A reader sent me some information on moringa and mentioned the work of Nikolaus Foidl. While researching him, I found this interesting article on the use of moringa spray as fertilizer:

“Recently a new benefit of Moringa was suggested: the leaves seem to contain a substance that stimulates plant growth and increases crop production. Several years ago, Mr. Nikolaus Foidl came across a reference to a study by a Mr. Singh of India. It said that an extract from Moringa leaves seemed to stimulate the growth of plants. Mr. Foidl and his colleagues tested the process with various crops and refined the protocol. They have successfully applied the formula to large-scale farming.

Foidl, et al. found that the spray produced the following effects on crops:

• Accelerates growth of young plants

• Plants are firmer, more resistant to pests and disease

• Longer life-span• Heavier roots, stems and leaves

• Produce more fruit

• Larger fruit

• Increase in yield 20-35%

I’ve mentioned before that I use moringa similarly to comfrey, as the latter is not well-suited to the tropics. It’s good medicine, good compost material, good for animals and, apparently, makes a great liquid fertilizer.