4/25/2011

Date Palm

While trying to grow the palm seeds i got out west, i read that you can also grow a palm tree from date seeds.

First off, they don't taste as bad as they look, but they are still really bad. Kind of like a giant raisin, but worse. At the center is the date seed.

Dates, whole dates, california, sun date, with seeds
whole dates, eat in container, california, rasins, with seeds
The date and the seed inside

date and seed, how to grow a date tree
Like the rest of the seeds i've tried to grow, i soaked them for 1 day then put them in a zip-lock bag with a wet paper towel.
how to grow a date tree, from seed, soak seeds in wet paper towel
After 1 week, 2 of them sprouted. The rest of the seeds gradually started sprouting 3-6 weeks later. Surprisingly their root comes out of the middle of the seed.

date seed root, from center of seed
I noticed that they sprouted best when there was just a little water added, when i sort of soaked the paper towel then squeezed all the water out.

Then i planted them in a bowl with potting soil and pearlite.

plant date seed, potting soil and pearlite,
One main root extends deep down into the soil.

date seed, root, tree, how to grow indoors

After a month or so the first green leaf appeared. It kind of looks like a blade of grass but it's really tough, almost like wood.

new date tree, grow at home from a seed
I plan on planting some of the seeds in the garden this year, we'll see how they do.

6 comments:

martinison73 said...

Hi interesting method... How are your baby palm trees? I love dates, I wonder if dates would grow out of them??

Notitlerequired said...

They are still growing just fine. I tried putting some outdoors (in Michigan) and they died. They turned brown at the tips and slowly died. I think it's because they prefer low humidity and low moisture soils, like the inside of my house.

They are probably like 2' tall now, but still super bendy, they still don't grow straight up on their own.

Maybe i'll post an update in the next few weeks.

Unknown said...

Hi.. How's the progress?? Wanna try planting it too

Unknown said...

All palm trees are grown better in a sunny humid area, I live in florida, and I germinate them the same way, but I use a heating pad on low heat with a towel on top of it then i place the plastic bag on top of the towel and put that in a closed brown paper bag on the counter, and in 6or7 day's wala there sprouting.Hope this helps.

Anonymous said...

I just took one of tje6 seeds from my Majool date and just put it in a. Empty pot on my deck that already had dirt in it
2 weeks later I had a sprout and 5 weeks later it's about a foot tall. I am just not sure how I will take care if it when season changes this fall. I will need to replant and put in larger container in the house I guess.

Ilsa said...

What time this plant take