My competitive nature is now including Palm Seeds to the list of life's many adventures. I'll keep this thread to the title topic as I have other species with differing issues. On December 20, 2009, a neighbor allowed me to have about 1,000 seeds still attached to his triple. Most were dark purple with the yellow umbrella connected to a small stem. The ones that were really black with soft/mushy fruit....I just threw away as they seemed a little rotten. I used my thumb nail as a blade and slid it around the equator from the removed umbrella back to the same point and the skin came off easily without any fruit issues like on other species. The seed color was light tan and after skinning the first 1/3, I put them into a bowl with hot tap water for a few days while changing the water 2 times daily. While they were soaking, I skinned the next 1/3 and just kept them in a paper sack so they would not start turning to mold. I thought I might sell these or use them at a later time. The last 1/3 were still attached to their stems and I put them into a plastic market bag that doesn't breathe.....YOU GUESSED IT....MOLD WHEN I LOOKED INSIDE THE BAG IN FEBRUARY 2010.
I took an old plastic ice chest, 40 watt bulb on a drop light used for working under the hood and with the lid propped up about 1", the temperature is stable 24/7 at 85-90 degrees F.
I used the ziplock plastic sandwich bag, damp paper towel method. I must have had about 150 seeds in each of 2 bags. By January 15, 2010, a white probe began poking through the middle of the seed opposite the crevice.
Not finding the next correct step, by 1-22-09 I transplanted these cute little items into 2common containers with "50/50 mix of sand and perlite that will allow the water to drain through and allow the roots to easily be untangled in the near future". Did I mention I was in California where it is reasonably mild in temperature and that I put 1 of these containers outside and the other inside on a vaulted window shelf facing the morning sun.....MY BAD!! Both Dead in 1 day and the little white probe was gone from each seed. So the next 1/3 now a month of staying dry in a paper sack were called into service. These were now a little smaller in size than I remember so....I soaked them in hot water a number of days and changing it twice daily and they swelled up in size. Back into the new baggy and new paper towel and by the middle of February sprouting was happening again on this batch. This time I let the probe get about an inch and a few perpendicular roots to form and shooting up from this was a 1/4" green plant...I think! I am transferring 16 into each 4 inch container, not facing the sun but the opposite side of the house during the daylight and putting them back into the seed incubator during the night at 85-90 degrees. I used a potting soil this time. I used an ice pick to create a hole and buried each to the base of the green sprout. This meant that most of the seed pods were on top or partially covered with only a few completely covered. I am keeping the soil slightly more wet on top and have not seen any water come out the bottom.
I'm able to transplant about 16 every other day right now and am running out of room in the incubator for the 4 inch containers. I NEED HELP FROM YOU EXPERTS. I've lost a few individual seeds as I think my misting wasn't getting enough water deep to the roots through the potting soil. I worry when I see the green start to curl over. I'm letting the green develop more in the baggy/paper towel to be more established prior to transplanting. When can I wean them from the incubator/temperature to the 65-68 that is inside the house 24/7? At what point will I transplant them individually into their own container? They say to not fertilize for 3-4 months and with what?
Pygmy Date Palm-success & failure details
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