Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

... but the other is green?

genetic variation

Hey TC, how many seedlings do you usually sow together when you grow your Moringa? And do you think its time to swap out the T5 and buy an HPS grow light?

I've usually planted one per pot since the seeds I've gotten only had about 5 in the packet.

You can probably stay with the Florescent light for a while but you want the light close to the seedling, just make sure it doesn't touch the leaves as that will burn them. Once you have two full sets of leaves, you probably want to start looking at hooking up a brighter light that you can have further from the seedlings since they should hopefully start growing quickly then.

Newby but was a field pathologist for crops.

Red in a seedling stem usually indicates stress. The leaves are looking nice and green so it may have recovered from whatever it was.
Could be a number of causes usually all to do with the root system. Pull up plant to have a look.

Physical - root has broken off a bit or a lot. Should recover well. If this has happened there may be greater root growth above the breakage.

Insect - has been eaten by an insect - will kinda look like something has eaten into the root or snipped it off at the end like teeth marks into an apple or biting the end off a carrot.

Disease (fungus) / nematode - if the roots right up to the crown (bottom of stem) are discolored in any way it could be a root disease. I'd probably chuck these ones and replant.

Cheers Tarmac

Appearing to only have two to play with, I'd just watch and see. Pulling one up will cause more trauma

Is this stuff a tropical plant? Reddening of the stems can also be a temperature related issue. For example, sorghum has to be planted into ground temps above 18 degrees C.

Chatty

Could well be Chatty... Moringa is primarily a tropical plant... or at least most vigorous in tropical conditions...

what is it used for?

Chatty

There's been much discussion of Moringa Chatty... I'm sure there's a specific thread somewhere.. a search might reveal numerous "hits"...

Or PM Chappo... he'll tell you all about it... for a year...

Here's Chappos "Moringa" thread... having quickly skimmed the first page...

viewtopic.php?f=47&t=4426

It would seem to be a much more temperate plant rather than strictly tropical...

Used as a fodder crop... including fish... and as a tonic in humans, nutritional supplement... etc etc...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moringa_oleifera

From the Wiki article...

A purple colored stem is toxic nutrient accumulation.Caused by under watering or too much fertilizer i.e. nitrogen. If thats whats going on give it a good flush with some filtered water.