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View Full Version : Musa ensete (Ethiopian Banana) help please


yetti12
09-01-2016, 10:58 PM
Hey everyone!

So got some Musa ensete (Ethiopian Banana) from veseys. Im not 100% sure if that was a good place or not. I followed the packaging directions which was soak for 24-48 hours then sowed them in soil 1/4" deep. attached is what the seeds look like as well as what i originally planted them in.

I started all this august 1 with 2 seeds and 3 more august 5. I had the pots originally sitting in large ziploc bags to seal in the humidity. then i decided to buy a heat matt and place the pots on it yet with saran wrap on each one as you see in the picture...

I know you have to be patient, but i was curious and i unburied the seeds just today September 1st and they look exactly like day 1...

Any help or guidance we be great! i just want one to work..

If these aren't the good strand of seeds or easiest ones, please guide me in which ones i should buy next..

Thank you!

beam2050
10-18-2016, 07:34 AM
hi. I am like you just joined. I have some ensete glaucom . I do not know how much the same they are but I have 5 in bags with paper towels. and I have 10 pots in a pan with a little water in the pan for about 2 months. I have had 1 come up. I have numerous other seeds in bags and in pots. and have had only 1 other come up. it died. I recently bought a germinator to see if I can get things working faster. ok here are a couple of tips. get them out of the sun. put them where they get constant temperature, as much as possible. 80 to 85 degrees might be the best. and cover your buckets with towels, they will come up better in total darkness. if you have a garage or shed they'll be warmer.

edwmax
10-18-2016, 08:29 AM
This page might help. https://www.seedman.com/banana.htm

Did you scarf the seeds? That is cut/scratch the outer hull so water can get though. The outer hull is extremely hard which allows the seed to last a long time in the ground without rotting. Some labs remove this hull completely to get the seed to sprout.

Also, the commercial eatable varieties of bananas are hybrids and seeds from these will not come back true to the parent plant.

beam2050
10-18-2016, 08:48 AM
scarifying the seeds is most offen used but I read that deliding the embryo works faster and is easier to do. I have ground the outer hull on mine. so the next batch I am going to delid. the only one to come up so far is the one I did not scratch the outer hull and I used a wood file to do the scarifying.