I received some seed yesterday and am starting to germinate it. I have scarified 1/2 of the seed and will be treating it similar to palm seed. The other half I am going to try to germinate in banana pulp.
I also have some Musa Helen's hybrid seed coming.
Allen
You don't have to be crazy to grow palms in Alberta..... But it helps
Allen,
Did your seed ever germinate?
Dean
Dean
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I got 4 to germinate. They all died before the 3 leaf stage. I still haven't figured out for sure what caused their deaths.
The banana pulp idea was a bust. I ended up with some really foul smelling banana wine(?). No I didn't taste it.
I started some Musa Violacea in January and had about 15 germinate. 4 have survived so far with the tallest being about 10 inches. I lost 3 after potting up to 6 inch pots as a result of my neglect/overwatering/underwatering. There is 1 that still may die.
It almost seems that most of the plants died or got very sick from transplant shock. I had started the seeds in a common container and transplanted them at the 2 to 3 leaf stages.
Scarifying, GA and Smoke treatments don't seem seem to have any effect. Soaking in warm water for 3 days helps as long as the water temp stays below 100*F. Light and surrounding heat also seems to help as long as the heat is less than 100*F.
Plant up to 3 seeds in a cup and cover with clear plastic to keep moist seems to work the best. That way you don't have to transplant from the common container.
Out of 6 sets of seed for various bananas, I overheated 1 set, had 0% germination with 3 varieties and limited success with the 2 recorded above.
The M. velutina had 6% germination. The M. Violacea had 15% germination with 4% surviving 6 months.
Allen
You don't have to be crazy to grow palms in Alberta..... But it helps
Allen ... If you're lookin' for a Musa velutina, I can always pop one out of my garden for you? I'm not sure what shipping would be to Edmonton from Vancouver Island. I guess it depends on how it's sent ... PM me if you'd like one.
Cheers, Barrie.
Thanks Barry;
I'll ask you to send me one in the spring. It is a little too late to get it now as temperatures are below freezing overnight.
Allen
You don't have to be crazy to grow palms in Alberta..... But it helps
It's a deal ... you'll have to remind me as I'm prone to forget. 🙄
Frost? ... shame on you. 😆
Cheers, Barrie.
