Hardy Tropicals UK

I bought some Ensete Ventricosum seeds at the beginning of Febuary. I soaked them for 4 days in hot water and left them on top of a radiator. Before i soaked them i filed the hard shell as recommended.

After the four day soak, i bagged them up in some compost keeping it damp and then left them again on the radiator... 10 days later 2 of them showed a sign of life. 1 week after i could see more roots i potted them up today in some water bottles. The other 6 have not done much.

Here are some pics...







This was my first experience in germinating Bananas...

Oh yes K,

They are there alright and look spiffin. Its too warm here for radi heat all day...and I can't get a sausage from a tropical seed...HAHAHAHA!!

Well done K!

Update... Today photos, they are coming along slowly and still sat on the radiator, although it ain't on anymore..

Growing fast. but now need less heat and more light, with as much sun as possible or they grow soft then burn later.

Dave Brown wrote:Growing fast. but now need less heat and more light, with as much sun as possible or they grow soft then burn later.

Dave, i have a question. Will they both be ok to put outside Even though the Night Time lows are 2 deg C? We have Day Time Temps of 12-14 deg C.

Here is an update on my self germinated Ensete Ventricosum. In the future i will germinate Bananas from seed as the one's bought from the Palmenmann are not really worth it, always look tatty as hell...

Good lookin nanas there kohwoz, never had any joy with germinating nana seeds but still keep trying in fact theres some in the prop now not doing much

andyb wrote:Good lookin nanas there kohwoz, never had any joy with germinating nana seeds but still keep trying in fact theres some in the prop now not doing much

Cheers Andy. It was my first time.. Beginners luck I guess. Only 2 came to something out of 6 seeds. Same with my bamboos. Just need to find a fresh supplier.

Here they are now, although they have had a good battering from the wind.. They have gone a little black at the bottom, perhaps from too much water or this crazy weather...Cold then hot and the cold again.

Looking good

The black colouring on the pseudostem is the normal colour of many Ensete ventricosum. It isn't a problem

Beauties Kohwoz!!