The definitive "how to sprout a coconut" thread...

[PalmWarbler]

OK so I've been searching here and on youtube about a sure-fire (or at least consistent) way to sprout a coconut, starting from how to tell if it's viable once it's fallen all the way to fruition. I've  attempted to sprout these lately and haven't had much luck but think it couldn't been bad coconuts from the start as well as possibly letting them dry out. I've amassed about 25 that I've got now in a mulched shady spot that gets regular irrigation and am hoping for better results but I'm not sure I'm on the right track.

Any of the better educated care to chime in and help us less cocos-oriented out?

[sur4z]

...I don't know about "better educated" but I've found if the coconut is brown and has liquid inside, toss it into the bushes and it will do the rest. My father before me and I have sprouted many dozens this way.

[PalmWarbler]

1 hour ago, sur4z said:

...I don't know about "better educated" but I've found if the coconut is brown and has liquid inside, toss it into the bushes and it will do the rest. My father before me and I have sprouted many dozens this way.

That's basically what I'm down to now. To clarify, no liquid inside = no good?

[lahuasteca]

My experience - don't water it!  Tried that and rotted them.  Forgot about some in the corner of the yard, three months of South Texas summer heat, and they sprouted!  

[donalt]

you are correct, sur4z, the best nuts for germinating will be brown with a good amount of coconut water in them. shake and listen for that sloshing sound. pointed side of coconut is where roots generate. the belly button side is where the palm will sprout. they LOVE SUN. hot sun. warm nights (above 70 degrees F)

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

Tom,

I have sprouted dozens of coconut palms over the years.  Here along the Texas Coast, I collect many each year off the beach at Padre Island that have floated up from the Mexican coastline south of here.  I collect ones that are medium to large in size and have water/milk sloshing around inside of them when I shake them.  If they don't have at least a little milk in them, then they are too dry to sprout.  The more milk in them the better.  I set mine out in the yard in full sun with the same side facing up that was facing up when they washed up on the beach, then I water them about once every 2 to 3 days in hot 90F+ weather and wait.  I have had them take as little as 1.5 months to as long as 11 months to sprout, but 3 to 6 months is typical for germination.  I only get about a 10% to 20% germination rate of all the nuts I collect from the beach, but you on the other hand, have a much better opportunity to get a good germination rate because you can collect freshly fallen ripe (brown nuts) that have just fallen off the tree.  Leave the nuts in the husk, don't unhusk them.  You can soak them in a clean bucket of water for a few days.  This seems to help with germination and lets you know which side is the up side of the coconut so you know which side to plant facing up.  They do need to be kept watered though, because germination depends on the nuts not drying out too much though.  In your moist climate in Florida, just keep them watered every few days when it is not raining.  You should be able to get about a 75% to 85% germination rate with the fresh ripe nuts you have available over there.  Don't plant green nuts though, they will not sprout.

John

[sur4z]

My palm incubator

[PalmWarbler]

Guys, thank you. I tried the sun and no irrigation method here with 2 or 3 in the past and for whatever reason I struck out. Could certainly been the coconuts as I don't recall if they had milk inside or not.

As of now, I've got a bunch going in a somewhat shady spot that gets irrigated every few days. I also just dropped the first 2 from dwarf trees I planted 4 years ago so that's pretty cool. I left them where they lie, and they have milk inside. Let's see what happens. I'll keep the forum updated.

From now on when I find them, if there's no milk inside I'll know to leave it be. Thanks for the info all.

[Patrick Palms]

Is night time temp of 19c too cold to germinate a Coconut? Even though day time temp is 25c to 30c ??

[Patrick Palms]

Coconut I am growing is doing just fine, but sprouting coconuts with night time temp of 19c ( 66f), might be too cold, and better sprouted indoors??

[Cocoa Beach Jason]

Use fully developed brown ones with water inside. Bury them halfway in mulch in a warm spot. These sprout like crazy for me using this method. 

[PalmWarbler]

9 hours ago, Cocoa Beach Jason said:

Use fully developed brown ones with water inside. Bury them halfway in mulch in a warm spot. These sprout like crazy for me using this method. 

Thank you. Giving it a shot as we speak.