Miracle Fruit Fans

 Step 2 Get Dirty

These seeds love acid and require rich, well-drained soil. We will use a mix of horticultural Perlite and peat moss as a bed for our miracle fruit seeds. The easiest way to make this mixture is to use a large container. Pour an equal amount of Perlite and peat moss into the container. Once you have a 50/50 mix, shake the container until it is well mixed together. Alternatively, you can stir the mixture with a trowel, but this can get messy. Once you have your soil mixture, you are ready to start planting.

Sphagnum Peat Moss

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Step 3 Starting the Seed

Scoop your Perlite/peat moss mixture into the small containers you are going to use for germination.  Moisten the soil with a little water, then GENTLY push the seeds into the dirt until it is barely visible.  If you choose to use the gibberellic acid, now is when you will need it.  One spray for each seed should be enough.

Keep the soil moist, warm, and in partial-shade.  A tip is to place a plastic bag over the pot to retain the humidity and warmth.  The plants, especially the seeds, are not at all frost tolerant.  If there is a chance of a temperature drop, move your pots inside to a sunny spot near a window until temperatures increase.

Egg Carton with Perlite/Peat Moss Mixture

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Step 4 Miracle Transplant

It can take up to two weeks for the seeds to sprout, so do not be discouraged if you do not see anything yet. Once your seeds have germinated, it is time to transplant them into a larger container. You will need more of the 50/50 Perlite/peat moss mixture and about a 1 quart pot for each sprout.  Once you have those tools ready, follow these steps:

* Fill the new pot with the dirt mixture
* Dig a hole in the middle for the sprout
* Gently remove the sprout from its original home, taking care not to damage the roots
* Lower the sprout into the hole, making sure it is standing up and level
* Soak it with water and gently pat down the dirt around the sprout to remove any air pockets

Your sprouts are ready to take off.  Now it’s just a matter of time.

Miracle Fruit Sprouts

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Step 5 Patience … Om … and Tips for the Not-So Patient

You have watered, maintained humid conditions, kept it out of harsh sunlight, and even played it classical music, and still no fruit. Having patience in the care of your plant is the toughest part, but gardening takes time. One encouraging note is miracle fruit plants start fruiting when only one foot tall and can produce fruit year round.

Miracle Fruit Fans has tips for the not-so patient gardeners to help their plants get on the fast track:

Micronutrients – Not necessary, but helpful by replacing microelements (iron, boron, etc) that peat moss uses up. Follow the instructions on the packaging to learn how much and often to use.

Blood Meal – You can get this organic, all natural powdered fertilizer that contains one of the highest, non-synthetic nitrogen counts (12-0-0) available at most garden stores. If you have never used this before, you should know it is made from powdered and dried livestock blood so be prepared for the smell and curious neighborhood cats.

Bone Meal – Sold at most garden centers, this organic slow-release fertilizer offers a good amount of phosphorous, which encourages blooming and root development. It is comprised of ground animal bones and is used in lots of 100% organic gardens.

Water – Make sure you are giving your plant enough water to keep the soil moist, but not drowning wet.

Sunshine – Miracle fruit are from West Africa and thrive in warm, humid climate. Be sure to keep your plant in a partially shaded area, protected from frost and temperatures 65F or below, and humid but not too hot. If you are putting a plastic covering over the plant, which is encouraged to maintain humidity, make sure it is not too hot under there.

Miracle Fruit Plant

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Step 6 Fruits of Your Labor

What can you expect once your little sprouts mature and fruit? The answer is, little red berries, the size of fresh coffee beans hidden amongst the evergreen leaves. It really is not a miracle or even magic that makes this curious little berry work. Miracle fruit contains an active glycoprotein molecule, with some trailing carbohydrate chains, called miraculin. When the fleshy part of the fruit is chewed, this molecule binds to the tongue’s taste buds, causing sour foods to taste sweet. While the exact cause for this change is unknown, one theory is that the effect may be caused by miraculin distorting the shape or covering the sweetness receptors “so that they become responsive to acids, instead of sugar and other sweet things”. This effect can last from 15 minutes to 2 hours for some.

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