negative considerations

It is always wise to seek the advice of a doctor or other health professional before consuming Moringa products.

People on medications for low blood pressure, hypothyroidism, or have hemochromatosis, for example, should probably not consume Moringa products.

With hypothyroidism, taking medication early in the day to allow for absorption, and Moringa late in the day may be OK, but again, I am not a medical doctor, so seek professional medical advice.

Moringa leaves may contain phytates and oxalates which could have negative health effects. Phytates interfere with the absorption of iron and zinc, so Moringa may not actually be as effective for iron absorption as it is generally thought to be.

As far as I am aware, Moringa oleifera is not an invasive weed anywhere.