How to Grow a Miracle Fruit Plant
The Miracle Fruit comes from tropical West Africa and has a unique effect on the taste buds. For at least an hour after eating a Miracle Fruit, anything sour will taste sweet! A natural chemical in the fruit inhibits our taste buds' perception of sour foods. The Miracle Fruit has even been used as an appetite stimulant for people undergoing chemotherapy. While most enthusiasts buy mature specimens that are at least one foot tall and ready to bloom, you can grow your own Miracle Fruit plant from seed.. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Miracle Fruit seeds
- Acidic soil with a pH of 4.5 to 5.8
- Container with drainage holes
- 20-20-20 soluble plant food
- Plant mister
Instructions
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Sow the seeds in a rich, well drained, acidic soil--just barely covered--in a small container.
Water lightly.
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Place the container in a warm spot out of direct sunlight.
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Add ¼ tsp. of 20-20-20 soluble plant food to 1 gallon of water. Apply while watering lightly every other day, but more frequently during the summer months.
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Mist the leaves regularly after seedlings appear in about eight to 10 weeks.
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Place your plant in a bright spot, but not in direct sunlight.
Water regularly to keep the soil moist.
Mist regularly to maintain the high humidity the plant needs.
Fertilize with 20-20-20 soluble plant food to 1 gallon of water every other day during the winter months and every day during the summer months.
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Tips & Warnings
If given the choice between the two species of Miracle Fruit plants, choose the Giant Miracle Fruit over the smaller-leaf version since the larger-leaf variety grows quicker and produces more and larger fruit.
If growing from seed, be patient. The Miracle Fruit plant grows slowly, especially at first. One-year-old plants are usually only about two to three inches tall. It takes two to three years before the plant will produce flowers and 30-45 days later, fruit.
Miracle Fruit plants grow well in containers. A 10-inch plant works well in a one gallon pot and will flower and produce fruit at least twice a year.
The fruit can only be kept for a short time by refrigeration or freezing.
References
Resources
Comments
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Your site says "get what you need for every project" and yet......you cannot get the seeds or plants. Got me all happy to try and grow these babies and then....well, nothing.
