Ripe noni fruits are soft and have a translucent-white color. Use these fruits to harvest the seeds. Unripe noni fruits are green and firm. Let these fruits ripen longer before harvesting seeds from them. Don’t worry about being gentle or precise when cutting. Just cut the fruit up without worrying about keeping the pieces the same size or shape. If you don’t have a knife, you can also tear the fruit up with your hands. Ripe noni fruits are soft enough to separate by hand.
You could also use a food processor, but make sure it’s on a low setting so it doesn’t break up the seeds. There are other, more time-consuming methods to scarify the seeds as well. Other methods are clipping the tip of the seed off with a nail clipper or scissors, and rubbing the seeds on sandpaper. [4] X Research source Note that scarification is not required to grow noni trees. However, the seeds will grow much faster if you scarify them first.
Make sure the colander openings are small enough so the seeds won’t fit through. They are small, a bit smaller than sunflower seeds, so use a colander that will contain them. Depending on how ripe the fruit was, the separation process could take 10-15 minutes. Continue rinsing and shaking the seeds to dislodge the pulp.
This step is not mandatory, and some farmers plant the seeds directly after separating the pulp. Soaking helps the germination process, however, and the seedlings will develop faster.
Other organic compounds like peat moss will also work. If you use natural soil for potting the plants, make sure it’s free of parasitic nematodes. These can kill seedlings.
Noni seeds will still grow in partial shade, but much more slowly than if they were in direct sunlight. Noni plants will usually not grow if the temperature gets below 70 °F (21 °C). If it drops below 60 °F (16 °C), the plant could start dying. If the weather is not warm enough or you suspect there may be a cold snap, try placing the pot in a greenhouse instead.
Use a low-pressure hose with a mist setting or a watering pot. Using high-pressure can knock the seeds out of the pot. Keep the soil moist, but not waterlogged. If puddles form on the surface, you’re using too much water.
These new pots should be at least 6 inches (15 cm) wide and 6 inches (15 cm) deep to accommodate the plant. Continue the same care techniques after you transfer the seedlings. They’ll continue growing for about 9 months, then they’ll be ready for transplant into the field. The germination time varies depending on how ripe the fruit was, and how well the seeds were soaked and scarified.
The advantage of using stem cuttings instead of seeds is that stem cuttings grow much faster. The trees will be ready for transplanting in 6-9 weeks instead of 9-12 months. Use a sharp tree saw or pruning saw to remove the branch cleanly.
You can also use other organic compounds like peat moss or your own compost. Only use 1 stem per pot, so if you want to grow multiple trees, fill as many pots as you need.
Insert the stem deep enough so it stays upright on its own. If it keeps falling over, try piling soil up around its base.
Remember that the soil should only be moist, not flooded. If puddles form on the surface, the plant is waterlogged. Cut back on your watering so it doesn’t drown.
Partial shade means about 3 hours of direct sunlight per day. [16] X Research source
Don’t yank the plant hard. If you pull too hard, the plant will come up regardless of whether or not it has roots. Also make sure the temperature is consistently 90–100 °F (32–38 °C) so the tree is warm enough.
Remember to only transplant the tree when it looks mature enough. Don’t transplant it just because 9 weeks have gone by. Sometimes the growing process is slower.
The noni should be ready for transplanting about 9-12 months after they germinate. Look for a growth about 6–12 inches (15–30 cm) tall with a thick, brown stalk. This indicates that the seedling is mature enough for transplanting. Noni trees can grow in most soils, even if they’re depleted of nutrients. Don’t worry about trying to find a place with the highest-quality soil. You could also grow the tree in a greenhouse, but it would need a very high ceiling. Noni trees can reach 20 feet (6. 1 m) tall at full maturity.
Trees take a long time to grow, so rather than planting new ones, it’s better to position the noni near existing trees. Make sure any larger trees are at least 120 feet (37 m) away from the noni so they don’t take each other’s nutrients.
The most common distance between noni trees is 12 ft (3. 7 m).
Scale back your watering schedule if the weather is rainy. Too much water can encourage root rot. Older plants need less water. If your trees are over 3 years old, try limiting your watering to 5 gallons (19 L) per week instead.
Follow the application instructions for any fertilizer you use. The directions may differ for different brands and types. If your trees aren’t producing many fruits, try a high-phosphorus fertilizer like 10-20-10. This helps encourage stronger fruit growth.
The trees may also attract insect pests like weevils, whiteflies, and mites. In most cases, treat infestations with regular applications of insecticidal soap. If any parts of the plant start turning brown, snip them off to prevent the plant from dying. [25] X Research source
Remember that you can harvest more seeds from the fruit to plant more trees if you want to. You can store noni fruit at room temperature for about 4 days, or freeze it to last 6-8 months.
