Date palm seeds

[DazzerLancs]

Hi, a few months ago I bought some madjool dates, after eating the fruit I washed the seeds, soaked them overnight and put them in a zip tie bag in damp paper towel, 2 weeks later one seed had germinated, to date nothing else has germinated, ive now placed them in some clean water and nothing, are these unlikely to germinate now? Can I do anything else? Thanks, I'm new to this although I've germinated canary island seeds. 

[kinzyjr]

3 hours ago, DazzerLancs said:

Hi, a few months ago I bought some madjool dates, after eating the fruit I washed the seeds, soaked them overnight and put them in a zip tie bag in damp paper towel, 2 weeks later one seed had germinated, to date nothing else has germinated, ive now placed them in some clean water and nothing, are these unlikely to germinate now? Can I do anything else? Thanks, I'm new to this although I've germinated canary island seeds. 

Try just direct sowing them into starter pots or flats with moist soil and some bottom heat to about 90F.  You'll get plenty more in short order.

[mnorell]

I soak mine in a glass of water in the kitchen, usually for weeks immediately after removal from the date-flesh. The effect of imbibition is marked. They swell considerably. I then put them in moist paper towels and place them in a ziploc bag. After sometimes just a couple of days (sometimes they actually start to sprout in the water), and perhaps a week or so, they will be throwing the cotyledonary petiole and you should put them into a container in a hot place (90-100F is great) and the will begin the process...be patient as there are a few steps from that petiole to the radicle to the first shoot emerging. But within a month you should have the first grass-like leaf above-board. Give a well-drained, sandy/rocky mix and keep them very moist. Date palms love to have their feet in the water. I start mine in community pots (1gal) but deeper pots, if you can get any, are probably best due to the nature of the  root system.

[DazzerLancs]

Thanks to you both, I have them sat in water at the moment after weeks in a zip bag, i had to keep cleaning them as mould would appear. 

[WaianaeCrider]

In 2018 a friend gave me some dates to eat.  I saved about 8 seeds and 3 sprouted.  I think I just stuck them in some potting soil in my 60% shade house.  Not sure when I planted them out, but it's probably about a year now.  It's really gonna be crowded there w/three next to each other but in say 30 years it should look nice.  Maybe my grand kids will get to eat some fruit if I wind up with a male and a female.  LOL

[Rickybobby]

Heat is key I wash all the pulp off and usually within 2 weeks I get 90 percent pop rate. Usually for dates I use 95f bottom heat 

[DazzerLancs]

I have a heated propogator I can use, where I am in the UK it is currently like winter, very windy, raining and 13 deg c