Moringa leaf mold, compost

Hi All, i have been using oak and avocado leaves as mulch and piling it up to make compost as well. my plants love it and worms naturally go into the piles.
i am planning to start using moringa leaves in there as well since the moringa is full of nutrients and grows like a weed in my area. i have already added moringa powder to my compost tea and it came out great. I was just wondering if anyone else has tried this and what were the results?

Chip, I just joined and began a reply when I saw this was started.
But, yes you surely can compost moringa with great results.
Many will chop and drop moringa around fruit trees. I make a
Moringa leaf tea and add worm tea to it before using it. But bottom
Line is moringa is great for composting in any form.

I back up Keith's statements about Moringa, it is a true superfood, no matter the form of use. I wish I could grow it on my farm.

Bryant, I'm sure Moringa will grow for you in Arkansas. It will freeze back in the winter but if you mulch and cover the base well, it should come back
from the roots in the spring. Trick is keeping the root from freezing. I would give it a try. It is worth potting some cuttings in deep buckets for replanting
in the spring. I eat it 2-3 times a week in salads. Or, if you grow from seeds and start them in a pot, be sure the pot is DEEP. The tap root grows faster than
the top. And, if growing from seed, it will stunt the growth if not put in the ground with in a week or two if the pot is not deep enough to allow the tap
root it's freedom. You can even grow from seed annually and get good harvests. The Moringa will grow several feet from spring to fall. Just plant them
where the seedlings will get plenty of room and sun while watering regularly, couple times a week. I would plant 10 or more 3ft apart. This should give
you an idea of how it will grow for you.

Keith Galloway wrote:Bryant, I'm sure Moringa will grow for you in Arkansas. It will freeze back in the winter but if you mulch and cover the base well, it should come back
from the roots in the spring. Trick is keeping the root from freezing. I would give it a try. It is worth potting some cuttings in deep buckets for replanting
in the spring. I eat it 2-3 times a week in salads. Or, if you grow from seeds and start them in a pot, be sure the pot is DEEP. The tap root grows faster than
the top. And, if growing from seed, it will stunt the growth if not put in the ground with in a week or two if the pot is not deep enough to allow the tap
root it's freedom. You can even grow from seed annually and get good harvests. The Moringa will grow several feet from spring to fall. Just plant them
where the seedlings will get plenty of room and sun while watering regularly, couple times a week. I would plant 10 or more 3ft apart. This should give
you an idea of how it will grow for you.

I am trying moringa here in the Arkansas Ozarks this year.  I planted the seed early spring/late winter in deep pots as you suggest and we ate leaves all summer.  Now I have two pots buried in straw in our hoop house and four pots in the house.  The ones in the house don't have enough light even in a southern window and have sent up long sprouts...the ones in the hoop house have plenty of light and keep trying to leaf out when it warms for a spell out there and then a drop into the teens got the leaves but hopefully not the roots.  I do plan to grow as an annual if these don't make it...they are so fast growing, I think we could eat all summer and also dry for winter if I had enough plants.  As annuals I would just plant out in the garden and I think they would be even more prolific for the season.

That is outstanding! I'm so glad you've made the most of it with the Moringa. It is well worth the effort.
I agree with your idea of growing spring-fall and drying enough for the winter. That stuff is like gold
for your health. Hang tough.

Thanks Keith and Judith,
I have plans to give it a try as soon as I get the front end of my infrastructure list back under control.
Arkansas is moving up USDA Zones, previously we were 7a in the northern part of the state and 7b in the central area and 8a down next to Louisiana.
Now the northern part of the state is classified 7b/8a, central is 8a/8b and the southern edge is 8b.
This is actually quite a significant shift. 12/11/2017 the temp on our farm was 73f, we have had five days that were near the "Normal" temps of 55-60 range.
I am thinking now that I can plant the Moringa on the south face of our mountain and it will be fine as long as I use the pockets of deeper soil for their home.

Redhawk