Hardy Tropicals UK

Hi guys i just been to our local do it all and its closing down. I picket up a proporgater from£18.99 to £9 bargain.Anyway i have some banana seeds i want to have a go with.What sort of compost do i use please.Or should i mix compost and vermiculite ?Thanks guys...daz

Daz

I am glad you have asked this. I don't know what came over me last night (no comments Don!) - but I ended up ordering 100 ensete seeds off ebay!!!

They arrive next week and I have no idea what to do with them!

Mark - help please....

cheers

John

Daz you could try half in straight vermiculite and half in a 50/50 mix of seived multi-p and vermiculite

Don't forget to soak them first for three days

What temperature should they be kept at Mark. I have very little success with nana seed and have tried everything from 15C - 35C with 10 hours at this and 14 hours at that. I'm so confused

Andy my prop is one of them pre set jobbies so I have no choice. The general rule of thumb is about 80f.

I have one of them heat mats but I have had no success with it either.

I have had seeds in the prop for over 6 months with nothing happening and have taken them out and left them in the greenhouse only to find a dozen or so had sprouted.
Bananas from seed is very challenging

vermiculite, poly zip bag and an airing cupboard is my suggesiton, never let me down, hope that helps,

im no expert, but it works for me.


ps make the vermiculite slightly damp,

kentgardener wrote:Daz

II ended up ordering 100 ensete seeds off ebay!!!

They arrive next week and I have no idea what to do with them!



John

You will be screaming for help if you get 100% germination.
I just soak for 3 days at 30C and sow in 50/50 compost/perlite or vermiculite at 30C.
You have enough seed to experiment with the baggie method and any number of variations on a theme.

if I get 100% germination the cats protection league shops for miles around will be selling Ensetes for 50p each!

I've been using clear plastic beakers recently rather than bags. Pop the mix into a beaker, water a tad, then put another beaker upside down onto the first, and seal the edges with sellotape. Write the seeds on the top. You can fit in loads of seeds into a prop as they are quite narrow, can see exactly what you've got as the beakers are clear, and they are sealed therefore keeps the humidity up, and bugs etc out.

I've put a 3 cm layer of perlite in the bottom of my prop so the warmth is spread over the cups which are pushed into it.

lets face it, if it works it works, we aint all the dogs nadgers lol, my method works for me. yours for you etc. great advice, i use old desert containers, ie u know small trifle ones fromtesocs ontop of a pit for getting my peppers going, recycling an all

There are so many of you guys growing nanas from seed that there is bound to be a huge surplus. Therefore I won't bother trying (and failing), I'll just buy a few of your seedlings next spring.
Thanks.

mixiepalms wrote:i use old desert containers, ie u know small trifle ones fromtesocs ontop of a pit for getting my peppers going, recycling an all

Hi Mixiepalms

I am interested what the 'pit' is. I don't have a propergator or an airing cupboard so am really interested to read all the techniques that members are suceeding with.

I am sure I will end up having to buy a propagator though - more money I can't afford!

cheers mate

John

No, you need to try to grow some to understand the pain that we all go through with them!

kentgardener wrote:

mixiepalms wrote:i use old desert containers, ie u know small trifle ones fromtesocs ontop of a pit for getting my peppers going, recycling an all

Hi Mixiepalms

I am interested what the 'pit' is. I don't have a propergator or an airing cupboard so am really interested to read all the techniques that members are suceeding with.

I am sure I will end up having to buy a propagator though - more money I can't afford!

cheers mate

John

not pit ffs meant pot, now i am blushin big time lol.

tried and failed with nana seeds and plam seeds a coupel of years back. I had a few palms germinate maybe 5%, so must try garder.

Gaz