I know I'm nuts

2yrs ago I bought two coconuts at a garagesale,they were the big shells,I could hear a seed inside when I shook it.I have seen them in GH with 1/2 of shell out of soil,nice palmlike growth coming up about 2ft,For 2yrs I have kept them in soil and moist.No results,I looked like Tom Hanks in Castaway as I took a 3ft monkey wrench to bust the shell.One had a nice looking seed,the other dust.I have the seed in soil,about half exposed.Any Help out there on this? Root

Not from me. Have never seen one growing from seed. Good luck with it.

Here's some info from the book by Richard W. Langer called The After-Dinner Gardening Book. paraphrased.

There is a 1 in 4 chance that a large coconut in its husk will germinate. Select the biggest and ripest, prop it up so the fat end is about 2 inches higher than the pointed end. The coconut should be propped in a pan at an angle of about ten degrees with the depression end up. "Spray lightly with water every day particularly around the hollow. The two main watering places for a coconut are the crack through which the sprout pushes its way and, before that happens, this depression at the fat end. The depression will respond to watering almost like a sponge. Give it all it wants every other day."

Fill the pan in which the coconut rests with an inch or so of moist sand to maintain humidity and help prop the nut. When the second leaf is sprouted it's ready for soil. Roots may already be breaking through the husk before this, in which case plant it right away even if only an undeveloped leaf is showing.

Partially bury the nut, at the same angle as before, about two thirds deep. Good drainage is essential. A mixture of one-fourth potting soil, one-fourth vermiculite or rough sand and one half humus is good. Plough up the soil every week to a depth of 3 or 4 inches to prevent caking.

Don't wet the leaves when watering. Water heavily twice a month and drain off excess water. Feed rather heavily also.

There is more info in the book and I will be glad to give it to you if you want. I've never planted a coconut but have always wanted to.

Thank you,Thank you,Thank you!

Please keep us posted, you certainly have peeked my interest!!

"eyes"

A Dr. I used to see had one in his office. It makes a handsome plant for a large space.

If it grows I'm calling it Wilson.

hehe

Rootdoctor
I had one I brought back from Key West...buried it 1/2 way in a large pot and it started to grow....then on one cold night I forgot it outside and it froze.

oh glory1 boo hooo!

I've seen the Date Palm grown from the pit...that is really pretty! Elaine

rootdoctor,

i am originally from the Philippines. my grandparents had coconut plantation and sell copras to Procter and Gamble. copras are dried coconut meat, process to become oil to make soap or cooking oil. coconut has many uses; coconut hard shells are made into charcoal. the husk we use as planter to plant orchids, ferns and other hanging plants in or kindling for fire. the center of the coconut tree is where u get the coconut palm heart - edible to make fresh eggrolls. the coconut leaves are used as roofing and house siding in the orient - make the houses in rural areas to be nice and cool. i could go on and on.

from what i can recall, old matured coconuts are left alone to allow seedlings to protrude from the coconut [husk are not taken off or shells not broken at all]. it takes, if not mistaken, 25 yrs. to get the 1st fruit from a coconut plant. their lifespan is about 100 yrs. when the tree gets to be 100, it is chopped down and new plants are planted to grow again.

sorry to be a party pooffer here, but i doubt very much if coconuts will grow where there are cold climates, as they do require hot humid temperature yr round to grow properly.

here is a link for u... http://www.ambergriscaye.com/cocopalms/planting.html

WOW, sounds like the coconut is an amazing plant. thanks for all that info MV!!

it is. it is a darn shame, it will not grow here. even if it does, i doubt very much if i could out live it LOL!

Well that certainly leaves me out!! I still say, go for it, maybe your offspring will take care of it.

"eyes"

1601,
I have two date palms growing right now.... I colleted the the fruit from an old city school here in Biloxi.

MaVieRose,

I was recently talking to a lady from the Philippines. She said her family grew bananas as did most of the area. She said the Japanese had made a huge investment in banana plantations there. Did you have a lot of bananas grown, as well as coconuts, where you lived? I don't remember which island she said they were from.

MVR ,Judyb, Thanks so much for the links,was a much needed schooling,seems I had Wilson upsidedown for two years,I'm not giving up on him yet,sure would like to find more nuts,maybe increase my odds,Root

Judyb,

the biggest banana plantation i am familiar with in the P.I. is located in the Mindanao area - the 3rd biggest island in the south. the same area where all the moslems live and all the troubles are. the same area where abundant rare orchids exist in the virgin forest.
does not make any difference where in the P. I. one resides, banana is abundantly growing everywhere, specially the common ones. each region has specific specie they grow. the area where my grandparents and family hails from is in Luzon. it is where all Filipinos love to go cause it is where the main capital is located. Luzon is the melting pot of all Filipinos [men] and Filipinas [woman]. thought to throw that in as often times there is a major confusion between those two terms.

in the southern part of Luzon is where the smallest banana exist and is abundantly grown. we call them 'Señorita' cause the banana looked like a lady's dainty fingers. they are small like a woman's hands, but very sweet like sugar. it is a specie not commonly grown. the most expensive to buy. almost every house in the rural areas has some bananas growing in the backyard.

Rootdoctor, there are two coconuts i am familiar with with. one is the regular coconut - used for copras and for regular cooking too. the other one we call 'Macapuno' - the meat of this is very nutty and soft. it is used exclusively for making sweet delicacy, a rare variety. good luck on ur venture. u will definitely need it LOL!

MRV I have some bananas,I hope to get more coconuts,I was working in the front last year pruning on my nanas when a lady asked if I was going to throw away the leaves,I gladly gave them to her and even cut her a few more,she told me she cooked with them,I believe she said she was from Korea,The next day she brought some rice steamed in leaves,I could not believe how sweet it was,I wish I had asked for the recipe ,because she never came back by. Root

yes, banana leaves are used a lot in cooking in Asia. the banana leaves we use, like u would use aluminum foil here in the US. the great advantage to using banana leaves in broiling fish or meat is... what ever u are broiling does not burn plus the banana leaves itself, emits a unique flavor to the dish. banana leaves are also use for steaming rice cakes a lot.

to use banana leaves so it does not tear off. take a whole banana leaf. be careful of the sap as it will darken ur clothes. turn on two stoves and lightly run the leaf over the fire. as u are partly burning the leaf, it will change color to lighter shade. the leaf will be nice and pliable. run a sharp blade as close to the rib of the leaf as possible. it takes practice to get a whole leaf come intact and not breaking apart. u can then wash the banana leaves with soap and water over the sink . u can freeze and store them for future use.

steam rice cake can be achieve using raw sticky rice, coconut milk and sugar. mix these ingredients together, wrap in banana leaves making the leaves like a pouch. steam for an hour. in Asia, each country and region have their specific recipes. i gave u the general idea of how it is done. each recipe varies from the type of spice or herb used. they are all good, provided u acquire the flavor for it. u can do google search on specific recipe. or let me know and i will research it for u.

You have me looking at this baby nana I have for Brugie wondering ,"how may leaves does she really need?'I sure am gonna try to steam some of my own rice,doesn't sound too hard,Thanks for the tip, Root

this probably was what u had ... http://www.cyber-kitchen.com/ubbs/archive/RICE/Side_Dish_Steamed_Rice_Cake_with_Mung_Beans.html seemed like the made it to fit Western World style. instead of towel, use the banana leaves to line the steamer.

here's another Filipino version... http://www.orientmag.com/recipe9.htm

MVR, you keep showing me these recipes an Brugie is gonna get a rootball in the mail,Lucky for me I think I might be able to get some bananas on the thread the co opers have going if I can get in,I'm not sure how the co op works,All I know is I need more nanas now

Hey Doc, you leave my banana in tact!! LOL I don't want a root ball and might have to try some rice steaming myself.

you bring the rice I've got the leaves

A three and a half hour trip to get steamed rice? Now who would be nuts? LOL...........

MVR, you are amazing as always. My DD has banana trees growing in her backyard in San Antonio, and I intend to show off, as soon as health permits, by using these ideas when her DH cooks out again.

Amen.

Aimée ... simply sharing a little of my culture. i love roasting fish in banana leaves... keep the whole fish intact. and no problem of fish falling apart or burning. the leaves get burned, not the dish u are cooking. plus i love the flavor it emits or contribute to the dish i broil or roast, both in the oven or barbeque grill. plus it is all natural.

i also love making rice cake, line the baking pan with banana leaves and the whole cake is intact. no problem of the rice cake sticking to the baking pan.

in the orient, it would seem, we never waste anything. old folks are very inventive in using almost everything and waste not [sp?]

too bad we do not have coconut shell charcoal here in the US, they are so long lasting and impart a lovely flavor to anything being broiled or barbequed. just my 2 cents. :)

MaVie, can you use leaves from any kind of banana plant? Sounds like I might want to try something next year with a few of the leaves.

I just read this whole thread. Thanks so much for the info about coconuts, the Phils, bannanas, the recipies.

No wonder I love this site.

Adam.

i do not know S., so far the only ones i know to use are the ones from the cooking banana i once grew. these days, i buy banana leaves at a Latino store. to be honest, i do not know what or where those leaves come from. i guess it is the same thing as i once grow cause the flavor is the same. maybe i should start growing banana again. only problem is, i doubt if it will survive here.

after u process the banana leaves: lightly burn on fire to make it pliable, wash and clean... they are good keepers in the freezer.

other cultures uses other kind of plant leaves for cooking too. i.e. Greeks use grape leaves, Hawaiian uses Ti-plants. yes the same houseplant we grow. memory is failing me, must be having senior moments LOL! i can not remember what other Asian culture use. oh wait, the Thai's used the ginger leaves for cooking too. i am in between cooking for tomorrow's meal. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone :)!

sorry S. i do not know enough to help u out.

Hey, you have a great day tomorrow. I hope I'm not so full when we get home that I'm unable to sit at the computer and catch up. Thanks for all the info. you have added to this thread. I have learned so much from this whole site. Now, if I could just remember what I learned. :-)

u too S.:). i know i will be eating moderately... a little serving at a time. that way i get to enjoy everything on the table.

u're very welcom. hey, push come to shove, u can always come back and read again. it is far harder to remember from memory.LOL!

have a good one. sabor what u partake, and u will enjoyed it more.

Brugie. Dont make any plans on cooking with leaves till you get your plant,next thing M V R posts might be some kind of rootball soup!
P.S MVR can I eat the rootball?
Root

unfortunately, u can't! but the center of the banana plant is like a palm's heart. it is a delicacy in some parts of the P.I. i have not tasted it so i would not know.

the trunck inself is dried to make plant container for hanging plants. i used to use the dried trunks to line wire hanging baskets [to hold the soil in]. plant orchids in there and other hanging plants. that was when i used to live in Los Angeles.

if i were u, i would plant those banana pups, they make nice indoor plant during the winter time. so by the time u sent Brugie the pups, nice leaves should be appearing.:)!!!

MVR, I wish I could send you some of the large banana leaves from San Antonio. It pains me to know you must buy something we have to throw away. I have left them some years, but they get so ragged from the winds, so I like to cut them back and have new, fresh looking ones in spring. In the past, I did the pruning when I went down for Christmas, we shall see if I am road worthy this year. Of course, the past two years I wasn't, but I am being very good and taking meds faithfully in the hope of going this year. I know you are cooking up some wonderful exotic dishes for tomorrow, so taste a bit for me because I will be thinking of you.

Aimée, nothing exotic, the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. i just finished baking pumpkin and sweet potatoes pies from scratch. am not doing turkey cause i did not want the left over to hang around due to the move within the next few weeks. tiG posted my recipe for brined Turkey at the recipe forum. i used the brine for chicken instead of turkey. let me tell u, it came out great!!! if u have tasted broasted chicken, it is the same flavor. nothing fancy. i cut the chicken in half like butterfly cut. i roast the chicken in the oven. it was very juicy and very flavorful. u should send that recipe to ur DD, am sure ur DGC will love it. much better than fried chicken.

am boiling some potatoes for the potato salad. i'll finished the potato salad tonight before i go to bed. so all the flavors penetrate the potato. tomorrow i have to make the cranberry compote.

do not worry about the banana leaves. i will be fine. it does not cost that much anyway. btw... are u near San Antonio, TX.??? next Spring, there are tentative plans for me to visit Meiyu, once things settle down. it sure would be a great pleasure to come and visit u.

Oh, MVR, do come to San Antonio. I am only 107 miles from the north edge where my DD lives. We might be able to persuade Wingnut and others to join us, and I would love to walk along the River Walk with all of you. I am a member of the botanical society there, so I can take a guest in free, and it would have to be you. Oh, my mind is spinning and jumping all over at the thought of such a gathering.