Need quick help for germination
 

Hi banana experts.

I have the following species to germinate :

Musa zebrina blood banana
Musa ornata purple
Musa laterita
Ensete perierii
Ensete ventricosum

I have the following recources at my possession:

1. Plastic zip-lock bags
2. Hydrogen peroxide 3% (my wifes - usually used for wounds, but I will steal it)
3. Some cheap potting soil
4. Perlite
5. Sand (not sterile)
6. Room temperature
7. Heating radiator (with solid 30-35 C above it - depending on distance)

So, I need advice how to germinate this babies

P.S. I think it is important to say, that I'm expirienced in germinating bananas, so I dont need any basic instructions.
I need advice regarding this exact bananas / ensetes, such as germinating temperatures and stuff.
Thank you :waving:

Re: Need quick help for germination
 

http://www.bananas.org/f30/germination-guide-3116.html

This thread should be a lot of help. Read from the first post to the last. It helped me.

Re: Need quick help for germination
 

I meant, that you give me the advice for these exact species, depending on your actual expiriences :lurk:

Re: Need quick help for germination
 

Do a search on each species, there is tons of info here that has already been discussed

Re: Need quick help for germination
 

Ok, can you at least tell me how to use 3% Hydrogen peroxide, in order to sterilize my seeds ?

:doggyandnaner:

Re: Need quick help for germination
 

Banana seeds have always germinated best for me in non-sterile conditions.

Re: Need quick help for germination
 

yep, me too. I wouldn't bother with the hydrogen peroxide. Could do more harm than good.

Re: Need quick help for germination
 

I will take the risk. There is no progres without a little experimenting.

So, for how long should I soak the musa / ensete seeds in 3% H2O2 to sterilize them and hopefully help germination ?
And, should I soak them in H2O2 at the begining of regular 48 hour soak in warm water, or at the end ?

Thank you

Re: Need quick help for germination
 

I received some banana seeds. I have not a glue how to begin and can I store them for later use ? Help please
Thanks

Re: Need quick help for germination
 

This is going to horrify you, Crawler, but I belong to the absolutely non-sterile conditions camp of banana seed germination. I like to soak them in rainwater for 2 days, then suck on the seeds for about 10 minutes while contemplating the lovely plants they will become. Then they get planted into compost and left on the back of the fridge (a situation not unlike your radiator) until they sprout. Using this method, I have a nearly 100% germination rate for Musa, Ensete, Heliconia, and Canna.

I have never been particularly specific about germination temperatures or special techniques, but the one time I did try to do this in a sterile environment, only one out of 10 of my seeds sprouted.

Re: Need quick help for germination
 

oh another member sucking on the seeds to make sure they succeed!:ha:
Wonder where you got that idea?

Re: Need quick help for germination
 

Hmm, I was allways wondering how U can talk to plants with mouth full of seeds? Tryed many times and they have never understand me a bit.
:woohoonaner:

Re: Need quick help for germination
 

You suck on the seeds? What do they taste like? :ha:

Re: Need quick help for germination
 

Not a lot of flavor James! This is something Tog Tan started it was a joke here for a while. Still the last ones I tried ended up in the pie jhole.

Re: Need quick help for germination
 

Really? Maybe it's a tropical thing. And I was sucking on seeds before Tog ever brought it up - it's the best way to remove the membranes from Papaya seeds before drying them for shipping, and it's also the best way to expose Annona seeds to the requisite enzymes that allow them to germinate. Much easier than feeding them to Cuys, that's for dang sure.

Re: Need quick help for germination
 

OK,

after a month, I have germination rate under 10%.

9 Plants aut of 125 seeds.

THIS IS NOT GOOD !!!!!

Re: Need quick help for germination
 

sounds par for the course to me. Which species? There are a lot of unviable seeds about.