Jump to content
SUPER IMPORTANT - MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS TO PALMTALK - PLEASE READ ×
PalmTalk CLOSED FOR UPGRADE - May 14, 3am Eastern (US) 2-4 hours ×
WARNING-DON’T FORGET-PUT CURRENT EMAIL IN YOUR PROFILE ×

  • WELCOME GUEST

    It looks as if you are viewing PalmTalk as an unregistered Guest.

    Please consider registering so as to take better advantage of our vast knowledge base and friendly community.  By registering you will gain access to many features - among them are our powerful Search feature, the ability to Private Message other Users, and be able to post and/or answer questions from all over the world. It is completely free, no “catches,” and you will have complete control over how you wish to use this site.

    PalmTalk is sponsored by the International Palm Society. - an organization dedicated to learning everything about and enjoying palm trees (and their companion plants) while conserving endangered palm species and habitat worldwide. Please take the time to know us all better and register.

    guest Renda04.jpg

Phoenix Dactylifera seeds not giving up the goods?

RaychHasDatePalms

By RaychHasDatePalms
in PALMS IN POTS

 Share

Recommended Posts

RaychHasDatePalms Collaborator

RaychHasDatePalms

Posted
Posted

I have previously sprouted date palm seeds with the method of them wrapped in a wet paper towel, stuck in an air tight baggie, and putting them in a nice, hot window. They sprouted beautifully! We have since moved, and I am working on the same thing now, but with a heating pad instead of a hot window. (My house is about 70 degrees at this floor of the house, so I do need the extra heat.) 

The only differences I can think of are that I did pre-soak the original seeds for several days or possibly a week. I forgot to soak these ones. Also, the window had sunlight, but the heating pad does not. Not sure how much sunlight could penetrate a wet paper towel, and anyway, I thought they needed dark to germinate. 

What do you think?  

Rickybobby Veteran

Rickybobby

Posted
Posted

You must be careful with heating pads. Putting them directly on can fry them. The pads I use have a temp sensor   I place a plastic plant tray on top of the mat then the bags in that. I put the sensor inside the bag and it will regulate the mat to keep the baggy temp always at my setting. Around 90-95 f

  • Like 1
kinzyjr Grand Master

kinzyjr

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, RaychHasDatePalms said:

I have previously sprouted date palm seeds with the method of them wrapped in a wet paper towel, stuck in an air tight baggie, and putting them in a nice, hot window. They sprouted beautifully! We have since moved, and I am working on the same thing now, but with a heating pad instead of a hot window. (My house is about 70 degrees at this floor of the house, so I do need the extra heat.) 

The only differences I can think of are that I did pre-soak the original seeds for several days or possibly a week. I forgot to soak these ones. Also, the window had sunlight, but the heating pad does not. Not sure how much sunlight could penetrate a wet paper towel, and anyway, I thought they needed dark to germinate. 

What do you think?  

The pre-soak definitely speeds things up, especially if you change the water out frequently.  This helps leech any germination inhibitors left by the fruit off of the seeds.  If they are bumming you out, just dig them up, do a pre-soak for a few days, and put them back in.  You should see results within 2-4 weeks.  You won't need sunlight, just heat. 

  • Like 1

Lakeland, FL: USDA Zone 2023: 10a  2012: 9b  1990: 9a | Record Low: 20F/-6.67C (Jan. 1985, Dec.1962)

RaychHasDatePalms Collaborator

RaychHasDatePalms

Posted
  • Author
Posted
11 hours ago, Rickybobby said:

You must be careful with heating pads. Putting them directly on can fry them. The pads I use have a temp sensor   I place a plastic plant tray on top of the mat then the bags in that. I put the sensor inside the bag and it will regulate the mat to keep the baggy temp always at my setting. Around 90-95 f

Uh oh....... I hope I didn't fry them! I think I'm going take them out and soak them like @kinzyjr suggested and see what happens. I hope I didn't fry them, because I bought that box of dates specifically to sprout them! :P If I did, though, I'll get my next box from the Mediterranean supermarket instead of Meijer. I also had the thought today that perhaps they had been pasteurized, since I got them at Meijer instead of a more local place. (In the USA, they can pasteurize things and still label them as "raw," which is a whole other soap box, but there was a HUGE thing regarding "raw" almonds a few years back. You have to try and find imported ones now that are truly raw. I hope dates aren't the same!) 

We keep the house at 70 and it's a little drafty sometimes, but the kitchen is often warmer due to the dishwasher and cooking. Do you think keeping them in a bowl on the counter at room temp would be warm enough for the soaking? The last time I did this, my old apartment was perfect greenhouse conditions. All my plants in this new place are unhappy or dead/dying except for my Chicago fig! 

kinzyjr Grand Master

kinzyjr

Posted
Posted

@RaychHasDatePalms Dates are relatively resistant to both hot and cold so long as the hot/cold isn't too extreme.  I don't think you fried your seeds unless it went over 140F for a bit.  There have been stories of people forgetting these things in their car on a hot day with the windows up and they still sprouted.  Just to underscore the resiliency of date pits, a 2,000 year old date pit was sprouted: http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/1018-methusela-revival-of-ancient-2000-yr-old-palm/

Good luck on it and let us know how it goes.

  

Lakeland, FL: USDA Zone 2023: 10a  2012: 9b  1990: 9a | Record Low: 20F/-6.67C (Jan. 1985, Dec.1962)

RaychHasDatePalms Collaborator

RaychHasDatePalms

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Just now, kinzyjr said:

@RaychHasDatePalms Dates are relatively resistant to both hot and cold so long as the hot/cold isn't too extreme.  I don't think you fried your seeds unless it went over 140F for a bit.  There have been stories of people forgetting these things in their car on a hot day with the windows up and they still sprouted.  Just to underscore the resiliency of date pits, a 2,000 year old date pit was sprouted: http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/1018-methusela-revival-of-ancient-2000-yr-old-palm/

Good luck on it and let us know how it goes.

  

OMG I am totally about to nerd out on that link, too; I am obsessed with ancient/pre-history. Thanks for encouraging tonight's bunny hole! :P

kinzyjr Grand Master

kinzyjr

Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, RaychHasDatePalms said:

OMG I am totally about to nerd out on that link, too; I am obsessed with ancient/pre-history. Thanks for encouraging tonight's bunny hole! :P

Should you find yourself wide awake at 3am with nothing else to read, here are the rest I've found:

http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/10244-any-update-on-metushelah/
http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/12339-2000-year-old-palm-tree-seed-sprouts/
http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/12356-2000-year-old-date-palm-seed-germinates/
http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/38959-update-on-the-judean-date-palm/
http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/4082-the-judean-date-palm/
http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/45315-palm-grown-from-2000-year-old-seed-has-reproduced/
http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/48710-minor-update-on-methusalathe-2000-year-old-palm/
http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/5119-the-judean-date-palm/
http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/5451-judean-date-palm/
http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/8597-2000-year-old-seed-sprouts-sapling-is-thriving/

Lakeland, FL: USDA Zone 2023: 10a  2012: 9b  1990: 9a | Record Low: 20F/-6.67C (Jan. 1985, Dec.1962)

RaychHasDatePalms Collaborator

RaychHasDatePalms

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Just now, kinzyjr said:

Should you find yourself wide awake at 3am with nothing else to read, here are the rest I've found:

http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/10244-any-update-on-metushelah/
http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/12339-2000-year-old-palm-tree-seed-sprouts/
http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/12356-2000-year-old-date-palm-seed-germinates/
http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/38959-update-on-the-judean-date-palm/
http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/4082-the-judean-date-palm/
http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/45315-palm-grown-from-2000-year-old-seed-has-reproduced/
http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/48710-minor-update-on-methusalathe-2000-year-old-palm/
http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/5119-the-judean-date-palm/
http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/5451-judean-date-palm/
http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/8597-2000-year-old-seed-sprouts-sapling-is-thriving/

YESS! I was already googling! 

RaychHasDatePalms Collaborator

RaychHasDatePalms

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I soaked the seeds for a few days and just stuck them back to germinate. We will see what happens this time! 

  • 3 weeks later...
RaychHasDatePalms Collaborator

RaychHasDatePalms

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Just to update, I’ve had no luck with the seeds so far. I’m going to keep them in the bag, since they don’t take up much room anyway, but I’m also collecting seeds from a box of (much fresher) dates that I picked up at the local Middle Easter store. I wasn’t sure if the first ones had been irradiated or not, but these new ones should do beautifully. I think I’m going to stick them in a window once the weather heats up a little more—it’s still chilly here in west MI. 

B95E4007-D908-44ED-B3BE-ABE82B42D6C3.jpeg

  • Like 1
Rickybobby Veteran

Rickybobby

Posted
Posted

Good luck with these! Get that heat mat set to 95 degrees !

RaychHasDatePalms Collaborator

RaychHasDatePalms

Posted
  • Author
Posted
On 4/9/2019 at 7:54 PM, Rickybobby said:

Good luck with these! Get that heat mat set to 95 degrees !

Thanks! Tips for if the mat has no setting mechanism?

 

Rickybobby Veteran

Rickybobby

Posted
Posted

For me I just don’t put them on the mat. I’ll put a black liner tray over top which gives a barrier and also a thermometer inside at least to make sure 

PalmTreeDude Grand Master

PalmTreeDude

Posted
Posted (edited)

I have had these germinate at room tempature and out in the hot sun, pretty quickly for both also. I always soak mine in water (changed daily) for anywhere from one to three days though, fresh or not. They are a fun palm to grow, just watch out for mold, it likes to grow on whatever little residue of the fruit it can find on the seed! 

Edited by PalmTreeDude

PalmTreeDude

  • 3 weeks later...
Rickybobby Veteran

Rickybobby

Posted
Posted
On 4/9/2019 at 12:53 PM, RaychHasDatePalms said:

Just to update, I’ve had no luck with the seeds so far. I’m going to keep them in the bag, since they don’t take up much room anyway, but I’m also collecting seeds from a box of (much fresher) dates that I picked up at the local Middle Easter store. I wasn’t sure if the first ones had been irradiated or not, but these new ones should do beautifully. I think I’m going to stick them in a window once the weather heats up a little more—it’s still chilly here in west MI. 

B95E4007-D908-44ED-B3BE-ABE82B42D6C3.jpeg

So any seeds germinated?

  • 5 months later...
RaychHasDatePalms Collaborator

RaychHasDatePalms

Posted
  • Author
Posted
On 5/1/2019 at 5:00 PM, Rickybobby said:

So any seeds germinated?

Hey everyone, sorry I ghosted for about two seasons. :o No, I didn't have any luck with any of the seeds! It was so disheartening..... after all my plants except the Chicago Fig dying during the polar vortex and extended winter, despite my best efforts. v.v Then we bought a house unexpectedly, moved in, and got married..... now we have a great big yard to focus on! Sure, it's a Michigan yard, but I'll be able to plant my fig, and I'm thinking about possibly doing a tea tree as well. Maybe I'll try more dates again this winter in pots.... we will see how dry it gets in this house. 

How has everybody been?????? 

kinzyjr Grand Master

kinzyjr

Posted
Posted

@RaychHasDatePalms Good to hear from you again!  Congratulations on the house and getting married!

Lakeland, FL: USDA Zone 2023: 10a  2012: 9b  1990: 9a | Record Low: 20F/-6.67C (Jan. 1985, Dec.1962)

Rickybobby Veteran

Rickybobby

Posted
Posted
9 hours ago, RaychHasDatePalms said:

Hey everyone, sorry I ghosted for about two seasons. :o No, I didn't have any luck with any of the seeds! It was so disheartening..... after all my plants except the Chicago Fig dying during the polar vortex and extended winter, despite my best efforts. v.v Then we bought a house unexpectedly, moved in, and got married..... now we have a great big yard to focus on! Sure, it's a Michigan yard, but I'll be able to plant my fig, and I'm thinking about possibly doing a tea tree as well. Maybe I'll try more dates again this winter in pots.... we will see how dry it gets in this house. 

How has everybody been?????? 

Good to hear your. Back since you’ve been gone the palms have been growing like weeds. I ended up doing a second batch of dates as well. I’m surprised you had no luck it seems they pop easy with some heat 

  • 3 weeks later...
RaychHasDatePalms Collaborator

RaychHasDatePalms

Posted
  • Author
Posted
On 10/16/2019 at 7:15 AM, kinzyjr said:

@RaychHasDatePalms Good to hear from you again!  Congratulations on the house and getting married!

Thank you!!

RaychHasDatePalms Collaborator

RaychHasDatePalms

Posted
  • Author
Posted
On 10/16/2019 at 8:08 AM, Rickybobby said:

Good to hear your. Back since you’ve been gone the palms have been growing like weeds. I ended up doing a second batch of dates as well. I’m surprised you had no luck it seems they pop easy with some heat 

I'll probably try again this winter, when I get antsy. My now-husband told me that once we moved into a house of our own, he'd set up some sort of place for me in the basement for my plants. We will see what happens; we weren't anticipating the layout we got, so I have no idea where we will put it. ;) But hopefully someplace, and then I can try again! 

NOT A TA Mentor

NOT A TA

Posted
Posted

Oh NOOOOO!   Rachhas NO datepalm!

Welcome back! Congrats on life events!

RaychHasDatePalms Collaborator

RaychHasDatePalms

Posted
  • Author
Posted
10 hours ago, NOT A TA said:

Oh NOOOOO!   Rachhas NO datepalm!

Welcome back! Congrats on life events!

HAHAHAHAHA! I know; it's terrible! :P Thank you very much! Hopefully I'll have them again soon. 

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...