Palm seed propagation help!! Please.

I bought some palm seeds thru the i-net with a promise that they would come with "complete and easy instructions". They are anything but. I have True Date Palm and Bismarkia Palm. I know I have to soak for 24 hours but, what kind of medium and what kind of light and water? Any assistance would be appreciated. Thanks!!

I'm no expert at it but I have had really good luck with my palm seeds. I soak them for 2 days in water then I use a good soil (miracle grow is my favorite). I don't bury the seeds, just put them on top of the dirt and give a little push. Keep the pot in the shade. I water every other day. I usually keep my seedlings in a shady area for the first 6 months before introducing them to a sunny area and have never lost one yet.

Here's a site that has very detailed info on growing palm seeds:

http://flrec.ifas.ufl.edu/HORT/Palms/Palmproduction/Palm_seed_germination/palmseed.htm

-Onalee

This one is very good too. He even has a step by step pictoral guide.

http://www.personal.u-net.com/~treetops/germinat.html

I had 3 out of 4 date palm seeds germinate following his instructions.

Date palms start very slow, though. Don't expect to have anything too exciting for a couple years.

Thank you all very much!!!

We were told to put them in a ziplock with damp spagnum moss...put them in a dark cupboard and check every month. That's how we do most seeds...and it works.

I am trying to get rid of them. They drop in droves from my palm tree and sprout where ever they land. They have stopped sprouting finally due to cooler weather but if I don't get rid of all the ones lying around on top of my beds they will be everywhere again in the spring.

The queen palms that my neighbor just cut down used to sprout all over my yard. I still get seedlings now and then. I have recently been successful with getting some of my reclinata seeds to germinate. I nicked one side with the cutoff wheel on my dremel and soaked in water for a few days. I then planted in pots in regular soil and they sprouted in a few weeks.
Jan...

Hey, budgielover, what did you do with the plants you pulled up?

I ask because when I farmed I came to realize the VERY BEST way to get something NOT to grow was to find a market for it. Once I found someplace to sell a product the silly thing wouldn't produce for me any more!!

It's call a lawn mower Just kidding. I have mowed some down and probably have undergound palms somewhere. The ones I do pull up, I just toss or do postage on them.
Jan...

Where did you get your seeds for the Bismarkia palm??