Growing Palms From Seed

[austinl01]

I'm just curious as to the best method for propagating seedlings. Here are my thoughts:

1. Plant the seeds in a community pot and separate the seedlings when they get one or two leaves.

2. Pot up the seedlings into 4 inch pots and grow them for 1-2 years.

3. Then, pot the seedlings into 1 gallon pots and grow 1-2 years.

4. Plant the palm in the ground or bump up to 3 gallon pots.

What are your methods of growing seedlings? I'm looking for some ideas.  Do you think my method is a good one?

[Wai`anae Steve]

I just posted my method at:

My Webpage

Since there is not much room for roots w/this method I'd go along w/you in moving them up to say 4" pots when they pop up.  Into gallon pots depends of growth after the 4"

[doubravsky]

A related few questions.... where do folks buy their stuff for seed germination... such as the heat mat, containers, germinating material, etc?

[Palm Guy]

I like using peat/mulch/sand mix in plastic cups and wrapping them with plastic ziplock bags. Then I stick em in the oven!!! In off position of course. Temperatures usually stay around 85-95F in there. Quick germinations!

Disclaimer: the above method is to be only used when you have an understanding spouse, girlfriend or mother. Otherwise you might have some pissed off cooks on your hands.

You can also get heat mats that are meant for muscle relaxation at any pharmacy, however, im pretty sure those are  not safe to use for extended periods. I only use it when i come home and turn it off before i go to sleep... Also they have less controlled heat dispersion, so your seeds can burn up or the method may be ineffective.

Mike F

[Wai`anae Steve]

My containers are free when you buy the salad mix at Sam's Club.  

[bgl]

Austin,

Welcome to the IPS Forum!

Great question! And keep in mind, if you were to ask 10 people, you'd probably get 10 different answers. Some approaches may be better than others, but there are lots of variables. For one thing, palm seedlings tend to be very different; some have tiny little roots while others are very robust. Just today I potted up a bunch of Carpoxylon macrospermum from a community pot, and I put them straight into 5G pots. I could have put them in 2G or 3G pots, but then I would just have to move them up to 5Gs later this year. Unless it's something real tiny, I put seedlings (from community pots) directly into 1G pots, bypassing the 4inch pots. And then, generally, I wait for that 1G plant to get to a nice size, so I can move it directly up to a 5G pot. Certain palm seedlings, like Bismarckias (with a deep taprot) need to go into deep 5G pots as soon as possible.

Aloha from the Big Island of Hawaii!

Bo-Göran

[Alicehunter2000]

Also, I would like to add that larger pots need less maintenance (waterwise). I've just dried out a bunch of filibusta's that were in tiny pots. The bigger pots stayed moist.

My question is.....at what point do you generally move the germinated seeds into pots from the baggie?

How long can you wait until after the first tiny green leaf appears before it starts to rot?

I would like to try and hold out until spring.....but some of the stuff won't wait.

One last method that seems to be working for me.......a 10 gallon aquarium with a reptile stick on pad on the bottom.  Stick it to the center bottom underneath the glass, then place a towel in the inside bottom. Put your bagged seeds on top of the towel.....then fold it over the top of all the baggies to help hold in the heat. It is working like a charm so far.......and is cheap and safe.

[bgl]

That's one reason I don't like the baggie method - you can only keep them there for so long. I like to use plastic containers. Initially with the cover on, and when the seedlings are tall enough to push against the cover, I take it off. All you have to do at that point is water the seedlings every now and then, and most seedlings can get to a point of almost completely drying out without any problems. I took this photo of Licuala grandis seedlings in early Oct 2007 - more than 3 months ago. These seedlings are STILL in that plastic container, but I need to pot them up very soon, because it's getting VERY crowded!

[Kris]

Dear Austin  

here is a link to some of the seeds germination methods,i hope its of some use to you...! And a warm welcome to our discussion board.

http://palmtalk.org/cgi-bin/forum/ikonboar...t=ST;f=1;t=4608

lots of love to u,

Kris  

[Logolight]

I use a 80/20 Peat and Perlite mix in Sterilite containers.  The depth of the mix depends on the depth of the roots.  Some seeds send roots down deeper than others when they germinate, so before I sew them I reference the palm's germinating characteristics.  

Once they germinate I usually wait until the first leaf appears and then transfer them into 1 gallon pots.  Just be aware that the longer you wait to repot them from a community pot the higher the likelyhood the roots might tangle and that could get messy.

Good luck.

Dave

[austinl01]

Thank you everyone for your responses so far!  I have been a long participant on other message boards and thought it was time to sign up for this one.  

I see there are many different methods for germinating palm seeds.  I'm in a zone 7b climate here in Arkansas (USA) and am growing different types of trachycarpus and sabals.  Both don't need winter protection in my area.  These are the main plants that I'm growing from seed.  

I appreciate the information from all of you.  Thanks again!

Austin

[Ray]

Hey Austin.  Good to see you over here on the IPS board.  It's a little different here, somewhat more professional and a lot of info that the other board doesn't carry.

Hope everything is going okay in Arkansas this winter.  How's the Butia doing?

[Wai`anae Steve]

(Ray @ Jan. 09 2008,01:26)

QUOTE

Hey Austin.  Good to see you over here on the IPS board.  It's a little different here, somewhat more professional and a lot of info that the other board doesn't carry.

Hope everything is going okay in Arkansas this winter.  How's the Butia doing?

Ray, either I'm going blind or that orange is almost imposable to read.

[Kris]

(WaianaeSteve @ Jan. 09 2008,01:31)

QUOTE

Ray, either I'm going blind or that orange is almost imposable to read.

Dear Steve  

Thanks for speaking my mind...i donot understand why memebrs use light or dull coloured writings when most of our memebrs are all 30 plus age group ! its bearely visible to my eye...

thanks & love,

Kris.

[austinl01]

Ray, the butia is doing great.  No damage.  The low has been 17*F.  Here's a look at her.  The trunk is really expanding now.  I hope I'll get some fruit to eat next year.  This is probably the best cold hardy palm.

I'm starting my own webpage about cold hardy palms.  Check it out!

Mid-South Palms Webpage

[Randy4ut]

Austin...  Never thought you would see me here, did ya!?!?!  I guess we both think alike, huh!?!  Anyway, I am enjoying this thread, but I did have one question for WaianaeSteve.  Steve, hope you don't mind me asking you on this thread, but I had a question about your thread and since it is tied to this one, I thought I would go ahead and ask it hear.  I like your method and am trying a similiar method except I am using the rotesserie chicken container from Walmart, since it has an attached dome on it.  Only difference is I didn't place anything under the potting medium.  I want to try the "cinder" underneath, but I am not exactly sure what it is and where I can find it.  If you could advise me on it, I would greatly appreciate it.  Austin, good to see you again, take care.  I am sure many of the folks on this forum will freak when they see what we do to grow our beloved "babies"!!!

http://palmtalk.org/cgi-bin/forum/ikonboar...t=ST;f=1;t=9255 :laugh:

[Wai`anae Steve]

(Randy4ut @ Jan. 10 2008,18:46)

QUOTE

Austin...  Never thought you would see me here, did ya!?!?!  I guess we both think alike, huh!?!  Anyway, I am enjoying this thread, but I did have one question for WaianaeSteve.  Steve, hope you don't mind me asking you on this thread, but I had a question about your thread and since it is tied to this one, I thought I would go ahead and ask it hear.  I like your method and am trying a similiar method except I am using the rotesserie chicken container from Walmart, since it has an attached dome on it.  Only difference is I didn't place anything under the potting medium.  I want to try the "cinder" underneath, but I am not exactly sure what it is and where I can find it.  If you could advise me on it, I would greatly appreciate it.  Austin, good to see you again, take care.  I am sure many of the folks on this forum will freak when they see what we do to grow our beloved "babies"!!!

http://palmtalk.org/cgi-bin/forum/ikonboar...t=ST;f=1;t=9255 :laugh:

Randy, you could use some type of gravel I guess.  The idea is just to add water w/o making the potting mix over wet or two dry.  I've found that the moisture in the cinder/gravel moves up as needed.

[JakeK]

(bgl @ Jan. 07 2008,23:49)

QUOTE

That's one reason I don't like the baggie method - you can only keep them there for so long. I like to use plastic containers. Initially with the cover on, and when the seedlings are tall enough to push against the cover, I take it off. All you have to do at that point is water the seedlings every now and then, and most seedlings can get to a point of almost completely drying out without any problems. I took this photo of Licuala grandis seedlings in early Oct 2007 - more than 3 months ago. These seedlings are STILL in that plastic container, but I need to pot them up very soon, because it's getting VERY crowded!

Bo, how long does it take for the first leaf to emerge after sowing Licuala grandis?

I have 4 seeds that germinated quite some time ago, back in mid October to be exact that have not yet thrown up the first leaf. The radicle looks healthy on all of them and they are well anchored into the potting mix. Are they just really slow?

[austinl01]

Randy, I'm glad you are here, man!  We both kind of migrated here at the same time.  This board looks very professional and there's no doubt a ton of knowledge here from all over the world.  

I've enjoyed seeing everyone's seed sprouting techniques.  Thanks.