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Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How do I germinate a coconut?
« on: 07/11/2017 18:18:45 »
OK, here is a method which worked.....
Choose 2 or 3 of the largest, roundest and "heaviest" coconuts you can buy to increase your chances. Ones from the Ivory Coast do well for me. The larger coconuts seem to be the most mature. Check there are no cracks in the hard outer shell, and that there is liquid inside. One of the germination pores may be more convex than the other two, and this is the functional pore.
Wash the coconut in warm water with a little dilute bleach, and scrub the outside to remove dirt and any fungal spores.
Rinse well and soak the coconut in a container with warm water for 2 days. Use a heavy mug or clean stone to keep the coconut submerged. Change the water each day. Keep the container in a warm, but not too hot place, a constant 25C - 30C is ideal.
Seal the coconut in a ziploc bag with about 1cm water at the bottom. Don't squeeze all of the air out of the bag.
Put the bag in a constantly warm place, 25C - 30C, or a little higher if possible. I have a home-made propagator set to 32C. (This is a large insulated polystyrene box, digital thermostat and vivarium heating cable made for reptiles.) You can also buy ready made heated propagators for seed germination.
Check the bag every few days. If you have a viable seed you will see the top of the functional pore (operculum) pop up, and a white "root" appear (see my photos above.) This could happen from one week to several months after bagging up. This quickly grows longer and thicker, before differentiating into a shoot and root. Check there is always some water in the bag. If you shake a germinated seed you will not hear any liquid inside, this has all been converted into a solid. After a few months, you should have a green pointed shoot and several roots. Pot up the plant when the roots and shoot get too large for the bag.
Hope this helps. Good luck!
Choose 2 or 3 of the largest, roundest and "heaviest" coconuts you can buy to increase your chances. Ones from the Ivory Coast do well for me. The larger coconuts seem to be the most mature. Check there are no cracks in the hard outer shell, and that there is liquid inside. One of the germination pores may be more convex than the other two, and this is the functional pore.
Wash the coconut in warm water with a little dilute bleach, and scrub the outside to remove dirt and any fungal spores.
Rinse well and soak the coconut in a container with warm water for 2 days. Use a heavy mug or clean stone to keep the coconut submerged. Change the water each day. Keep the container in a warm, but not too hot place, a constant 25C - 30C is ideal.
Seal the coconut in a ziploc bag with about 1cm water at the bottom. Don't squeeze all of the air out of the bag.
Put the bag in a constantly warm place, 25C - 30C, or a little higher if possible. I have a home-made propagator set to 32C. (This is a large insulated polystyrene box, digital thermostat and vivarium heating cable made for reptiles.) You can also buy ready made heated propagators for seed germination.
Check the bag every few days. If you have a viable seed you will see the top of the functional pore (operculum) pop up, and a white "root" appear (see my photos above.) This could happen from one week to several months after bagging up. This quickly grows longer and thicker, before differentiating into a shoot and root. Check there is always some water in the bag. If you shake a germinated seed you will not hear any liquid inside, this has all been converted into a solid. After a few months, you should have a green pointed shoot and several roots. Pot up the plant when the roots and shoot get too large for the bag.
Hope this helps. Good luck!
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