- Wash the branches with the leaves while still on the branch.
- Cut the stock about a foot from the top of the tree.
- Dry the branches in an airy shady place such as on a clothesline or on netting.
- Keep the leaves out of the direct sunlight as the sunlight reduces the nutritional value.
- Even if you are a professional grower it is still the best way to dry the leaves. Some growers save money by putting plants into driers causing loss of enzymatic activity due to temperatures above 104 F. Also UV light degrades enzymatic activity and growers who use these techniques have plants with far less nutrient value.
- Once the leaves are dry you can hold the stem in one hand and slide your fingers of your other hand along it to strip off the leaves.
- You can then store the leaves in jars or a black plastic bag until you want to use them. Be sure where you store them is dry and out of the sun.
- You can use the leaves in your salad or make a tea or you can grind the leaves into powder. A coffee grinder works well to make it into powder or you can use a flat stone or mortar and pestle.
The Moringa tree is a lovely plant and if you regularly cut it back it will get thick and bushy and stay at a manageable height to use especially if you like using the fresh leaves in your salad. So once you have your tree or trees growing and it is approximately 3 to 5 feet (1 to 1.5 meters) high it is time to harvest the tree. At that time, cut about 1 foot (30 cm) off the top of the tree. You will then have quite a few branches and lots of leaves to dry. Here is the best way to go about that:
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Moringa ProductsI love Moringa and want to share all the things I know about this wonderful plant. I hope you enjoy the site and blog as you learn more about Moringa and its uses. I post new posts on most Saturdays. Archives
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