Cocos nucifera (Coconut) in Malta

[iko.]

I'm sorry you have lost some of the coconuts and I'm still hoping you get some through the transition to spring. I find your thread interesting and inspires me to try it with some coconuts.

I'm still leaning towards a relation of failure and soil too wet, and success related to the intensity of the sun. I don't have any coconuts but I have many plumeria cuttings, papayas, small mango seedlings and a couple of pineapples. All those went through hail storms in autumn and some temperatures close to 0ºC / 32ºF, they're not far from the Mediterranean sea, get lots of humidity at nights, I didn't fertilise them,... and still, they look much healthier than those you're showing in your pics. Not intending to be rude saying this but I saw your broken plumeria cutting or the yellowing leaves on the mangoes and makes me think if your soil, water or fertilising them, makes a difference.

Thank you for keeping us posted.

 

[Maltese coconut project]

I think so that the lots of rain at the wrong time between mid January and mid February was the worst culprit. Maybe next year I should try something in pure sand or gravel, at least some coconut 

[Palermogreen]

In the last few days in Palermo we have had sunny weather with highs around 18 degrees.  At the moment my Cocos continues to resist, even if the growth seems to have stopped completely since the beginning of winter.  When the temperatures start to grow again, we'll see if the plant will start vegetating again or not.  However I have to say that when I started this experiment I would not have bet a cent that it  would arrive alive in January.

[Maltese coconut project]

Similar weather here. The big question is "why do some specimens handle the chill weather better than others? What is the main culprit in their death? 

[Palermogreen]

It could partly depend on the variety and partly on factors such as exposure to the sun or the moisture level of the soil and its composition.

[Maltese coconut project]

And the biggest part acclimatisation. The more it gets used to the summer sun the more likely it will survive winter. 

[Aleitalyyy]

5 hours ago, Palermogreen said:

In the last few days in Palermo we have had sunny weather with highs around 18 degrees.  At the moment my Cocos continues to resist, even if the growth seems to have stopped completely since the beginning of winter.  When the temperatures start to grow again, we'll see if the plant will start vegetating again or not.  However I have to say that when I started this experiment I would not have bet a cent that it  would arrive alive in January.

really great job... this makes you understand that a minimum shelter from the rain, wind and cold with a small fabric shelter in the stem can make the difference! let's remember that the Dutch coconut is extremely delicate, and your coconut is perfectly still alive and well ... March is almost there

[Palermogreen]

9 hours ago, Aleitalyyy said:

really great job... this makes you understand that a minimum shelter from the rain, wind and cold with a small fabric shelter in the stem can make the difference! let's remember that the Dutch coconut is extremely delicate, and your coconut is perfectly still alive and well ... March is almost there

Let's wait for May and we'll see if the plant restart to vegetate or not🤞🤞🤞.

[Tamas]

Hi Jonathan,

Since last summer, I have tried to germinate approx. 30 coconuts in small boxes. Some germinate, but after a few days they all rot. I tried your technique. Now I use a big container like you.

While I was reading your posts I saw many pictures where you hold the coconuts in a transparent container that was quite wet inside, but I didn't see any mold.

When I kept the humidity around 90%, all the coconuts dried up. When I kept it at 100%, the mold appeared, shortly. Do you use any chemical?

Does the light help avoid the mold?

Currently I wash them everyday, therefore they look clean.

[Maltese coconut project]

No I don't use any chemicals. But it's ok if the wood of the nut dries slightly. I think 90% humidity works well. By drying up you mean the nut or the germinated embryo? I use an opened bottle of water inside the vivarium/propagator

Edited February 26, 2023 by Maltese coconut project

[Tamas]

25 minutes ago, Maltese coconut project said:

No I don't use any chemicals. But it's ok if the wood of the nut dries slightly. I think 90% humidity works well. By drying up you mean the nut or the germinated embryo? I use an opened bottle of water inside the vivarium/propagator

Thanks! I thought to the shell of the nut. I also used a bottle of water, but now I took it out to reduce humidity.

[Maltese coconut project]

I use a cap to close the bottle when I see too much humidity 

[Maltese coconut project]

It's important that the box will be fairly big to avoid too much humidity 

[Tamas]

On 2/26/2023 at 6:00 PM, Maltese coconut project said:

It's important that the box will be fairly big to avoid too much humidity 

How big is your box? What are its dimensions?

[Maltese coconut project]

Approximately 34 cm high by 60cm length x 30 cm width 

[Maltese coconut project]

They're not looking good and there was a significant number of coconut seedlings that died. Still during non ideal climate yet.. Hopefully whatever is left alive will make it till May. January and February were harsh with too much rain at the wrong time. 

[Palermogreen]

Last news from Palermo 

I cut off the two outer leaves because they were withered. The remaining leaves and the sprout show some signs of suffering but at the moment the plant is still alive.  We have to wait and to hope🤞

Edited March 8, 2023 by Palermogreen

[Maltese coconut project]

These are three small coconut palms but in my opinion they are the ones that handled our winter the best. 

[Maltese coconut project]

These are the second best in my opinion in the way they handled winter 

[Maltese coconut project]

The biggest one didn't handle winter well but the middle spear is still rigid and alive 

[Maltese coconut project]

The first two from left are doubtful whether they will survive or not. The third one is dead. Many other small ones died too 

[Maltese coconut project]

Today was a relatively warm day for a March 

[Aleitalyyy]

Sadly, I'd say almost everything died.

[Maltese coconut project]

Yes. But the few that didn't are the ones that count. It means that a small percentage can take our winters.  What if those few manage to be grown to adult trees? What if possibly someday they fruit and pollinate each other? Would they produce a slightly more chill tolerant generation of coconut palms? Who knows? Having said all this I don't really think that foliar fertilizer did much difference though. Although recently I have learnt of another mistake I was doing. The mistake was that the NPK I used in summer was a 22-12-12 out of which 8% ammoniacal nitrogen and 14% ureic which produce softer, longer more lush leaves. Next summer I will just keep using the npk 3-11-38 out of which the 3 Nitrogen is all nitric type. I will use it in conjunction with potassium nitrate 13.5-0-46.2 out of which all the 13.5 Nitrogen is all nitric type as well. I will combine it with calcium nitrate 15.5-0-0 out of which 14.4% is Nitric Nitrogen and only 1.1% is Ammonical Nitrogen. Also I will add a quarter dose of NPK 11-42-11 which translates to 2.75-10.5-2.75. All of those combined should almost near a 2:1:4 NPK value. Obviously all of these types on separate days with micronutrients, magnesium sulfate, silicon,  calcium and molybdenum all on separate days for each. It should result in short and thick plants with more rigid leaves. In fact the three shortest ones from the ones which survived didn't take much npk 22 12 12. Having said all this there are still some uncontrollable factors such as rain at the wrong time in our area. Hopefully it will work better but now let's focus on the next coming summer 

Edited March 11, 2023 by Maltese coconut project

[Navarro]

  Un ejemplo es el chico que va al gimnasio y entrena y come sin  el conocimiento experto y obtiene menos resultados que el chicho culturista que compite en la elite ,el que compite en la elite lleva sus entrenamientos a otro nivel y se alimenta y suplementa perfecto para optimizar los resultados  ,como en tu caso creo que haces un buen trabajo usando la evidencia científica pero yo también pienso que la lluvia en invierno es un factor crítico 

[Aleitalyyy]

good morning dear friends...

temperatures by now of 20 degrees outside by day and 12 degrees celsius by night... next month the coconut, the beccariophoenix and the small bottle palm are going outside...

I announce a new discovery, since I watered with water from my small aquarium the palms are more beautiful and the yellowness from which the beccariophoenix suffers has not manifested itself ...

[Maltese coconut project]

Aquarium water is good for plants. I use it for my moth orchids generally since they only want light fertilisation 

[Maltese coconut project]

Only 5 specimens of Cocos nucifera survived. Not even the big one which survived last year covered by a plastic bag. Though I am surprised regarding the 3 smaller ones. The foliar fertilizer didn't do significant difference. But I suspect that the three small ones might have survived due to not using the NPK 22 12 12 of which N is 8% ammoniacal and 14% ureic and no Nitrate Nitrogen (if only I learnt earlier to avoid using ammoniacal and ureic Nitrogen which grow lush soft leaves that are less resistant to abiotic stresses I wouldn't have used it but it's never too late I will work differently next summer). I will only use Nitrogen sources which either don't have ammoniacal and ureic or very negligible amounts 

[Maltese coconut project]

These will be my main sources of nitrogen that I will use

[Maltese coconut project]

This will be the product I will absolutely avoid 

[iko.]

I'm also surprised the bigger coconut didn't make it!

If you like testing, you can try next time planting in pure sand, or no additional water during January and February,... What I have learnt from your experiments is that a coconut can make it through a Southern Mediterranean winter if some extra care is given. Insolation helps a lot too with these palms. 

[Maltese coconut project]

No water during January and February is difficult because it might depend on the weather. Last January and February rained heavily during the second half of January through the first half of February. But what is sure is that thick short coconuts survive more than tall and thin. Nitrate Nitrogen produces more compact thick plants than ammoniacal and ureic Nitrogen do. 

[Maltese coconut project]

Another factor that helps produce thicker more compact plants is direct sunshine hours 

[Maltese coconut project]

I will also use a quarter dose of an NPK 11-42-11 to have a total NPK ratio nearing 2:1:4. Although it has some ammoniacal nitrogen 8.4% out of 11%, at a quarter dose this will be the equivalent of just 2.1% in addition to just 1.1% found in the calcium nitrate product shown previously amounting to a total of 3.1% ammoniacal nitrogen, 0% ureic compared with a total of 31.55% nitric. I would say that will be a giant improvement over the previous years 0% nitrate, 8% ammoniacal and 12% ureic Nitrogen 

Edited March 22, 2023 by Maltese coconut project

[Than]

Are the ones that survived of a specific variety? For example, Indian talls?

[Maltese coconut project]

I won't know precisely since they are food ones and aren't labelled by variety.. The only information written is that they are from India. But in India there are many cultivars 

[Aleitalyyy]

I put the coconut outside... just inside the house...

[Maltese coconut project]

It has kept it's full beauty.. What were the lowest indoor temperatures during winter? 

[Aleitalyyy]

then November and December inside the house it reached 15 degrees Celsius

while the maximum has never been always on 18°

[Maltese coconut project]

Minimum inside house in January?