Any BIG plant or tree i can have in my backyard as food sources?

[Allison Gray]

Moringa! Good for torts and good for you/us. Easy peasy fast grower and you can harvest away often. We, tort geeks, and everyone else, should ALL be planting moringa trees for health and for helping. Miracle tree, really. I will now let you all do your own research. Ready, set .... google away.

I have one out out 24 moringa trees that has survived my 20+lb Sulcata who loves to munch the whole tree down to the soil. I had to put cinder blocks all around the base of the lne tree to prevent her from eating it too. She obviously loves it. I bought my seeds online. Easy to start. I planted mine I believe the beginning of last summer and it's about 6' tall now, not very thick trunk of course but hey 6' in about 6 months, not too bad.

 

[Tom]

I have one out out 24 moringa trees that has survived my 20+lb Sulcata who loves to munch the whole tree down to the soil. I had to put cinder blocks all around the base of the lne tree to prevent her from eating it too. She obviously loves it. I bought my seeds online. Easy to start. I planted mine I believe the beginning of last summer and it's about 6' tall now, not very thick trunk of course but hey 6' in about 6 months, not too bad.

Where are you?

 

[Allison Gray]

Where are you?

I'm in Gilbert, AZ near Phoenix. It's just getting into the 30s at night here. It get well over 100 degrees in the summer.

 

[Tom]

I'm in Gilbert, AZ near Phoenix. It's just getting into the 30s at night here. It get well over 100 degrees in the summer.

Well its good to know it won't fry in my summer heat here. Now I just have to see if it will freeze in my winters.

Did you have them planted in full sun, or partial shade?

Thanks for the info.

 

[Allison Gray]

Well its good to know it won't fry in my summer heat here. Now I just have to see if it will freeze in my winters.

Did you have them planted in full sun, or partial shade?

Thanks for the info.

They are on the west side of my house so they do get full sun for a few hours but the base of it is shaded from the wall on the west. So I guess it would be partial shade. My understanding is that if they do freeze, which mine hasn't yet, they will grow back up from the roots.

 

[MichaelaW]

They are on the west side of my house so they do get full sun for a few hours but the base of it is shaded from the wall on the west. So I guess it would be partial shade. My understanding is that if they do freeze, which mine hasn't yet, they will grow back up from the roots.

Do yours produce seeds yet?

 

[Allison Gray]

Do yours produce seeds yet?

No flowers or seeds yet...although I find the leaves quiet attractive. They are Lacey like. I would imagine it will be spring before any flowering and then seeds since its sort of cold now. Although my roses are blooming like crazy so I don't know.

 

[keepergale]

I have a little Moringa tree. This was its second season here in coastal San Diego. I thought I had killed it last winter when all its leaves dropped. Looks like it's about to happen again. I hope it ultimately survives. The tortoises can always use a homegrown food source.

 

[Razan]

Well its good to know it won't fry in my summer heat here. Now I just have to see if it will freeze in my winters.

Did you have them planted in full sun, or partial shade?

Thanks for the info.

On amazon I posted a question asking if an established moringa will survive a frost. The response was " if you live in a sub tropical area it will ". Somehow it is not a precise enough answer...Whatever...I will try to grow a couple them and see how it goes.

 

[xXtortoiseloverXx]

This may answer u guys question .

 

[N2TORTS]

I have a little Moringa tree. This was its second season here in coastal San Diego. I thought I had killed it last winter when all its leaves dropped. Looks like it's about to happen again. I hope it ultimately survives. The tortoises can always use a homegrown food source.

Gale ....The "Moringa tree" is a deciduous tree....meaning it will lose all it's leave in autum and new buds appear in spring. Young sapling cannot be in direct sunlight ,but a mature tree can withstand full sun. Native to India and parts of Arfirca it has been used for mediciaml purposes for centurys. There are 13 species of this variety ranging from bush like shrubs to large trees. The most common being Moringa oleifera. They do not like damp soil and are a drought tolerant plant (another nice bonus when in the garden and water shortages we have). Young trees/bushes will suffer severely or die in frost ..... Happy Green Thumb'n......

 

[Tom]

I think I will give the Moringa a try in Spring. Sounds like it will be fine at least until the cold winter comes back. This is what I have to do with my African hibiscus too.

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

Excellent info everyone. Thank you all for sharing. I propose we all grow moringa not just for our tortoises, but for us as well. Outdoors, in greenhouses, hopefully indoors is even viable. That goes for mulberry. Grow the fruited ones for people food. Freeze those berries for smoothies. If the whole world ate like tortoises we would all be healthier, more chill and longer lived, like them. Tortoise medicine for me.

 

[xXtortoiseloverXx]

finally I got mine .

 

[xXtortoiseloverXx]

and a mulberry tree

 

[Jennifer M]

Interesting thread. Now I want Moringa and Mulberry trees.