Like most of you I long for spring and the return
of warmer weather, watching as our beloved palms spring back into
life, rewarding us with the new growth that we seem to have waited
half a year for. But, call me mad, in a way I am looking forward
to next winter so I can begin my experimentation process again!
I‘m looking forward to trying some of the Andean rain forest
palms, such as the high altitude Ceroxylon varieties and some more
unknown forms of Chamaedorea. Indeed there are quite a few species
that look promising, such as Geonoma weberbaueri and jussieiana,
found growing at elevations of over 3000m up in the Andean mountains
where it is cool and cloudy for a good part of the year. Also worth
trying are some varieties of Attalea, Allagoptera, and Acrocomia
that come from various other locations in South America. Hedyscepe
canterburyana and Lepidorrhachis mooreana from Lord Howe Island
also seem to have a lot of promise. If I manage to obtain these
palms, I will keep you posted on the results.
Palms in the summer
I personally think seed propagation is great when
it comes to growing palms, and late winter/early spring is a time
when I like to really get going sowing all those new palms seeds
you just seem to keep acquiring. I‘ve almost perfected the
art of palm seed propagating (well I got there eventually), but
there are a few rules to follow that you may well know. For those
of you who don‘t, the most important rule of all is to buy
fresh seed. The best sources are usually suppliers that sell them
in bulk, or give an availability period, as they are more aware
of the loss of viability in palm seed thus only keeping fresh stock
at the times of year that they are available. Second, forget the
myth that palm seed is impossible to germinate; about 95% of palm
species will sprout without any problem at all. Personally I favour
the sphagnum moss method: soak the seeds for a day or two in clean
water, changing it every now and then (to remove any inhibitors)
and checking that any old fruit flesh has been removed. Then take
a zip bag, and half fill it with moss that has been soaked in water
and then squeezed out (a rolling pin works well here), and don‘t
forget to"fluff" the moss back up before putting it in
the bag. Once this is done, place the seeds in the bag and put them
in a warm place (between 30-35°C).
I actually have a daylight lamp in my germinating cupboard as well,
which prevents any seeds that come up from getting elongated. I
usually check the seeds about once a week. If the moss starts to
feel a bit dry, I just tip the lot out (carefully!!!) and re-moisten
it.
Seasonal Palm Growing
