Hi,

I have recently started with my first palms, planting from seeds. The plan is to have them potted and indoor as I live a cold climate. I have successfully germinated adonidia merrillii and a few other species. For the adonidias I want to grow a couple of doubles and triplets, but I wonder how far apart seeds should be planted to achieve them all growing up? Is there a minimum distances required or are triplets etc typically created by planting young trees next to each other? 

Thanks 

Welcome to the forum @Lande!

They can be planted very close and will grow given enough light, nutrients, and water. The decision of how far apart depends on the "look" you're trying to achieve. If you plant say three seeds right next to one another they'll grow with a fairly straight stem angling wider as they get taller. If you plant three seedlings together that were started separately and angle them out, they'll grow with more of a curved stem.

Here's a bunch of Adonidia seedlings that started because my neighbor raked up seed and forgot they were in a bucket. No soil just whatever mango leaves fell in the bucket.

@NOT A TA That is gonna be a chore to separate 

17 hours ago, NOT A TA said:

Welcome to the forum @Lande!

They can be planted very close and will grow given enough light, nutrients, and water. The decision of how far apart depends on the "look" you're trying to achieve. If you plant say three seeds right next to one another they'll grow with a fairly straight stem angling wider as they get taller. If you plant three seedlings together that were started separately and angle them out, they'll grow with more of a curved stem.

Here's a bunch of Adonidia seedlings that started because my neighbor raked up seed and forgot they were in a bucket. No soil just whatever mango leaves fell in the bucket.

Wow that is one dense bouquet of seedlings! Ok thanks, I'll plant the seeds quite close from the very start then.

Edited April 14, 20206 yr by Lande
typo

On 4/13/2020 at 4:47 PM, jimmyt said:

@NOT A TA That is gonna be a chore to separate 

They weren't hard to separate. The neighbor's a semi retired landscape maintenance guy who does side jobs for people who live in Polo Club in Boca Raton. He brought those over last fall and asked me to make ten triples in 2 gallon growers pots he'll sell to customers in a couple years. He's a good guy who regularly brings me plants, cuttings, etc. so I was more than happy to do it for him. Growing in a 5 gallon paint bucket they grew tall & skinny compared to normal reaching for light and being crowded. 

@NOT A TA  Sounds like you got a good thing going with your neighbor!  Everybody wins!