Bismarkia germination

[Jonathan]

I read in a very old (circa 1991) back issue of the PACSOA magazine that germination of Bismarkia can be reduced, from 3-6 months, to just a few weeks by cutting back the epicarp at the 'lipped end' with a small saw or knife to expose the endocarp.

Has anyone tried this or is it just too risky (fungal infections etc.)?

Also...can these be started in community pots or bags and moved into individual pots at the fist signs of germination - I know that root disturbance can be fatal, but if you catch it just as the radicle appears is it ok?

And...is 200mm (8 inches) deep enough for the first pot?

And finally...if one was brave or stupid enough to try cutting the epicarp would it be wise to apply a fungicide - and is Lime Sulphur ok for this purpose.

Sorry to be so needy - and thanks in advance,

Jonathan

[Tad]

just plant the dam things and quit trying to make it so difficult on yourself, Bismarckias are not that hard to germinate!!!

[Jonathan]

Thanks Tad - very constructive advice mate...

I'm not really worried about how difficult they are - they're a common palm (though not round here), so I assume they're not that hard to germinate, I just enjoy propagating things and was interested in a different method.

Still wondering....

[Jeff Searle]

just plant the dam things and quit trying to make it so difficult on yourself, Bismarckias are not that hard to germinate!!!

lol !! This is very true. They are easy to germinate. I don't recomend doing community pots, they produce lots of roots at an early stage that will intertwine all together.The best method is to put one seed into a deep pot. I use a pot thats about 4' square at the top and about 14' deep.

Jeff

[Jonathan]

Cheers Jeff, thats what I needed to know - cold hard facts!

Think I'll cut a few up for a comparison, just for fun.

[Tyrone]

I wouldn't cut any up. I've germinated them before in large polystyrene boxes with pure perlite that I watered regularly. I'd check every seed every day and when I noticed a root I'd pot it up in a warm place. If you let them go too long, they can go from just shot to 200mm of root in 2 or 3 days, so you have to be quick. I've germinated Latania this way too. Bismarckia are very easy to germinate. No need to do weird experiments on them.

Best regards

Tyrone

[Kostas]

I too wouldnt mess with cutting any up as there is really no reason...From my experience with them,germination is very fast anyway to consider cutting the endocarp with all the problems this may have...I am currently germinating Bismarckia nobilis(Silver) seeds in a tupperware container filled to more than half with coco bedding(sold for reptiles,etc at pet shops...) and have it in a position where it receives a couple of hours of morning sun for added heat...The first seeds germinated for me in just 2 weeks(2 out of 5),another one in 3weeks or a bit less and the others currently are on its 3rd week too and waiting for germination...I consider that a germination of 3 out of 5 in just 3 weeks is great for such a species and i wouldnt recomend doing anything to them,just sow them in a hot place with tempratures between 25-35C Mine were kept at 25-30C...

From my experiene with them,sowing them at a bag or tupperware is possible...For me,they didnt grow that long a root(20cm) so soon but rather something like 5cm in that many days(but i only know and could check 1 of them as another germinated without me knowing it as the radicle got under another seed and was hidden from view and only realized it when it reached the bottom...)so if checked daily it shouldnt be a problem! Maybe with warmer tempratures they can grow that fast but here temprature fell to 20-25C while growing their roots...Personally i like to plant them in their own pot after they have grown at least 5cm of root so that the time i dont know what they are doing is limited by some days...

As Jeff said,a pot of only 8" deep would be too shallow probably...I planted mine in 10g pots right from the start that are about 14" deep(or a bit more) too...

I wish you good and fast germination!!!

Edited September 26, 2008 by Kostas

[Jonathan]

Meanwhile, back in the Laboratory...

Oh alright, you've convinced me! I won't cut any up...well, maybe just a small one...no, no, aaghh...help!

But it did sound like an interesting experiment....

Any thoughts on fungicide - I've got a few seeds (mostly Trachycarpus spp.) that are looking quite furry, which is not good, and I have some Lime Sulphur (polysulphide sulphur), but have no clue if its appropriate. Dont want to damage the seeds (unless they're Bismarkias...!...!).

[John in Andalucia]

Jonathan,

How are you germinating your Trachycarpus seeds? At 1000 a time, I use plastic boxes. If they are covered at night in the greenhouse they will produce fungus spores by the morning, so I leave the lid off overnight to let the air get to them. That kind of fungus is not something I treat. In my experience it is a reaction to new seeds coming into a warm, humid environment for the first time. It will disappear if you let the air and sunlight get to them in the morning. I just roll the seeds around in the box, and put the lid back on. I'm sure the seeds build up an immunity.

[Kostas]

I too sow exclusively in tupperware containers but keep them in my bedroom at a place that suits the temprature requirements of the seeds...I always keep them closed.Fungus,as said only appears at the beggining and only in some seeds,mostly on the ones not so well cleaned...I dont use fungicids for that,i just take the affected seeds out,wash and rub them under the tap and then put them back in,removing a bit of the soil they rested if the fungus had spread on the substrate

[The Germinator]

just plant the dam things and quit trying to make it so difficult on yourself, Bismarckias are not that hard to germinate!!!

Here Here, I just put them in a community pot along my lawn where they get regular overspray fom the sprinklers and plenty of sun. I use compost as the first layer at the bottom of the pot to create heat.

[Kris]

For me the baggie bag works great for almost every palm :-

Here are the visuals,and you can see more in the 'materials needed for germination' thread..

Stage_1

Stage_2

Stage_3

Stage_4

Stage_5

Stage_6

Lots of love,

Kris

[Kris]

Continued...

Some of my Bismarkia 'Silver form' all raised by me from seeds...

And the soil requirment as for my climate goes they love clayee soil...and wet foot ! Its a bullet-proof palm for tropical high humidity zones.

Love,

Kris

[Jonathan]

Thanks Everyone - looks like Tad was right - just sow the dam things!

It looks like they can be germinated any way you like. I'd assumed that the tap root was a bigger problem than it seems to be.

Kris, some nice looking plants you've grown there.

John and Kostas,

thats very interesting info about the fungus, I havn't had (or noticed at least) that problem until now...maybe I just havn't inspected the seeds often enough. My germination rates have generally been reasonable, with a few unfortunate exceptions, so I guess, as you said, it just sorts itself out.

Cheers.