Germinating a Super Market clean coconut??

[DawnneNSkipper 0]

Here's a good question: Does anyone know in using dehusked coconuts (since I have one left, and I think it has promise) when you are trying to get them to sprout how they should be oriented-on their side, all eyes up, however it is supposed to be. I really need help with this, going through soaks in hot water and putting it in a plastic bag with air, sitting it on a cup, then repeating. I just don't know what eye should be up if it is supposed to be on its side.

If anybody has a coconut with the husk-something that could be shipped-I don't know at what stage you can't ship them anymore I'd be happy to pay the cost of shipping, not a problem...

[aztropic 2,079]

If you look at the nut and its three eyes,you'll notice the nut is divided into three sections.If you look at the angles of those sections,2 are about the same with the third angle being noticeably larger.This is the eye that will sprout and should be oriented up if the nut is on its side.

Good Luck!

aztropic

[Trópico 73]

Here's a good question: Does anyone know in using dehusked coconuts (since I have one left, and I think it has promise) when you are trying to get them to sprout how they should be oriented-on their side, all eyes up, however it is supposed to be. I really need help with this, going through soaks in hot water and putting it in a plastic bag with air, sitting it on a cup, then repeating. I just don't know what eye should be up if it is supposed to be on its side.

If anybody has a coconut with the husk-something that could be shipped-I don't know at what stage you can't ship them anymore I'd be happy to pay the cost of shipping, not a problem...

Shaking the coconut (or begging to it) won't speed up the process. Coconuts tend to germinate when no one is looking. Leave it alone, in a bag, or pot, etc. High humidity (little to no water), high heat, and patience; the orientation matters little, until embryo starts to send roots to the ground.

[tjwalters 188]

Found this in the grocery store a couple hours ago and, for $1.99, I had to give it a shot. Looks healthy enough - so, now what to do?

I'm assuming:

• Since the husk has been removed, keep out of direct sun
  
• Bury horizontally to just the root tip (which seems to have already established a direction) in well-draining soil
  
• Keep warm (it's been upper 80s to upper 90s here)
  
• Protect from critters (essential around here)
  

Any other thoughts/ideas/instructions?

This seems to answer the question about the de-husked grocery store coconut's ability to germinate.

[Tyrone 1,993]

You see, Peachy..

With the endosperm (coconut meat) connected

to the endocarp (the shell),

And the endocarp connected

to the mesocarp (the husk),

And the mesocarp connected

to the epicarp (the smooth, green outer surface),

Oh mercy how they scare!

And here we have a minicarp! it's full grown.

it grew on this. The tree is very orangee as are the fruit until they dry. This variety of cocos is from New Guinea.

Send me your mailing address Jason and I'll mail you one.

That looks like the wild ancestral form of coconut before humans started playing around with selective breeding to produce big fruit.

This thread reminds me of when I was doing this coconut germination thing a few years back. I got quite a few going including a Samoan nut that got to the 5 leaf stage, but I let it dry right out in winter and it died in my tunnel house. If I'd watered it and put it on a heat mat it would have been OK. I had others grow on well, but some got fungus problems and a couple I killed with kindness by giving them too much fertiliser.

The problem I found was it didn't take long for the coconut to get big, and outgrow it's life support system if it was too cold outside, so you're tempted to try it outside before it's ready. Young coconuts are not very cold tolerant, however if you can get them past the 1m tall stage they get more cold tolerance. So one summer in 07 I bought a coconut from a nursery and put that in the ground and it is now going through it's third winter outside with a bit of protection.

Best regards

Tyrone

[Trópico 73]

Found this in the grocery store a couple hours ago and, for $1.99, I had to give it a shot. Looks healthy enough - so, now what to do?

I'm assuming:

• Since the husk has been removed, keep out of direct sun
  
• Bury horizontally to just the root tip (which seems to have already established a direction) in well-draining soil
  
• Keep warm (it's been upper 80s to upper 90s here)
  
• Protect from critters (essential around here)
  

Any other thoughts/ideas/instructions?

This seems to answer the question about the de-husked grocery store coconut's ability to germinate.

Good Tom! It appears there is a shipment of very fresh coconuts making it to the supermarkets, some of them already sprouted, so this is the time to head over to get yours!

And please, don't follow the tag's instructions!

[Trópico 73]

How are everyone's coconuts doing? Here are mine...

Coconut #1, #2

[Trópico 73]

Coco #2 seed develop this crack; the white milky stuff is Daconil.

[Trópico 73]

Cocos #3 still in the germination bag. Then ready for planting. Dog for scale.

[Trópico 73]

And here are all three, taken today. Cocos #1 is in its second leaf!

[JEFF IN MODESTO 353]

And here are all three, taken today. Cocos #1 is in its second leaf!

Just for Sh*ts and grins, I planted a freshly dehusked store bought coconut...

It rotted out in the peat moss and perlite mix

.

Jeff

[AggiePalms 9]

Speaking of coconut climatic distribution...To back up what a couple of people said, I saw on here earlier this year that the furthest north naturally seeded coconut on the east coast of Florida is near the inlet at the sount end of the barrier island that contains Daytona Beach, about 9 miles south of town. I will check that out this winter.

Now, about growing one from the supermarket...Jason, you have just as good a chance with a (healthy) supermarket coconut as getting one from the beach in Miami. You can probably sprout it, if you keep it very warm like everyone on here has said. Keeping it alive for the next decade...I wish you a lot of luck; they just typically give up to fungal and other problems after a couple of years in temperatures that are too cold. I tried twice; I gave them heat and love, finally I lost the tree both times. But, hey, better to try to grow a coconut in Wisconsin than to never have tried. Go for it!

[Mark Heath 34]

Cocos #3 still in the germination bag. Then ready for planting. Dog for scale.

Good job Frank! They look fantastic. Is that a Husky? Beautifull dog, my Husky is mostly black.

[Dundo 13]

Coco #2 seed develop this crack; the white milky stuff is Daconil.

I am glad that u explained that

Edited September 6, 2010 by Dundo

[SoTropiCal Ben 57]

Nice job Frank. I heard of this being done on a thread a while back. I'm going to also try this out. Question though, what genus are the white/ivory colored coconuts you see in the Super Market? Not sure if FL has them, but we have them out here in SoCal along with the brown ones. Does anybody know?

B

[Zeeth 2,262]

Nice job Frank. I heard of this being done on a thread a while back. I'm going to also try this out. Question though, what genus are the white/ivory colored coconuts you see in the Super Market? Not sure if FL has them, but we have them out here in SoCal along with the brown ones. Does anybody know?

B

Those are from coconuts that were picked when green, and haven't had time to brown. If you cut a coconut down from a tree for the water when it's green, the husk will be white when you remove the fibery husk

[SoTropiCal Ben 57]

Nice job Frank. I heard of this being done on a thread a while back. I'm going to also try this out. Question though, what genus are the white/ivory colored coconuts you see in the Super Market? Not sure if FL has them, but we have them out here in SoCal along with the brown ones. Does anybody know?

B

Those are from coconuts that were picked when green, and haven't had time to brown. If you cut a coconut down from a tree for the water when it's green, the husk will be white when you remove the fibery husk

Gotcha, gotcha. So would that be an indication that the whites are more fresh, and more apt to germination?

[Zeeth 2,262]

Nice job Frank. I heard of this being done on a thread a while back. I'm going to also try this out. Question though, what genus are the white/ivory colored coconuts you see in the Super Market? Not sure if FL has them, but we have them out here in SoCal along with the brown ones. Does anybody know?

B

Those are from coconuts that were picked when green, and haven't had time to brown. If you cut a coconut down from a tree for the water when it's green, the husk will be white when you remove the fibery husk

Gotcha, gotcha. So would that be an indication that the whites are more fresh, and more apt to germination?

The inverse actually. Whites are probably picked too green, where browns are probably picked later, so have a better chance of germinating

[_Rich 44]

C'est possible mes amis! Es posible mi amigos! Winn Dixie bought dehusked coconut starting to show it's stuff...

[Bae72 2]

Just bumping this thread to ask for a bit of info. In Coles and Safeway (local supermarket duopoly) they sell dehusked coconuts from Samoa. I've tried a few and had no luck. Some seemed to have sprouted a bit before I bought them, others just looked OK (not cracked or mouldy). All had plenty of juice in them when I bought them. When I got them home, some have cracked due to too much heat, and others, meh....

Anyway, the suggestion to pick off the eye to check the state of the embryo seemed a good one. Also, I note on another thread that somebody suggested nicking the embryo to kick start germination. Sound plausible? Perhaps being from Samoa, the poor little blighters have been chilled to death before reaching the supermarket?

I'm going to Cairns soon to pick up some coconuts, but you can never have too many of them seeing how easily they drop off the mortal coil when under my care.

Edited April 12, 2011 by Bae72

[tjwalters 188]

Found this in the grocery store a couple hours ago and, for $1.99, I had to give it a shot. Looks healthy enough - so, now what to do?

I'm assuming:

• Since the husk has been removed, keep out of direct sun
  
• Bury horizontally to just the root tip (which seems to have already established a direction) in well-draining soil
  
• Keep warm (it's been upper 80s to upper 90s here)
  
• Protect from critters (essential around here)
  

Any other thoughts/ideas/instructions?

This seems to answer the question about the de-husked grocery store coconut's ability to germinate.

Good Tom! It appears there is a shipment of very fresh coconuts making it to the supermarkets, some of them already sprouted, so this is the time to head over to get yours!

And please, don't follow the tag's instructions!

Thought I'd provide an update on this: The groove on this "groovy coconut" allowed infection to set in and the sprouting nut perished. If I find another (and I do look occasionally) I will sterilize and seal the groove before planting.

[Bae72 2]

OK, got 3 likely types from the supermarket. I tried gently to lift the 'cap' off the embryo. I managed to puncture it with two of them, they had white, juicy 'meat' underneath so I consider those embryos alive and tickled. The third one let the cap off and it had a whiteish-greenish flesh that looked dry. I think that one is a goner. I'm going to soak them in water at room temperature (20 odd degrees) for 24 hours, then plant them in some potting mix and keep them warm and see what happens.

[Bae72 2]

OK, got 3 likely types from the supermarket. I tried gently to lift the 'cap' off the embryo. I managed to puncture it with two of them, they had white, juicy 'meat' underneath so I consider those embryos alive and tickled. The third one let the cap off and it had a whiteish-greenish flesh that looked dry. I think that one is a goner. I'm going to soak them in water at room temperature (20 odd degrees) for 24 hours, then put them in separate plastic bags and keep them warm and see what happens.

[John in Andalucia 623]

I ought to chime in as it was me who "tickled" that coconut. Nicking the embryo was accidental, during a first attempt at what is now commonly known as "de-lidding". That's what got several people here hooked on trying this. I can't say if nicking the embryo was necessary, since the de-lidding process alone has shown to yield the desired results. In my first two attempts, having successfully germinated both coconuts, I blew it by planting them half-submerged in pots in bright sunshine. De-husked coconuts will crack open if you do this, due to uneven expansion and contraction of the endocarp. Do what others have done, and start them in a large "baggie" somewhere warm, but out of the sun. If you want to pot them up straight from germination, bury the nut in sand or vermiculite in a deep pot.

[Bae72 2]

I ought to chime in as it was me who "tickled" that coconut. Nicking the embryo was accidental, during a first attempt at what is now commonly known as "de-lidding". That's what got several people here hooked on trying this. I can't say if nicking the embryo was necessary, since the de-lidding process alone has shown to yield the desired results. In my first two attempts, having successfully germinated both coconuts, I blew it by planting them half-submerged in pots in bright sunshine. De-husked coconuts will crack open if you do this, due to uneven expansion and contraction of the endocarp. Do what others have done, and start them in a large "baggie" somewhere warm, but out of the sun. If you want to pot them up straight from germination, bury the nut in sand or vermiculite in a deep pot.

Hola John, I tried delidding the coconuts with a very small flat-head screwdriver. That just pierced the cap. How does one delid without banging-up the embryo? Any pictures to see the process in action?

[John in Andalucia 623]

I ought to chime in as it was me who "tickled" that coconut. Nicking the embryo was accidental, during a first attempt at what is now commonly known as "de-lidding". That's what got several people here hooked on trying this. I can't say if nicking the embryo was necessary, since the de-lidding process alone has shown to yield the desired results. In my first two attempts, having successfully germinated both coconuts, I blew it by planting them half-submerged in pots in bright sunshine. De-husked coconuts will crack open if you do this, due to uneven expansion and contraction of the endocarp. Do what others have done, and start them in a large "baggie" somewhere warm, but out of the sun. If you want to pot them up straight from germination, bury the nut in sand or vermiculite in a deep pot.

Hola John, I tried delidding the coconuts with a very small flat-head screwdriver. That just pierced the cap. How does one delid without banging-up the embryo? Any pictures to see the process in action?

Any fine, sharp point such as a scalpel or a modelling knife should do the trick. Even a pin would do. Something clean too. A screwdriver sounds a little heavy-duty.

[Bae72 2]

Any fine, sharp point such as a scalpel or a modelling knife should do the trick. Even a pin would do. Something clean too. A screwdriver sounds a little heavy-duty.

It was a precision screwdriver. Very fine, just not a cutting edge. I'll try some more with a cutter or something in the future. I'm curious to know what it should look like when I've taken off the cap. Should there be broken or cut material or will it come off neatly?

[John in Andalucia 623]

Any fine, sharp point such as a scalpel or a modelling knife should do the trick. Even a pin would do. Something clean too. A screwdriver sounds a little heavy-duty.

It was a precision screwdriver. Very fine, just not a cutting edge. I'll try some more with a cutter or something in the future. I'm curious to know what it should look like when I've taken off the cap. Should there be broken or cut material or will it come off neatly?

The material covering the pore is a wafer-thin membrane which encases the entire coconut between the endosperm and the endocarp. It is very brittle, and will separate cleanly to reveal the embryo, although it rarely falls away as a complete "disc" (as with some palm seeds). You can easily flick away any fragments of the membrane without damaging the embryo using a fine blade. Treat it like surgery. Hence, clean, cutting edge tools are the only viable option. A pin works well, because you can stick it into the pore at the very edge (angled away from the embryo) and then use it to lever the material away. I hope that helps. Good luck, and keep us updated on your progress.

[Bae72 2]

I've just checked the three coconuts that I bought, soaked and wrapped up the other day. One doesn't seem to have done anything, the one I thought was dead has white mouldy filaments covering it, and here's some pics of the third one:

Close up with blurry flash:

It's started growing! Very cool. What's the next step? Do I leave it in the bag for a while? Plant it in a pot yet?

[Trópico 73]

Congratulations! You have mastered The Art of delidding a seed. Leave it in the bag closed. The button should continue swelling until you see a spike going up and a root going down. At that point it's ready for planting.

[Bae72 2]

Hi, I'm a little concerned about the coconut now. It doesn't appear to have grown in the last 4 days, but more concerning is there is white, fluffly mould like stuff developing on and around the growth. The nut is still in the bag, and hasn't dried out, though it's not dripping wet either. Perhaps it needs more water? heat?

[John in Andalucia 623]

Hi, I'm a little concerned about the coconut now. It doesn't appear to have grown in the last 4 days, but more concerning is there is white, fluffly mould like stuff developing on and around the growth. The nut is still in the bag, and hasn't dried out, though it's not dripping wet either. Perhaps it needs more water? heat?

If you have time, I would suggest:

Remove the coconut from the bag.

Mix a bucket of water with 10% household bleach, and submerge the coconut in the solution for 30 seconds.

Remove coconut from the solution, and with a soft paint brush, "paint" around and over the embryo with the same solution to ensure you remove any fungus spores.

Submerge coconut in a bucket of clean water, and with a clean brush go over the whole coconut whilst it is submerged.

Use a hosepipe on the coconut for a final rinse.

Let the coconut dry somewhere warm and bright for 20 minutes or so.

What are you using as a germination mix? You should change it for something sterile now, in any case. Sand, perlite, vermiculite are all good. If the embryo is buried in a sterile medium, it shouldn't cause any problems. De-lidding can unfortunately bring on fungal attacks around the embryo. Sometimes it's a sign that the embryo has passed the age by which it would naturally begin to germinate.

[Bae72 2]

I managed to dip the coconut in a dilute bleach/water mix that seemed to kill off the mould. I sifted some dirty river sand (couldn't find course sand anywhere) so that I was left with the coarse particles and planted the nut in that. Silly me then put it in my greenhouse. It is a nice day today, 23 degrees or so but in the greenhouse it gets much hotter. The nut has a huge crack along it now. I think that's all she wrote for that plant. Back to the drawing board.....

[Funkthulhu 356]

This is an excellent example of why I shouldn't go snooping around in old threads while I'm bored at work.

I have to go do this now...

[palman 2]

I like mule palms as coconut look alikes........

[Moose 1,469]

This is an excellent example of why I shouldn't go snooping around in old threads while I'm bored at work.

I have to go do this now...

[Walter John 217]

Bought this guy at a Fruit and Veggie store on a country road nearby..for $20

the one in the white bag

[Funkthulhu 356]

Okay, I managed to find a coconut at my local super market which looked like it was pushing out one of its eyes. I took it home, delidded it, and saw the nice healthy looking flesh underneath like the pictures above. Then gave it a soak overnight.

This morning I see that it is now black and spongy:

I suspect I already know the answer, but should I go ahead and eat this one and try again?

[Hammer 650]

If it is as you describe, it's a goner. I had one late last summer that was pushing out its eye. I managed to get it to limp along until it finally gave up the ghost in January.

Such a bummer. It just had me believing...

[Trópico 73]

Not everything should be bad news. My coconut (Coco #1 way above) is already 4 ft tall and pushing a new leaf in a hurry.