Germinating Musa Velutina
 

I have not grown any banana plants before but I am very interested in them. I have an indoor "growery" (not for weed just veggies and fruits xD) and I live in San Diego. I would like to grow some Musa Velutina plants from seed, starting them in the growery and then transplanting them outside into a pot. I just want to make sure my plans are correct for them. Here is what I plan on doing:

1: File one side of the seeds down until I see the white inside (only do that for half, and leave the other half normal for experimental purposes)
2: Let them soak in water for 48 hours
3: Plant them in 3 inch peat pots (I am planning on doing half in soil, half in peat moss, and also some in a paper towel to try a couple methods)
4: Have the pots sit on a heat mat for 5 hours of the day
5: Let them germinate and continue to grow until they are 6 inches to a foot tall inside of the "growery" (which has a average humidity of 50 - 60% and average temperature of 68 - 78 F)
6: Slowly acclimate them to outside
7: Plant them in a pot where they will stay

Also, I have heard that after flowering/fruiting they will die, and I am assuming the pups will then grow up to flower/fruit the next year.
One last thing, how many plants would go well in a 5 gallon pot. I am assuming just one but I also feel like 2 or 3 could fit pretty well. My goal is to have them fruit within a year of germination. Thank you so much!

Re: Germinating Musa Velutina
 

There are many threads for this plant.
I had picked up seeds 20 days ago and they are hopefully going to grow.

Forum contact is ..

Re: Germinating Musa Velutina
 

What is your method of trying to germinate them? Thank you!

Re: Germinating Musa Velutina
 

Like you I scarified them and placed them in cell packs and a shoebox inside a 10 gal aquarium.
For heat/light I have 2 compact daylight 12 watt cfls and two 9 watt modified LED grow lights(red/blue) in the plastic aquarium hood.
Modifications on the LED grow lights entailed cutting the plastic diffuser cover off for slightly more intensity and lower profile.

The color spectrum of the lights is sufficient/inexpensive for the small grow and perfect for a terrarium.
Once they get some roots and height I will move them out of the aquarium and harden them off in another grow area.
I picked up the grow light hack from the DYI cannibis forums and youtube follow up videos.

My light setup is super simple and I can post pics of you wish

After 2.5 months they are currently germinating one by one and are 1.5 inches tall.

My seeds were super fresh days old and it looks like a good germination rate so far.
Believe me.....I did have doubts those black little seeds were going to sprout.

I hope your seeds are doing well.

Re: Germinating Musa Velutina
 

So far I have had none germinate, but it has only been 20 days since I have planted them. I am currently keeping track of each of their heights (all zero right now) and putting them in a spreadsheet so I can see what the best way of germinating them is. My goal is to have the first ones put out roots on the 30th or 31st day (the one's in paper towels).

Re: Germinating Musa Velutina
 

Me...65+- days from planting and still sprouting.
My plants are still in a 10gal .

Thanks for the responsce.....
Glad your plants are doing well.

Re: Germinating Musa Velutina
 

Oh wow! That is really good! I sort of became a seed addict now, and its not just my musa velutina. Its sprouting potatoes, sprouting sweet potatoes, rainbow chard, pears, apples, even some golden berry seeds i extracted from some golden berries from trader joes that are drying on the counter right now, right next to 10 potatoes (sweet and russet), a small bowl of water with pear seeds, and a small bowl of water with guava cuttings from pruning this cute little strawberry guava I got at armstrong's nurseries for only 17 dollars. And I still have more seeds and stuff going on... I think I need help.

When did your first one sprout? I actually checked and today is day 31 for me. Mine were dried, I got them from plant-world-seeds.com, its the first seeds i got from them and I am going to for sure order again, they arrived 2 weeks faster than the minimum amount of time they told me, and they have pretty affordable seeds with an insanely huge variety. Like they have about 250 varieties of tomato. Also, in addition to your first sprouting day, what has your germination rate been so far? I planted 34 seeds so I am hoping for at least 5 germinating, preferably closer to 10, but any more than 5 would make me so so happy. :woohoonaner::woohoonaner::woohoonaner::goteam::goteam::goteam: :birthdaynana::birthdaynana::birthdaynana:

Re: Germinating Musa Velutina
 

I put down 25 seeds Oct 9th and got germination Dec 14ish.....so 60+-days.
So far 8 seeds have broken the soil surface and are starting to develop first leaves with more on the way, I am sure more will follow.
They are under lights for 14 hrs a day.
Seeds were super fresh right out of the fruit.

If you have an interest in tomatoes there are a few varieties with variegated leaves that add some great visual interest to your garden. Fruit is awesome, tastes good and vines are decent producers.

I see an avocado seed in your future:)

Re: Germinating Musa Velutina
 

LOL. I was thinking about doing avocado serds just the other day, they grow really well in my climate and we have tons of them here. The only thing is I will taste the fruit sometime in the next 1.3 decades, but hey, if you wait longer it'll taste better. Sounds like my seeds could take a while, because they are dried out and all. Thank you!

Re: Germinating Musa Velutina
 

Cados seeds are really easy to sprout. I just bury them in soil and I get 100% germination. I have some that I am thinking of grafting this coming spring.

I also have some citrus seeds that my kids sprouted last yr.

At the same time they started some apple seeds. Have 4 of them

Re: Germinating Musa Velutina
 

I too enjoy germinating seeds. I have 2 mango trees I grew from seed, both are now considerably taller than myself at 6 foot 3; one is about 8 feet and the other around 9. One of them should probably fruit next year. I have also germinated several rare palms, as well as rare wild peppers which can be a challenge. I have not germinated any bananas yet, but I have some rare varieties on order to try. I am looking forward to it. Seed germination is a lesson in patience and perseverance and thinking outside the box. My personal method depends on the seed type, but I use peat moss mixed with a beneficial mushroom mycelium mix. Kept moist, in an container in a warm spot, or cold depending on the species.

Re: Germinating Musa Velutina
 

How long ago did those mango seeds germinate? I would bet 3 years (I might be horribly off) if I had to guess.

Re: Germinating Musa Velutina
 

About 4 years.

Re: Germinating Musa Velutina
 

How big of a pot are they in? Or have you planted them in the ground

Re: Germinating Musa Velutina
 

They are in the ground. Both were planted directly in the ground after germination.

Re: Germinating Musa Velutina
 

I have another plant coming up through the sterilized soilless mix..
The plants are at the two leaf stage.....

Re: Germinating Musa Velutina
 

Still nothing on mine, 39 days in

Re: Germinating Musa Velutina
 

If anyone has a few of these they would be willing to ship/sell for a reasonable price let me know. PM

Re: Germinating Musa Velutina
 

How long do the seeds take to germinate ??

Re: Germinating Musa Velutina
 

Check out the thread ....from the beginning maybe some good points are to be had.
Forum members have a few different opinions on germination.