Hello All,
I'm about begin my 2nd attempt at starting a musa from seed. It has been about a month since I started the first....should I be seeing any germination yet?
Before I start these next 2 precious seeds I thought I'd come to the experts for advice. I really, really don't want to mess this up. What say ye lovers of tropicals? Have you any tips for a wannabe?
La
Tips on Starting Banana Seeds?
I think the question I have is: where did you get banana seeds? I don't think I've ever seen seeds in commercial bananas?
Michael
I planted Ensete(?) from Parks one year. 2 of 3 seeds germinated... I kept them in a mini greenhouse on a horticultural heat pad... within 2 weeks 1 had poked it's head out... the other one took a couple more weeks... I'm no expert. I wish you luck with your last precious seeds.
If the seeds are fresh, they should come up within two weeks if you are keeping them warm. If they are not fresh, could be a while. I had some freshly harvested and they germinated really fast with no special care. But then, I'm in south Florida . . .
You should first nick each seed with a file till you see a bit of white. The seeds should then be put in a warm water that is changed daily for 3 days or more. After this place the seeds in a humidity dome in a peat base mixed. I would plant them in bright light with bottom heat if possible temps around 75 to 90 are ideal. You should see signs of life in a few weeks. Banana seeds can keep for long periods of time but if planted with out nicking them they can lay dormant in the soil for years.
As I remember, the 2nd seed, I put in the frig for a few days, I'd read somewhere, temperature changes sometimes "jolt" the seed into germinating.... might try it with the one(s) you've already tried to start... I just put the little pot, dirt and all in the frig and a couple days later returned it to the warm greenhouse.
Brian, have you ever heard of changing the temp on them? I can't remember where I read that... I didn't nick my seed, guess I was lucky.
I have only heard of micro waving stubborn seeds for 1 to 3 seconds which heats up the inner core and for a lot of seeds makes them sprout right away. I have never heard of cooler temps for banana seeds but I have never tried it. I have found that not nicking the seeds you can still get germination but not as many will germinate usually 1 out of every 10 or so if not nicked. Usually that number is a lot higher if the temperatures are very warm and the seeds will respond to the warm temps and bust through any ways also if it is very humid the humidity and heat will weaken the seed wall. I have seen very good luck on very fresh seed if quickly planted. It seems very fresh seed have not hardened up and the seeds tend to sprout faster due to the softened seed wall.
Here is a fresh banana I grew and to the right you can see a fresh seed. I clean the seeds and keep them in a paper sack till spring when I sprout them out.
Very interesting! La, you will get better results this time, with Brian's suggestions, but I wouldn't give up on the original ones, yet. I need to get my hands dirty this weekend, I'm just itching for spring.
Which banana is that b and is it edible. That's the kind I'm looking for.
Those are bananas off of Musa Velutina which is a dwarf banana getting about 8 feet tall with bright pink flowers. It is hardy here in Kentucky for me if I mulch it up good. The fruit are full of seeds but it did not taste to bad. I just think that you could not eat them due to all the seeds. Each banana has around 50 to 100 seeds it seems. The bananas are really pretty on this species they are bright pink and velvety with small hairs to fur all over them. They lose this as they rippen up.
I like that coloring on them. I think I have a couple of those seeds someone is sending me. How long does it take from seed to banana?
What zone are you anyway?
I sure hope you don't mind me asking all these questions.
I am a zone 6 and it's hard to say on growing from seed how long but I would say at least 2 to 3 years to bloom. Usually you sprout the seed and may get something around 3 to 4 feet tall the first season the next season you should be able to get it to maturity and flower but usually with the first few flowers it will not produce seed it has to get a bit older before it will do that.
That is wicked looking. I can wait that long. I'm going to cross my fingers on it.
Did you use any special fertilizer?
Robin
Thanks for your help
A bit belated, but thank you all so much for your input! I've been crazy-busy lately and haven't had much time to check in.
I got the seeds in a trade...in fact they are the same seed from the plant in Brian's photo. (Well not the EXACT same plant, but you know what I mean.) :-P
Oh boy do I ever hope I can get mine to grow, that picture is gorgeous!
I also just received 2 Musa Rubinea seeds (again in a trade) and have not even looked those up yet. I pretty much followed the guide lines I've seen posted here for the first 4 I planted except the nicking part, and still no show. Hopefully that's the key and the next ones I plant will sprout like troopers.
Thanks again all, you've been a great help!
(Robin you forgot the nudge to the ribs. Check your DMail.)
Thanks for the nudge, by the way if you get that Musa rubinea to grow, remember me when it gets seeds. I would like to try it.
Good luck with the bananas.
Is there even the remotest chance that what I've got growing in the pot marked "banana" is indeed a banana and not a wayward petunia seed?
Haha, no wonder no one's answered me. I forgot to post the picture.
Hi Lala, I've never grown a banana from seed but I'm pretty sure thats a petunia :)
Steven
Fooey. That was my thought too Steven, but I still had hope. LOL!
Maybe it'll turn out to be an extra special super petunia!
I'd let it grow and wait for the 1st set of "true" leaves.... maybe it's a petnana or a bantunia..? ;) I think it's a petunia. :(
Lala, how your seeds? I'm trying to start some Musa veluntina now and have no luck.
I read on several sites to soak seeds for 24hrs in Smoke Seed Primer and even without bottom heat my Musa Velutina & Musa Lari????, it has a yellow bloom, sprouted in less than a month. I was very pleased. I have a couple of Musa Sikkiminsis Deejarling Giant from a trade that have germinated also. All seeds were planted 3-16-08 and the 1st sprouts were 3-26-08. The MSD Giant were around the 1st - 5th of April. I added bottom heat after I read that helps but I can't tell it has sped it up any. Now whether I get all of them to germinate is another thing.
I planted the Musa Velutina, under lights with heat. I did not know I should nick the seeds. After about three weeks I had germination. Then after another couple of weeks, they just collasped and died. Except for the nicking, what did I do wrong. I do plan on trying it again.