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Coconut Palm in North Carolina Experiment


ZPalms

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This is for fun and I know this will probably most likely end in the death of the tree but as an experiment I'm gonna go ahead and give it a grow and see how long I can keep it alive, I picked up a coconut from the store and will start germinating it today and will post updates here. B)

1849729465_image0(5).thumb.jpeg.3b9b23a2f4992d0c45f443e8cac10775.jpeg

image0 (6).jpeg

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Good luck! Even though everyone on here grows coconuts from the store I haven't had any success yet. Broke down and just bought a small coconut palm last year. Keep us posted. 

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Assuming you are able to germinate your store bought coconut and get it to the point where it roots and grows vegetatively beyond just the white shoot coming out the eye, grow it in a pot with mostly sand as the media.  Mix with the sand maybe 20-30% soil, this has worked well for me and I haven't had a single potted coconut rot since I have used this method and I had always had that issue because my climate is marginal for Cocos.

A coconut will never be able to grow in the ground in your area since half of the year is far too cool/cold.  That is unless, you literally built a heated greenhouse around it.  You should be able to grow a potted coconut outside there from May through September (might as well bring it in if you have a night below 50F).

Good luck and keep us up to date.

Note, I got lazy and actually potted a coconut from South Florida in 100% soil last summer.  It germinated for me shortly thereafter and sure enough it rotted in February after a chilly but freezeless winter.  All the others(about 10) in mostly sand were fine.

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7 hours ago, palmsOrl said:

Assuming you are able to germinate your store bought coconut and get it to the point where it roots and grows vegetatively beyond just the white shoot coming out the eye, grow it in a pot with mostly sand as the media.  Mix with the sand maybe 20-30% soil, this has worked well for me and I haven't had a single potted coconut rot since I have used this method and I had always had that issue because my climate is marginal for Cocos.

A coconut will never be able to grow in the ground in your area since half of the year is far too cool/cold.  That is unless, you literally built a heated greenhouse around it.  You should be able to grow a potted coconut outside there from May through September (might as well bring it in if you have a night below 50F).

Good luck and keep us up to date.

Note, I got lazy and actually potted a coconut from South Florida in 100% soil last summer.  It germinated for me shortly thereafter and sure enough it rotted in February after a chilly but freezeless winter.  All the others(about 10) in mostly sand were fine.

Do you have a sand that you recommend?

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Just a small update, the coconut sat in a pot of water for 3 days and I changed the water daily but then I moved it into a baggy with a bit of water in the corner sitting in a bowl on top of a heating pad and I change the water everyday and rinse the coconut off since white mold or whatever it is keeps forming on it which I don't know if that's a sign my coconut is not successful or its just natural from the excess humidity and water but ill keep going with it :greenthumb:

IMG_5489.jpg

Edited by ZPalms
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Don't bother when store bought coconuts.  While you can have success the chances are low.  Just buy a sprouted coconut from eBay.

I bought this one from eBay.20201210_115759.thumb.jpg.51dff633d9fe4b91af2ddcf2eeab9892.jpg

Here it is today.20210501_071643.thumb.jpg.b0578a9d73ff6cac74c314077fe0b500.jpg

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11 minutes ago, Reyes Vargas said:

Don't bother when store bought coconuts.  While you can have success the chances are low.  Just buy a sprouted coconut from eBay.

I bought this one from eBay.20201210_115759.thumb.jpg.51dff633d9fe4b91af2ddcf2eeab9892.jpg

Here it is today.20210501_071643.thumb.jpg.b0578a9d73ff6cac74c314077fe0b500.jpg

How long have you had it @Reyes Vargas?

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8 minutes ago, JohnAndSancho said:

How long have you had it @Reyes Vargas?

First picture is 12/10/2020 second picture is 5/01/2021 so 5 months.

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35 minutes ago, Reyes Vargas said:

First picture is 12/10/2020 second picture is 5/01/2021 so 5 months.

That ain't bad. Should be a rocket in your climate down there. 

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7 hours ago, Reyes Vargas said:

Don't bother when store bought coconuts.  While you can have success the chances are low.  Just buy a sprouted coconut from eBay.

I bought this one from eBay.20201210_115759.thumb.jpg.51dff633d9fe4b91af2ddcf2eeab9892.jpg

Here it is today.20210501_071643.thumb.jpg.b0578a9d73ff6cac74c314077fe0b500.jpg

If the one I have never sprouts then i'll try buying one sprouted :greenthumb:

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Is their a way to tell if my coconut isn't going to sprout, I'd hate to just throw it away but it's been a couple days and haven't seen a thing and the liquid is still on the inside

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16 minutes ago, ZPalms said:

Is their a way to tell if my coconut isn't going to sprout, I'd hate to just throw it away but it's been a couple days and haven't seen a thing and the liquid is still on the inside

It's gonna take more than a couple days, man. 

 

@Rickybobby has a whole thread and I think a YouTube video on germinating store bought coconuts on here somewhere. 

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5 minutes ago, JohnAndSancho said:

It's gonna take more than a couple days, man. 

 

@Rickybobby has a whole thread and I think a YouTube video on germinating store bought coconuts on here somewhere. 

I'll keep going then, the white mold or fuzzy stuff keeps growing on it makes me think it might be a fail and it smells funky ill check out their video!

Edited by ZPalms
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Add some hydrogen peroxide to your water and see if that helps. It can't hurt. 

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13 hours ago, ZPalms said:

I'll keep going then, the white mold or fuzzy stuff keeps growing on it makes me think it might be a fail and it smells funky ill check out their video!

Zpalms i actually found one in the grocery store once with the white thing coming out of one of the eyes and sprouted it.  It grew for a few months but it was winter so it died.  Bit it can be done! I always rummage through the coconuts at the store looking for another one. Lol

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Coconuts can take months to germinate even in ideal conditions.

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Meg

Palms of Victory I shall wear

Cape Coral (It's Just Paradise)
Florida
Zone 10A on the Isabelle Canal
Elevation: 15 feet

I'd like to be under the sea in an octopus' garden in the shade.

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15 hours ago, KsLouisiana said:

Zpalms i actually found one in the grocery store once with the white thing coming out of one of the eyes and sprouted it.  It grew for a few months but it was winter so it died.  Bit it can be done! I always rummage through the coconuts at the store looking for another one. Lol

Oh I didn't know you could find half sprouted coconuts at the store, I'll keep my eye out thanks!

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Yes my YouTube channel southern Ontario palms and tropicals. Gives advice on what to look for in the store and also how to speed the germination up if it’s a proper specimen 

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Wow, so glad to find a recent and active thread on these. What were the chances?

I bought one late Thursday night 5/20 from Kanoa Hawaii. It shipped Mon 24 overnight FedEx from Hilo. Received it Tues morning the 25th.

It's been four days and no growth. Meanwhile, my slow dog Hawaiian tree ferns show new growth everyday. How slow are these coconuts?

I bought one years ago that was already 3' tall that produced new leaves fairly fast outdoors in summer. It died instantly days before Christmas, my fault I didn't know the 60º rule.

This is my first sprouted baby. I have no idea what to expect but warmer temps are ahead to make it happy.

Kanoa says temps below 60ºF will kill it. Who knows what a plane's cargo bay temps are at 30,000 feet, but I hope this one isn't DOA.  

ADC8B41C-EF80-49F3-B9FF-AE5F88004AFA.jpeg

866194FE-D30A-43C3-AD39-10C14D0C5719.jpeg

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On 5/29/2021 at 1:11 PM, Rickybobby said:

Yes my YouTube channel southern Ontario palms and tropicals. Gives advice on what to look for in the store and also how to speed the germination up if it’s a proper specimen 

Checking out! thanks!

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On 5/29/2021 at 12:11 PM, Rickybobby said:

Yes my YouTube channel southern Ontario palms and tropicals. 

Palm trees = calm trees :shaka-2:

 

Glad to see you posting again, bro. 

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On 5/29/2021 at 4:36 PM, HiwaKika said:

Wow, so glad to find a recent and active thread on these. What were the chances?

I bought one late Thursday night 5/20 from Kanoa Hawaii. It shipped Mon 24 overnight FedEx from Hilo. Received it Tues morning the 25th.

It's been four days and no growth. Meanwhile, my slow dog Hawaiian tree ferns show new growth everyday. How slow are these coconuts?

I bought one years ago that was already 3' tall that produced new leaves fairly fast outdoors in summer. It died instantly days before Christmas, my fault I didn't know the 60º rule.

This is my first sprouted baby. I have no idea what to expect but warmer temps are ahead to make it happy.

Kanoa says temps below 60ºF will kill it. Who knows what a plane's cargo bay temps are at 30,000 feet, but I hope this one isn't DOA.  

ADC8B41C-EF80-49F3-B9FF-AE5F88004AFA.jpeg

866194FE-D30A-43C3-AD39-10C14D0C5719.jpeg

If temps below 60° will kill coconuts there wouldn't be any in Florida even in Miami we're it can and has gone as cold as the 30s.  Even here in the RGV before the arctic blast there we're quite a few tall coconuts growing.  We routinely get into the 30s (not freezing) and they didn't die (until the arctic blast).

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I agree with Reyes.  Coconuts will tolerate a short light freeze but apparently their cut off temp to make chlorophyll is 40 F.  So prolonged temperatures below 40 F will eventually kill the palm

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16 hours ago, Reyes Vargas said:

If temps below 60° will kill coconuts there wouldn't be any in Florida even in Miami we're it can and has gone as cold as the 30s.  Even here in the RGV before the arctic blast there we're quite a few tall coconuts growing.  We routinely get into the 30s (not freezing) and they didn't die (until the arctic blast).

You're talking about mature palms in ground with established root systems that survive a rare cold snap. This thread is about pups living in a coconut or small pot. I emailed Kanoa for some clarification.  

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45 minutes ago, HiwaKika said:

You're talking about mature palms in ground with established root systems that survive a rare cold snap. This thread is about pups living in a coconut or small pot. I emailed Kanoa for some clarification.  

Below 60 won't kill the lil sprouting guys, I have them outside every winter on the ground and in pots and we get short periods below 60 F.

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12 minutes ago, NOT A TA said:

Below 60 won't kill the lil sprouting guys, I have them outside every winter on the ground and in pots and we get short periods below 60 F.

I agree 60º is pushing it and I believe you.

The small coco I had outdoors (3 footer) saw many nights well below 60º (I'm guessing low 40s) before it turned brown and quit late Dec. In fact, it still gets below 60º right now. 

Here's what their website says about sprouted coconuts:

How to grow a Coconut palm:

Plant the coconut in a well-drained soil or potting mix, covering only the lower one-third.  Water it daily.  As long as the soil drains well, it is difficult to give it too much water.  Keep the temperature at 70℉ or above and in full sun.  For the first year the plant will absorb nutrients stored in the coconut itself, but later it will require (and respond) to the use of a general garden fertilizer.

But in our conversation they said below 60º is the danger zone that will kill it. Of course, that cannot apply to all coconuts. And just because one sprouts, it doesn't make it a successful coconut tree. A lot of plants begin life and fail. Maybe Kanoa says 60º just to be extra safe.

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Update from Kanoa:

ME:  Just to clarify, what is the lowest temp this thing (baby coco) can tolerate? My memory says 60ºF?

KANOA: Aloha! When in doubt, check the product label that came with your coconut. We say 70 there. 60 was you and I in a conversation and was simply a very worst case scenario. Its not to say it would be normal or happy at 60. Mahalo ...

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My coconut is so smelly LOL, I don't know if thats a normal but it but it smells like garbage :indifferent::floor2:

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On 6/1/2021 at 3:17 PM, ZPalms said:

My coconut is so smelly LOL, I don't know if thats a normal but it but it smells like garbage :indifferent::floor2:

That is not normal.  Tends to indicate rotting or foul soil

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5 hours ago, jimmyt said:

That is not normal.  Tends to indicate rotting or foul soil

So this coconut is officially no good cause it's just sitting in water in a plastic baggy and it's foul

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@ZPalms I would change out the water and clean off the coconut as best you can to give it a fresh start.   I have tried the same method you are many times with only one instance of temporary growth.  When the coconut begins to smell like food gone bad in your refrigerator, then you know the experiment is beginning to fail.  Good luck! 

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1 hour ago, jimmyt said:

@ZPalms I would change out the water and clean off the coconut as best you can to give it a fresh start.   I have tried the same method you are many times with only one instance of temporary growth.  When the coconut begins to smell like food gone bad in your refrigerator, then you know the experiment is beginning to fail.  Good luck! 

I do change the water out and spray it off, I'm gonna get some peroxide to help combat the growth and just give it a couple more days

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Now I think im gonna grab a bunch from the grocery store and throw them in the woods just to see what happens...

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1 hour ago, KsLouisiana said:

Now I think im gonna grab a bunch from the grocery store and throw them in the woods just to see what happens...

That just might work lol

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Palms - 4 S. romanzoffiana, 1 W. bifurcata, 2 W. robusta, 1 R. rivularis, 1 B. odorata, 1 B. nobilis, 2 S. palmetto, 1 A. merillii, 1 P. canariensis, 1 BxJ, 1 BxJxBxS, 1 BxS, 3 P. roebelenii, 1 H. lagenicaulis, 1 H. verschaffeltii, 9 T. fortunei, 1 C. humilis, 2 C. macrocarpa, 1 L. chinensis, 1 R. excelsa

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One of the factors involved in sprouting store bought husked coconuts is that they are not allowed to fully mature on the tree till they drop. They are more desirable from a taste perspective when harvested months before maturity. It's also a lot easier to remove the husk at that point. So different "batches" from a grower might be picked earlier or later than a different "batch" based on their local variables of weather, labor, and such..  Also different growers may harvest earlier or later as the nuts mature compared with other growers. Shipping, storage, shelf time, etc. will all also be different depending on time of year and what not. So germinating husked store bought coconuts is sort of a crap shoot to start with and then there's all the micro climate variables palmy people are using to try to germinate them along with the various techniques.

@ZPalms I do have some Green Malayan Dwarf coconut seedlings that are ready to ship.  I germinated some over winter (outside where temps went into the 40's). They're not on my website or Ebay listings because I don't have a lot of them so not worth the time to create listings or place ads. I've shipped them in years past and I think the most Northern one is with a member here in Michigan.  Anyway, $25.00 for one including USPS Priority in a med flat rate box.  If you want one send me a PM and I'll send an invoice to your regular email address.

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8 hours ago, NOT A TA said:

One of the factors involved in sprouting store bought husked coconuts is that they are not allowed to fully mature on the tree till they drop. They are more desirable from a taste perspective when harvested months before maturity. It's also a lot easier to remove the husk at that point. So different "batches" from a grower might be picked earlier or later than a different "batch" based on their local variables of weather, labor, and such..  Also different growers may harvest earlier or later as the nuts mature compared with other growers. Shipping, storage, shelf time, etc. will all also be different depending on time of year and what not. So germinating husked store bought coconuts is sort of a crap shoot to start with and then there's all the micro climate variables palmy people are using to try to germinate them along with the various techniques.

@ZPalms I do have some Green Malayan Dwarf coconut seedlings that are ready to ship.  I germinated some over winter (outside where temps went into the 40's). They're not on my website or Ebay listings because I don't have a lot of them so not worth the time to create listings or place ads. I've shipped them in years past and I think the most Northern one is with a member here in Michigan.  Anyway, $25.00 for one including USPS Priority in a med flat rate box.  If you want one send me a PM and I'll send an invoice to your regular email address.

Damn, If I had the money I would buy one but I only have 6$ but if hopefully If you have any still when I do have money I’ll definitely get one, a dwarf would be easier for me to take care of

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51 minutes ago, ZPalms said:

a dwarf would be easier for me to take care of

Dwarf doesn't mean that the coconut palm will stay short.  Dwarf variety still get 50ft to 60ft tall.  The dwarf designation means that they will produce coconuts when they are shorter than a regular coconut.

Edited by Reyes Vargas
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Just now, Reyes Vargas said:

Dwarf doesn't mean that the coconut palm will stay short.  Dwarf variety still get 50ft to 60ft tall.  The dwarf designation is that they will produce coconuts when they are shorter than a regular coconut.

Oh oops :floor: 

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48 minutes ago, ZPalms said:

Damn, If I had the money I would buy one but I only have 6$ but if hopefully If you have any still when I do have money I’ll definitely get one, a dwarf would be easier for me to take care of

I germinate them and grow them to sell to homeowners locally who aren't really palmy people but want the Green Malayan dwarfs because of the sweet water and smaller stature of the tree when they begin to produce. So typically I have quite a few of different ages. I'm in the middle of home restoration and had to give up sections of the yard by the house I normally use for germinating coconuts during winter because of demolition/construction. So less sprouting right now.  Once I finish rebuilding I'll go back to germinating larger quantities. Just let me know when you're ready!

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