View Full Version : General Musa Seed question
eric27
12-06-2010, 04:32 PM
Out of 10 Musa Daj Giant I now have 2 that sprouted. I just noticed the second one yesterday. The thing is both have sprouted after I took them off the heat mat. In fact ALL of my seeds have sprouted after I took them off the heat mats. For the Daj Giant the first one germinated after a month, the second after about 3 months. I left it in the deli box with the lid off. It seems the ignore method is working much better than when I pay attention to them and alternate the heat. I was wondering, has anyone else experienced this, where their seeds are sprouting without a heat source at room temperature? This is my third seed in the last few months to do this.
bigdog
12-07-2010, 06:10 PM
That's a pretty common phenomenon observed by many who try to germinate Musa seeds, including myself. There's an article out there about Musa velutina seeds that reports much better germination percentage by letting the seeds sit in moist vermiculite at room temerature for up to 8 months, then turning the alternating heat on. When I don't see any germination for several months using alternating heat, I usually take them off of the heat for a couple of months and let sit at room temp. Sometimes they will start to germinate at room temp, other times when I put them back on the heat mat after the rest, and other times nothing at all will happen still.
nannerfunboi
12-18-2010, 10:39 PM
much thanks to all for personal experiences..and esp on sucesses in sprouting seeds..
ive only just started less than month ago.. so..i have await im sure
i think i did get "fresh" seed.. so..hope to see something ...
i have my seeds in heated aquarium @ 80 F
if i dont get any seeds to germinate in a month..i may try unplugging the heater and let them be at room temp..65F for a while ..
i do hope to get some to germinate..
im working on M. itinerans,M.sikkinensis daj giant,M.schizocarpa,
M.balbisinana gigantea,and M.yunnanensis...
anyone else have any sucess stories to share on starting these?
thanks.. happy holidays...
NeedForSeed
12-19-2010, 07:01 AM
I've thought about the exact same thing! Here's a little story about the adventures of my first ever banana sprouts:
I had 5 sikkimensis seeds of which 3 I planted in soil and the remaining 2 I put in wet paper. All of the seeds were placed in some sort of germination box where the temperature altered between 15 and 32C (59-90F). A few weeks later a sikkimensis in soil had sprouted and it was placed under light. Nothing else sprouted until the other two seeds, which were left in the same container as the sprout, sprouted a few months later in room temperature.
By the end of this summer I tossed down the other sikkimensis seeds which were in wet paper in the same container as the baby sikki and forgot about them. A few days ago I discovered another sprout even if the soil was very dry now during the winter!
In conclusion, four out of five sprouted at different temperatures during almost a year. I don't know if this is how it's supposed to be with musa seeds, but the germination sure feels random!
Also, I now have some velutina, ventricosum, itinerans and musella lasiocarpa seeds in water and I was wondering if anybody have some tips on how to germinate these.
eric27
12-19-2010, 12:54 PM
nanner-I can only comment on the Daj on your list. Like I said I now have 2 out of 10, which I htink is a pretty good ratio. I soaked them for 2 or 3 days. Put them in a deli box (although many of mine are also in plastic bags-I think either works well.) in seed starting mix. For the Daj I think I had them on a heat mat constantly but not sure. After about 6 weeks or so I needed the mat for something else so I just put the deli box aside. Adn then they started germinating. The seciond one germinated at room temp also but next to a sunny window with the top off.
Need-I can only comment on the Ensente cause I can't get an Itierans to germinate to save my life. I know many people use constant heat for Ensente to germinate, but all of mine have always germianted at room temp, without heat, in plastic bags. I did soak them for 2 or 3 days first.
nannerfunboi
12-19-2010, 03:47 PM
thanks eric.. aside from enjoying banana plants and the tropical
affect they give my yard.. i enjoy the challenge of trying to get these
seeds to germinate.. yrs ago i got some pulsatilla seeds from T&M .. from
ukraine area.. i finally got them to germinate..and they are going great now
for all this time.. id never be able to find the plants anywhere..
so same with these bananas..
thanks to all...
happy holidays...
vBulletin® v3.6.8, Copyright ©2000-2020, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.