Karanja Meal

I don't know Karate, but I know Karanja......

That's right, we managed to get ahold of this powerhouse organic soil food. 

Karanja Meal is derived from the evergreen leguminous tree Pongamia pinnata. The seeds of this tree are pressed for their valuable oil, then dried, crushed and graded to make Karanja Meal, sometimes called Karanja Cake.

You often see this ingredient mentioned alongside Neem Meal, which we are also huge fans of, and the two bear many similarities in their effects, but are different from one another and have unique synergy. 

Karanja Meal is much loved by earthworms and soil microbes alike, rapidly being broken down and assimilated. It also has similar and complimentary IPM benefits to the soil in the prevention of problematic pests like Fungus gnats. Anecdotally, growers utilising this ingredient have reported increases in flavour and oil production as well. 

Unlike Neem, there is no real strong odour associated with Karanja, while Neem can sometimes be quite strong, especially indoors, Karanja only has a very mild nutty aroma. 

Effective dosing is roughly Half a cup (125ml) per 40L of soil, mixed through or utilised as a top dressing.