Some of the saved seeds so far this growing season. A few radish seeds.
A garden in my area was cared for until two weeks ago…then the watering stoped, the gardener moved away. The unknown muskmelon fruits were close to harvest but left to dry up. Most of them like hockey pucks…
The same garden as above, has two moringa trees that are still alive and covered in seed pods. Here are the pods just filled with seeds. It’s a warm climate tree that has edible everything…the leaves, flowers, immature seed pods, and seeds are all edible and used in worldwide cuisines. USDA grow zones of 8-10 is the reccomended planting area, but they might survive in a heated greenhouse. They are drought tolerant but will not survive frost.
Interesting, I noticed some of your black seeds are partially white. Could they be crosses or just didn’t finish ripening? Are all your white seeds empty? I had 1 white seed that was empty & 1 that wasn’t.
Very interesting, so that’s what muskmelons look like when dried. Could there be any practicality for making sweetners like in a powder form?
I think you should send them to GTS! If not, put them in serendipity box, either way these look interesting. I was originally gonna send my grocery store melon seeds but since I had no land to grow them on, I’ll just instead put them serendipity seed swap box when I receive it.
EPIC! So if these Moringa are drought tolerant, does that make them Moringa stenopetala, which is the more drought tolerant species compared to Moringa oleifera? I ask because These Moringa seed pods look different from Moringa oleifera seed pods, which look more brown & thicker.
Reguardless, I’d love to trade you something for some Moringa seeds!
Hard to tell, I too cracked open a few more of the white seeds from luffa and they were still all non mature seeds. Im thinking the fruit dried up before completely maturing…something to watch next season.
The melon flesh can be dehydrated and powdered for use in smoothies or added to cakes, cookies and pies. However, these all have mold inside due to insect damage on the bottom where they rested on the soil. I was trying to salvage more seed but im not gonna try to seperate them from the dry and decomposed rind. Im just gonna plant the whole thing, shallow and see if anything sprouts and grows.
The moringa could be any variety, there are several growers with groves in the area who sourced seed from India, so I’ve been told. The box stores sell moringa, so does every nursery. They do die back quit a bit with high daytime temperatures over 107 degrees. The trees are irrigated and would die without being watered. I’ve observed the thicker pods and thin pods on the same tree. The only distinction for tree types has been dwarf or non- dwarf but I didnt realize there was a type with more drought tolerance.
There is a lot of confusing information when talking about “drought tolerance” when I’m thinking the intent is to say “heat tolerance”. I have to catch myself too…We actually rely on the river for water by way of the canal system. Even indigenous growers rely on the river for irrigation. Rainfall does not sustain the vegetable growing agriculture or thousands of acres of citrus groves and date palms. Its also challenging but possible to grow tropical fruit trees, ornamental types with soil amendments and watering.
I’m sending in all of the seeds to GTS to stay in support the adaption project. Im not ready to participate in the serendipity box, I have so many grow outs to complete and seed increase first.
Interesting thought, I just know the other Luffa species Luffa aegyptiaca has both white & Black Seeds. That made me think the same should apply to your species too!
Nice, there’s probably a controlled way to dehydrate them? Thinner Slices of flesh work better in dehydrator? Is it okay to include the skin if it’s thin?
I ask cuz In india, the wild Muskmelons Kachri are dried & grounded into a powder to tenderize meats. Not sure if they use the bitter or non Bitter forms of the wild melon? Maybe the same exact melon looses it’s bitterness when fully ripe?
They are also used to make a sauce for curries. I wonder if it will go well in Salsa?
There is also a Dosokai Melon, not sure if it’s just the early domesticated version of the Kachri wild melon. It’s bitter when unripe but when fully ripe pleasantly sour with ZERO bitterness.
but will you have enough growing season?
Like leaves wither away? Leaving only stems much like during winter?
Interesting, thin & thick pods on the same tree? Could that Moringa tree be grafted with multiple varieties or is it just the way the tree is?
Is there any way you could create a river system? Or channel what little rainfall you do get to let it peculate in the landscape? Whole Communties in India were able to restore their water issues by coming together, If I recall Correctly both Water Stories & Andrew mollison Youtube channels introduced me to the idea.
It’s my first season growing luffa, I cant comment specifically much about seed saving until I get a few years of growing completed. Im just focused on growing as I get seeds that interest me, and grow in my garden, some new cuisine to try, and sharing seed back to GTS.
To my knowledge moringa trees are not grafted, I had planted the seeds about 3 years ago…maybe there is a more advanced tree grower that could answer your question about the pods. Yes, the leaves drop off the tree as the ground dries up. Im only concerned with the fact that they grow, and Im learning basic recipes and ways to eat from the tree.
The melon, can be prepared in several ways, and Im a novice there too…I just eat them freshly harvested and may dehydrate some next season. Try to follow some of the dehydrating websites…
Right now, monsoon season, even though we did not get any rain, is the second season to grow heat tolerant vegetables and fruits. I dont know if the melon will produce seed, I’m planting some now and then again in the springtime just to try.
Happy to see even more varieties and uses for melons, dehydrated, and more cooking options. There really is tremendous variety in utilizing fruits. I dont utilize the rind. Im focused on growing the cantalope/muskmelon types for fresh eating.
Water, from the river is heavily regulated and is not free. There are simple rainwater catchment practices…if there is rainwater to catch, so far this year we haven’t had any reasonable accumulation. Any suitable container can be used to catch water, but there isnt ever enough collected to last thru a growing season.
