Ensete Giant

[musa_monkey]

I placed a recent order with Jungle seeds and i couldn't resist getting some of the Ensete Giant seeds.

They weren't kidding either take a look at the size of these things !

[Yorkshire Kris]

I am trying these too MM. They were sown on around 12th June. None have sprouted yet...

[eddie]

I have no luck with these, maybe it's to cold...

[Scott Radford]

heated prop my friends takes cold out of the equation

[Yorkshire Kris]

heated prop my friends takes cold out of the equation

My seeds have been kept between 25-40 degrees. Mostly around 35 degrees.

[musa_monkey]

I am trying these too MM. They were sown on around 12th June. None have sprouted yet...

Curious as to how you prepared them, did you pre soak in anything ?

[kata]

Did yours germinate Musa?

[musa_monkey]

Did yours germinate Musa?

Only just got them, they are soaking for a few days before i bag them up and put them in the prop.

[sanatic1234]

those really are giant seeds musa! and by the looks of it you have had the Mr sheen out to them how shiny!

[kata]

I can't wait to see what comes outa there

[Yorkshire Kris]

I am trying these too MM. They were sown on around 12th June. None have sprouted yet...

Curious as to how you prepared them, did you pre soak in anything ?

Yes I got ensete giant, sikkimensis, sikkimensis Daj Giant. All were soaked for 2/3 days in warmish water. All sown at the same time in the same propogator. Only one sikki has germinated so far.

I've not got a good record for germinating bananas. All sown in 50:50 MP/perlite.

[grub]

Kris, Musa and Ensete have different germination requirements; Musa like fluctuating temps whereas Ensete like a constant. I have a really good strike rate for Ensete putting them in my A.V. cupboard on top of the Digi-box , it holds a fairly steady 31C with the doors shut.

[Dave Brown]

I don't have any on the go, but always threw my Ensete seed in 50C/60C water. which heats the seed forcing air out of the kernel. Then as the water and seed cools it draws water inside. Might take months for that to happen just in warm water. It doesn't increase the germination rate, but seemed to give faster results on those that do.

[Yorkshire Kris]

Cheers Grub and Dave for the advice. I thought that at this time of year it would be hard to get the variation in temperature needed for musa so decided to go for an inbetween strategy of varying the temp between 25-40 rather than 15-35. Hopefully they will eventually germinate. I have checked and the seeds haven't rotted do thats good.

Dave the tip of using 60 degree water sounds interesting. I would be afraid of over heating the seeds but I guess it must work then.

I may be waiting a long time for my ensete giants!

[Dave Brown]

I have not had great success with Musa as I can't give the temp variation easily, but many that we try to grow are not tropical so have seasons, and I was led to believe that spring temps prompted germination, where as summer temps may inhibit it. I think 25 to 40C may be too hot..