Surprising Jubaea chilensis germination in just ~45 days!

[CodyORB]

I soaked them for 3 days (May 3-5) and placed in a 4:1 mixture of perlite and peat moss. 28 seeds split into 5 pots, 1 indoors (around 78F) and 4 outdoors (around 90F day - 75F night). Was expecting to wait 6 months to a year for germination. Surprisingly, the first to sprout was in the indoor pot! Since then I've moved all 5 into the garage (80's-90'sF) and I look forward to more action!

A quick question, when is a good time to transplant it into its own pot with more nutritious soil?

[Tyrone]

Very good results. How fresh is your seed? 

As for repotting, I aim to do it when they’ve expanded their first leaf. My theory is the seed gives them enough energy to push the first leaf and the start of another spear plus some roots. If I accidentally damage the connection to the seed at that stage it’s not as bad as doing it when it is just a sprout. That’s me anyway, others may think differently.

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

That's the easy part and the second easiest part will be getting it through the next 6 months. Month 6-36 is the tough part. After 3 years they get easy again. 

[kinzyjr]

56 minutes ago, TexasColdHardyPalms said:

That's the easy part and the second easiest part will be getting it through the next 6 months. Month 6-36 is the tough part. After 3 years they get easy again. 

Thanks for the heads-up.  What usually gets them during those formative years?  Fungus?

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

@kinzyjrSudden death syndrome. We are trying something different on these next 3000 seeds. I think the key is oxygen levels in the root zone along with soil temperature issues. 

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

And some fungus too. 

[kinzyjr]

@TexasColdHardyPalms  The biggest issues I have with them at the one year mark in my own personal experiment:

1. They can't handle any direct Central Florida sunlight yet.  I scorched a few leaflets with this mistake.
2. They handle 100F in a stuffy garage ("the twins" are in there), but in the ground they start developing fungal issues after March.
3. I can get them to go back into active growth during the warm months by "watering" them with ice cubes - but that tends to promote the fungal issue on the leaflets.

Going to try a fungicide drench in the planting area in an attempt to mitigate one issue.  Siting for my next seedling will have more shade - the other area ended up being too exposed to afternoon sun after a few branches on the oak were trimmed and one of my bananas decided to fruit and call it a day.  The loamy soil in the back yard is probably a little too moisture retentive for them.  I may try amending the shaded area(s) a bit with some sand and stone from another area.

[CodyORB]

On 6/24/2020 at 7:19 PM, Tyrone said:

Very good results. How fresh is your seed? 

As for repotting, I aim to do it when they’ve expanded their first leaf. My theory is the seed gives them enough energy to push the first leaf and the start of another spear plus some roots. If I accidentally damage the connection to the seed at that stage it’s not as bad as doing it when it is just a sprout. That’s me anyway, others may think differently.

The seed seller harvested them August of 2019.

First leaf has poked out. Has been given another fungicide bath.

[Tyrone]

I think many of the fungal rotting issues many experience with this species are temperature related. Here for me the hardest part is germination. I’ve never germinated any without cracking the shell off the seed. Once the shell is off they are up in about 3 weeks at room temperature. After that I need to protect the plant from vermin attack because that endosperm is nice and tasty. But after they’ve used up that seed they are pretty much bullet proof here. I don’t use any fungicide and don’t get losses. Once in the ground they are left to their own devices except for irrigation fertilising and a bit of weeding. They just chug along all year round without any issues. But my summer temps especially at night are much cooler than anywhere in Florida and that is the biggest difference I think.