If you live in a hot climate, seeding and planting date palms can be a fun project. Date seeds will grow into trees that can be planted in parks, yards, or gardens. Just collect and wash the seeds from some medjool dates, then let the seeds germinate for a few months. After sprouting, you can plant it in a pot filled with soil. Water well and leave the plant exposed to as much sun as possible. Date palms grow slowly. So, you have to wait about 4 years for the dates to grow to their mature size. However, the planting process is easy to do.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Making Sprouts from Date Seeds
Step 1. Buy ripe medjool dates and collect the seeds
Purchase ripe medjool dates at a grocery store and cut them open to remove the seeds from the center of the fruit. Save the seeds and eat or set the fruit aside.
Dates are ripe if the fruit looks slightly shriveled or oozes a sticky liquid
Step 2. Clean the seeds to remove the remaining fruit flesh that is still attached
Rinse the seeds thoroughly and rub the remaining flesh of the fruit. If they still stick, soak the seeds in hot water for 24 hours, then scrub them clean.
Step 3. Soak the date seeds in fresh water for 48 hours
Fill a glass or bowl with cold water and put the seeds in it for soaking. Change the water daily by removing the old water and refilling it with fresh water. Changing the water will prevent mold growth.
- Soaking will allow the seed's protective layer to absorb water and prepare it for germination.
- Remove seeds that float to the surface. Use seeds that sink to the bottom of the container only.
Step 4. Fold 2 seeds in a damp paper towel
Run some water over a paper towel to moisten it. After that, lay out a paper towel on a flat surface and place 2 seeds at each end. Fold a paper towel over the seeds until they are covered, then fold in half. The seeds should be completely covered and separated by a layer of paper towels.
Step 5. Put the seeds together with a paper towel in a plastic bag, then close the lid tightly
Open a sealed plastic bag and place a damp, folded paper towel inside. Make sure the date seeds are still in place before closing the plastic.
Step 6. Store the plastic bag in a warm, dark place for 6-8 weeks
Date seeds germinate best at 21 to 24 °C. Find a place in the house that stays warm, such as above the refrigerator, or use a heating mat to regulate the temperature more carefully.
Step 7. Check the date palm seeds regularly for growth progress and watch for mold
Open the plastic bag approximately every 2 weeks and check the progress. Also check for mold. Replace moldy paper towels with new damp paper towels. After 2-4 weeks, you will see tiny roots growing from the date seeds.
Step 8. Plant the date seeds in the pot after they germinate
Continuously check the progress of seed germination. After the shoots grow, it's time for the saplings to be transferred to pots.
Step 9. Try making sprouts in pots if you prefer to do this in containers
Prepare one pot for each seed and fill the pot with one part compost mix specially for young plants and one part sand. Water the soil a little to keep it moist, then plant the date seeds and bury half of them. Cover the part of the seed that is still visible with sand. Wrap the pot in plastic and place it in a place where there is indirect sunlight and a temperature of around 21 °C.
- Seeds will germinate after 3-8 weeks.
- Place the pot on a germination mat if you are having trouble finding a place that is around 21 °C.
Part 2 of 3: Planting Germinated Seeds
Step 1. Look for a pot that has drainage holes in its bottom
Use clay or plastic pots with holes in the bottom for adequate drainage. You can also buy trays to put pots or containers on or to help catch water droplets.
Start with a small pot first, but remember that you will need to move it to a larger pot as the plant grows
Step 2. Fill of the pot with ready-to-plant soil
To estimate the amount of soil, fill the pot a little over halfway. Use a special soil for palm trees or cacti that usually contains a mixture of soil, sand, vermiculite, perlite, and peat moss, to control moisture and soil drainage.
- Do not compress the soil. The soil must be loose for good drainage.
- You can also add vermiculite or sand to your regular planting medium at a ratio of 1:4 or 1:3.
Step 3. Place the sprouted seeds as high as 2.5 cm in the center of the pot
Hold the leafy or sprouting end in the middle, slightly above the surface. The point where the shoots grow should be about 2.5 cm below the lip of the pot.
- If the roots are still fragile, you can plant the sprouts with paper towels to protect them.
- Plant only one seed that has germinated in each pot.
Step 4. Fill the pot to the brim with loose soil or sand
Hold the seeds and shoots in place as you add the soil and fill the pot to the point where the shoots sprout. Pat the soil to compact it a little so that the sprouts are supported and can stand upright.
Step 5. Water the plant until it is wet
Once planted, the sprouts will need to drink plenty of water. Sprinkle water over the soil until the rest drips out of the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot. Allow the soil to absorb and drain the water, then water again until the soil is completely damp.
Part 3 of 3: Caring for Date Plants
Step 1. Put the pot in a hot place
Some great places are by a window with lots of sun or on an open veranda. Plants will grow well in full sun. So, try to expose the dates to as much light as possible.
Step 2. Water the dates when the top 5 cm of soil feels dry
Check the soil daily by sticking your index finger into it up to the second knuckle. If the soil feels damp, the plant still has enough moisture and doesn't need watering. If the soil feels dry, pour water evenly over the entire soil surface.
It's better to water when the plant really needs it, rather than watering on a specific schedule. However, in general, date palm plants should be watered about once a week
Step 3. Transfer the saplings to a larger pot when they are grown
Once the plant has grown larger than its current pot or the roots have spread out from the bottom, move the dates into a larger pot. Do this throughout the life of the plant because the date palm will continue to grow. Water the dates well before and after transplanting them into the new pot.
- Once the plant has grown to tree size, you can move the large pot outside, onto the veranda or patio. Make sure the dates are placed in a place that gets maximum sun exposure.
- If necessary, you can also place it in a large pot in the room, near a bright window. But remember, this will greatly inhibit plant growth.
- If you live in an area where the climate is moderately warm, simply move the date palm into the ground outside.
Step 4. Move the date palm into the ground if it is too big for the pot
If you live in a warm climate, date palms can be transplanted into the ground outdoors. Choose a hot spot and dig a hole large enough to accommodate the root tissue. Remove the date palm from its pot and put it in the hole. Cover the hole with soil.
