10 day Ensete soak results

[chrissmith44x]

literally within 48 hours i have 8 germinations!! presumably thats the correct terminology!

I soaked the ensete glaucum seeds in hot water and kept in the airing cuboard for 10+ days then popped them into boiled soil and put back into the airing cuboard

pictures to follow

realy happy with this

now the only issue is when the seedlings break through the top of the soil, ill need to get them enough light. and with winter, thats going to be tough.

I may use a facial solarium tanning thing i have and give them 30 minutes of that a day.

[Yorkshire Kris]

literally within 48 hours i have 8 germinations!! presumably thats the correct terminology!

I soaked the ensete glaucum seeds in hot water and kept in the airing cuboard for 10+ days then popped them into boiled soil and put back into the airing cuboard

pictures to follow

realy happy with this

now the only issue is when the seedlings break through the top of the soil, ill need to get them enough light. and with winter, thats going to be tough.

I may use a facial solarium tanning thing i have and give them 30 minutes of that a day.

Very well done!

[Darlo Mark]

yes that's the problem with germinating in december. I have learnt my lesson and will be germinating cannas and ensete in February from now on.

[Yorkshire Kris]

Cannas yes germinate quickly. Ensetes seem to be more hit and miss and can take from a week to 2 years to germinate.

[grub]

Nice thread and a nice result so far , only trouble is...The important information is missing .
Where was the seed from and how long did you have it before sowing?

[Yorkshire Kris]

Nice thread and a nice result so far , only trouble is...The important information is missing .
Where was the seed from and how long did you have it before sowing?

I'm guessing only very fresh seed can give those results?

[grub]

I'm guessing only very fresh seed can give those results?

Me too Kris, hence the question and the need to buy some

[chrissmith44x]

HAHA!!

CHiltern seeds

ive had them no longer than 3 weeks

[GREVILLE]

Congratulations, Chris. Great result

Bought mine from Chilterns four years ago in January. Sowed straight away and disposed of it a year later as nothing came up. Tried again with Jungle seeds and last month chucked those after another years wait.

I would have been more patient with the second batch had I not bought a rhizome of this from Himalayan Gardens in May. This has grown well, having started it in bottom heat but not as fast as other Ensetes as it needs more heat than the others to move it.

A sunny window sill in a cool room is probably your best option to grow them on. A bit of a balancing act as I think you'll need 15c plus to keep them moving, but not too much heat to make the first leaves drawn from light levels that are too low

[chrissmith44x]

Hi,

so could it be my LONG HOT soaking of the seeds that did this?

I have a room that stays at about 18 degrees due to having pythons and boas in there.

Once they poke through the soil should i pop them on to the window sill? (probably more like 10 degrees by the window sill in winter actually.

SHould i put them in that room at 18 degrees but in the centre of the room where they get some indirect light?

or just leave them in the airing cuboard with no light, and give them 30 minutes a day with the sunbed i have?

[GREVILLE]

[quote="GREVILLE"]Congratulations, Chris. Great result

Bought mine from Chilterns four years ago in January. Sowed straight away and disposed of it a year later as nothing came up. Tried again with Jingle Seeds.

Who's jiggled with my Jungle and made it Jingle Is this some kind of seasonal joke

A bit of festive spirit before due time over in admin?

[GREVILLE]

If convenient, Chris, maybe kept in the company of serpents and transferred to the window sill whenever it's sunny? Should be warmer than 10c when the sun's out. This ought to be OK as long as you haven't brought up your pets on a diet of bananas

[pat]

hi where did you get your seeds from. i have been trying to germinate a number of packets that were bought from Jungle seeds in september. Ive followed the instructions closely,but the germination rate is very sporadic. 1 musa velutina and 2 ensete ventricossum, 0 sikkiminensis, ive also planted canna and melianthus and calla lily and have had nothing at all from these as yet. Do you think im doing something wrong.

[grub]

Hi,

so could it be my LONG HOT soaking of the seeds that did this?

No idea Chris but the best germination I've had was some Ensete from a guy in Thailand who only sold fresh seed to his regulars (at least that was what he said), I used to soak in tepid water for 48-72 hrs and always had them popping quick and a nigh on 100% germination rate.

[chrissmith44x]

its all very exciting lol