View Full Version : Propagating Musa Velutina Seeds
Jananas Bananas
12-03-2009, 07:45 PM
Received Musa Velutina Seeds from Kaye (thank you Kaye!!!) and here they are soaked and ready to plant:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=27401&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=27401)
This is the seed starter tray - it has a heated mat underneath it.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=27399&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=27399)
The seeds in the little pots:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=27398&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=27398)
I have a SPROUT!!! :woohoonaner:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=27400&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=27400)
~JaNan
Jananas Bananas
12-03-2009, 07:52 PM
Here is what the sprout looks like:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=27402&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=27402)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=27403&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=27403)
Kinda like a little spider! HA! HA! :ha:
~JaNan
novisyatria
12-03-2009, 08:05 PM
its cool. in Tc from 1 seeds can be more than 1 bay. i never Tc from seeds of bananas but based on my experience toin Tc some seeds other plant such as anthruiu, strawbeer etc, 1 seeds become alot of baby plant.
stumpy4700
12-03-2009, 08:06 PM
How long did it take to sprout?
Jananas Bananas
12-03-2009, 08:18 PM
I got them the Friday after Thanksgiving.....so a week for the first one. :)
~JaNan
jeffreyp
12-04-2009, 02:35 AM
From my experience, you get just about 100 percent germination from fresh velutina seeds.
john_ny
12-04-2009, 07:52 AM
Congrats, JaNan. Lookin' real good.
Kaye-ccf
12-04-2009, 09:44 AM
Great photos JaNan. Thanks for posting them.
Jananas Bananas
12-04-2009, 10:14 AM
:o Everyone Kaye (Kaye-ccf) still has FREE fresh Velutina seeds available - you just provide her with a Stamped self addresses envelope. Private Message her and you can get some of these too! :2766::2766::2766::2766:
~JaNan
Wow!! :D Congratulations!! Only 1 week!? Awesome!! They do look like spiders! Looks like the seed is stuck to the side of the plant, wow! That Kaye sure is nice :) !!
Jananas Bananas
12-10-2009, 06:50 PM
The same little sprout shown in the first pictures after 7 days.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=27606&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=27606)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=27607&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=27607)
It's coming right along. :)
~JaNan
Kaye-ccf
12-10-2009, 08:38 PM
Aah - Success! Do you have any more sprouts yet? Mine are starting to slow down. I may need to increase the heat. My setup is in the kitchen and after I spent all of Thanksgiving day cooking, it was very warm in there (80 degrees plus the bottom heat and lights). I had a lot start coming up after that.
jeffreyp
12-11-2009, 04:07 AM
I am going to try creating some hybrid bananas with my velutinas this summer. Despite all the seeds they are sweet and tasty when ripe.
Jananas Bananas
12-15-2009, 07:34 PM
:2766::2766::2766::2766:The same seedling previously pictured - after taking this picture I transferred it to a plastic cup and back on the heat mat.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=27757&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=27757)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=27756&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=27756)
:o~JaNan
natej740
12-24-2009, 11:07 PM
Hi JaNan I just got some free Velutina seeds today from austin01.....What kind of soil mix do you have them growing in and how are they doing now??? And where did you get that set up at???? I am going to try to start mine in a few days and really appreciate this thread thanks
Jananas Bananas
12-26-2009, 02:45 PM
:pinkskirtnaner:Here is another picture of the first sprout - starting to open up.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=28143&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=28143)
:2766::2766::2766::2766:These are four new sprouts that I have this morning:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=28144&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=28144)
Note: These four sprouted in a sealed baggy with contained moisture. (I have these seeds divided into thirds experimenting to see how fast, medium, conditions affect sprouting)
Nate - the seed starter kit I purchased from Lowes for about $38 - it comes with the heating mat, the mini greenhouse and the peat pots. I figured I could buy all the components separately, and save a few bucks but went ahead and got it all together and saved myself some time.
I want everyone to know the seeds are sprouting faster in the baggy method than in the minigreen house. If you don't have a heated mat the top of a hot water heater works great! I have started many seeds this way. :o
Also, as a side note - I believe this first sprout started while in transit in the mail just as Kaye said might happen. It would not be that far ahead of the other seeds if it had not. :)
~JaNan
kemistry
12-28-2009, 08:17 PM
how exciting.. thanks for sharing, i've also received the free seeds from austin01 and had sown them just last week. Please keep us posted with your progress :) And i personally could have something to stare at while waiting for mine to sprout. lol :o)
sunfish
12-31-2009, 12:17 PM
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=28392&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=28392&ppuser=2868)
austinl01
12-31-2009, 04:23 PM
Everyone please let me know if any of the seeds I sent sprout. They are certainly fresh! Cheers.
sunfish
12-31-2009, 04:43 PM
Everyone please let me know if any of the seeds I sent sprout. They are certainly fresh! Cheers.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=28392&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=28392&ppuser=2868)
This is one of your seeds
Jananas Bananas
01-05-2010, 11:34 AM
A fresh picture of the first Velutina seedling - getting another leaf!
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=28609&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=28609)
~JaNan
Jananas Bananas
01-23-2010, 08:30 PM
:o More sprouts - this is day 57 after I received them the day after Thanksgiving. These have been in a moist ziplock baggie with bottom heat. I have had ZERO sprouts in the moist paper towel method, and ZERO directly sown in the peat pots on the heat mat with the contained moisture (mini greenhouse) with bottom heat from the heat mat, and ZERO directly sown into seed starter potting soil in cups under grow lights.
:2766::2766::2766::2766::2766:
Sooooo......if you are not having any luck with these, you might try the baggie method. To give it a try, just put a few (8 or so) into a baggie with a few drops of water and zip it up. Set it on top of your hot water heater and check on them once a week. The moisture will probably get a little brown like a weak tea. When they start looking like an outee belly button they have started to sprout. (I have a picture posted of this stage if you scroll down) Don't remove them untill they look like spiders. I use tweezers to separate them, be careful because they are very fragile. If you remove them too soon they will immediately turn brown and you will have lost your sprout.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29248&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29248)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29249&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29249)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29245&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29245)
Put into peat pots and into the mini greenhouse on bottom heat
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29247&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29247)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29246&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29246)
Note: My first sprout (all the earlier pictures) died after I knocked off a grow light onto it and it fell to the floor. :(
Kaye-ccf
01-23-2010, 09:22 PM
Thanks for sharing the info about how your different methods worked! I had good results at the beginning, especially in the seed sprouter, but also in soil after soaking. The first batch germinated well, but subsequent ones, whether in the sprouter, soaking in water, or planted in soil after soaking did not fare as well.
I'm thinking that the earlier collected seeds were more viable. Remember I'm in Zone 7b and we had a late frost/freeze, which allowed me to collect loads of seeds. The subsequent seeds had a much poorer germination rate. I just threw out a few hundred seeds that I gave up on. So including your results, I think that seeds collected earlier (before cooler temps) and sprouted in moisture have the best germination rate.
And I am aware that those lucky souls who live in warmer zones and consider velutina to be a weed think I'm silly to be trying so hard to understand how to propagate these. But I love the pink flowers and bananas! I think they are a very desirable garden plant, especially for those of us who are limited in the selection of bananas hardy to our zones. Those of us in Zone 7 love to find plants that give us a tropical look and will also overwinter without extreme measures.
Jananas Bananas
01-29-2010, 06:52 PM
:2766:OK here is another group of my little "banana spiders" that I am transferring from the moisture baggie to peat pots and seed starting potting soil - 1/29/10. Since I am having good luck sprouting I am going to plant some directly into the cups with starting potting soil. They will be misted daily and covered with a clear dome to maintain humidity.
Before untangling
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29346&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29346)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29348&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29348)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29349&size=1
(http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29349)
Starting to untangle
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29354&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29354)
This one in the center is already turning brown - they are very fragile at this stage and you have to work quickly.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29351&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29351)
These are the sprouts that I put into the peat post on the 23rd. They are leaning towards the window and I rotate the mini greenhouse to keep them straight.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29350&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29350)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29352&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29352)
:goteam:Kaye, I have been very pleased with the seeds you sent me!!! I think it is very interesting with the results and the methods I am using. I don't consider them weeds and am tickled that I am having such good luck with them.
~JaNan
novisyatria
01-29-2010, 07:18 PM
very cool. thanks for uploads this photo
jeffreyp
01-29-2010, 08:36 PM
I think I might have a plant thats about ready to flower, I'll send out a note if anyone wants some seeds.
Jananas Bananas
01-31-2010, 11:46 AM
That would be great Jeffreyp! I am sure there are more folks that want to try this.
I have had a couple of PM questions that I would like to answer. :2722: I soaked the seeds 24 to 48 hours before all starting conditions. I believe heat is the key to sprouting. The lighting varies between morning sun coming in through a bay window and a single bar fluorescent lighting that I adjust by setting it on different size vases (which is how it got knocked off :().
These are the sprouts from the January 23 posting - you can see they are growing at different rates - there is a teeny one that is barely 1/4 inch above the peat and another that is only a fraction taller. The big one (inbetween the two tiny ones) is touching the top of the minigreenhouse. I will be transferring several of these to cups today. :lurk:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29394&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29394)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29393&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29393)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29392&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29392)
These are the sprouts put directly into the seed starting potting soil skipping the mini greenhouse step
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29395&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29395)
sunfish
02-06-2010, 12:02 PM
Everyone please let me know if any of the seeds I sent sprout. They are certainly fresh! Cheers.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29552&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29552&ppuser=2868)
Two more sprouts
kemistry
02-13-2010, 05:25 AM
austinl01 and everyone, I'm happy to report that I see my first sprout today :woohoonaner::woohoonaner::woohoonaner::woohoonaner:
i'll post picture when it pushs its first leaf... woohoo :goteam::02:
millworkman
02-13-2010, 11:12 AM
So it seems that these are much easier to germinate than other banana varieties? I am very interested if anyone has some spare seeds they can throw my way, I'll send sase.
Noah
jmoore
02-13-2010, 01:00 PM
They are if they're fresh. Infact someone on here described them as weeds. The seeds lose viability very quickly though after about six months. They aren't the species to pop up after a year of doing nothing.
Jananas Bananas
02-18-2010, 09:19 PM
:2766::2766::2766::2766:
2/18/10 These are the sprouts that were put directly into the cups with the seed starter mix skipping the mini greenhouse and bottom heat:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29780&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29780)
These are sprouts that I have not removed from the moist baggie. I have never left them in the baggie this long without transferring to peat pots or seed starter mix.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29782&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29782)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29781&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29781)
~JaNan
kemistry
02-21-2010, 03:47 AM
OMG another one popping up today. I feel like doing a banana dance right now --> :woohoonaner::woohoonaner:
yay.
kemistry
02-21-2010, 03:53 AM
janan - that baggie doesn't have anything in it, but seeds and a few drops of water? amazing! I dont think I would have the courage to leave them in there for that long. Lol.
sunfish
02-21-2010, 11:30 AM
Germinated with outdoor temps
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29834&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29834&ppuser=2868)
sunfish
03-26-2010, 07:36 PM
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=30516&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=30516&ppuser=2868)
natej740
03-26-2010, 10:11 PM
Im at 3 months now and no luck i have a seed sprouting mini greenhouse and tried the baggie idea.....and still nothing.
Dean W.
03-26-2010, 10:30 PM
Wow! Last year I had the hardest time getting those to sprout.
natej740
03-26-2010, 10:39 PM
Wow! Last year I had the hardest time getting those to sprout.
Did they ever sprout and if they did how long did it take??? I thought these were supposed to be one of the easiest bananas to germinate.
Dean W.
03-26-2010, 10:52 PM
I can't remember exactly. But I do remember some seeds just stayed there forever.
I got them from another guy here. He processed them in a blender. From what I understand it's hard to remove the seeds from the pulp.:waving:
kemistry
03-27-2010, 03:13 AM
very nice sunfish!:lurk:
the first seed to sprout, germinated in zip lock bag:
http://toainguyen.net/plants/b1-032710.jpg
thought it would be a goner, had to cut it down 1/2 about 2 weeks ago, but it's a fighter and now sprouting out new leaf..
my second seed to sprout, germinated regularly in potting mix:
http://toainguyen.net/plants/b2-032710.jpg
this baby is doing so much better.
my third
http://toainguyen.net/plants/b3-032710.jpg
all three side-by-side:
http://toainguyen.net/plants/b123-032710.jpg
:woohoonaner:
(seeds were received from austinl01 in december)
jeffreyp
03-28-2010, 07:41 AM
one of my velutina plants started blooming so another month and a half i should have some fruits.
natej740
05-30-2010, 08:27 PM
Everyone please let me know if any of the seeds I sent sprout. They are certainly fresh! Cheers.
I just got my first sprout today....6 months later...lol Its my first banana from seed im excited to see how big it will get this year. Thanks again for the seeds.
ScottEK
07-30-2010, 07:21 PM
Trying your experiment, I think my bags look a little dry. I literally put in three drops of water, any thoughts:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=35045&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=35045&ppuser=7814)
Dean W.
07-30-2010, 07:45 PM
I would either add perlite or a moist paper towel.
coast crab
07-31-2010, 07:52 PM
Velutina seeds must stay viable for a long time. I still have them coming up in a part of my garden where they haven't grown in 3 years. Just found 4 that are about 6 inches tall.
In the past I've cut off the fruit and thrown it away, but I guess I'll hang on to them and give the seed away here.
Russell
DisneyButterfly1
11-16-2013, 04:04 PM
So I am wanting to get some seeds to try sprouting. How & who can I get some from? Am I understanding correctly from the photos that you all are using peat moss, heat & keeping moist until they sprout? I'm sure you can tell from my questions...I am really new at this... :)
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