Moringas Bite the Dust
Finally, it seems, the Moringa Oliefera sprouts have succumbed to the cold of Winter! Nights have been down into the mid to low 20s’ and the two 40 watt IR bulbs were not enough to offset the cold.
The three plants in the upper portion of the photo are frozen and cell walls have ruptured. The only ones still doing well are the nearest plant and the one in the center right. They seem to have survived.
So now I have taken those two into the house where they will spend the rest of the Winter. In the Spring, I will replant them into the garden, along with others I will have sprouted in the greenhouse once warmer weather has arrived.
So, for all intents and purposes, this concludes the experiment of sprouting the Moringa Oliefera seeds, at least until next Spring. If the two currently surviving last until Spring, it will have been a success.
What have we learned? Firstly, the Moringa sprouts are particularly hardy, if the weather is warm enough. Secondly, two 40w heat lamps are not enough to offset really cold weather, Thirdly, the greenhouse is not insulated (which we already knew) enough to retain any significant amount of heat.
It was a grand experiment, and we know we will have lots of Moringa Oliefera sprouts to look after next Spring and Summer, Lord Willing!