If you live in a sunny area, planting a date seed can be a fun project.Dates can grow into date palm trees, which you can enjoy in your home, porch or garden.If you collect and wash the pits from some medjool dates, you can let them grow for a couple months.You can plant the seeds in a pot of soil after they sprout.Give them water and sunlight.The planting process is an easy way to get started with date palms, but you may have to wait up to four years before they grow to full size.
Step 1: Pick up the ripe medjool dates and collect the seeds.
Purchase some ripe medjool dates at a grocery store and open them to remove the seeds from the center.If you want to eat the date fruit, set the seeds aside.The dates are ripe when they are wrinkled or sticky.
Step 2: The seeds need to be removed to remove leftover fruit.
Rub off any excess date flesh from the seeds.You can rub off the fruit by soaking the seeds in hot water for 24 hours.
Step 3: The pits need to be soaked in fresh water for 48 hours.
Put the pits inside of a cup or bowl of water.Dump out the old water and refill it with fresh water every day.This will help prevent mold from forming.The soaking of the seed will allow it to absorb the water.The seeds should be thrown to the top of the water.You want the seeds to sink to the bottom of the container.
Step 4: 2 seeds are folded into a piece of paper.
Run some water over the paper towel.Put 2 date seeds on either end of the paper towel.To cover both seeds, fold the paper towel in half.A layer of paper towel should be used to cover the seeds.
Step 5: Put the seeds and paper towel into a plastic bag.
Put the damp, folded paper towel inside the plastic sandwich bag.Before closing the bag's seal, make sure the seeds are still in place.
Step 6: The bag should be kept in a dark place for at least 6 weeks.
The seed will grow best at temperatures between 70 to 75 F.The top of the refrigerator is a good place to keep your home warm.
Step 7: The plant needs to be checked regularly for growth progress or mold.
You should open the bag every 2 weeks to check for progress.Take care to replace mold paper towel with a new damp one.You should see roots growing out of the seed after a couple of weeks.
Step 8: Once the seed starts to grow, pot it.
Keep an eye on the germinating seed.When the seed has sprouted a shoot off of the roots, it is time to pot it.
Step 9: If you prefer the seeds in containers, try sprouting them in pots.
Prepare one pot for each seed by filling it with compost and sand.Half of the seeds should be exposed when you plant them in the moist soil.Sand is used to cover the exposed part of the seed.Place the pots in a location with indirect sunlight that has a temperature of around 70 F.After a few weeks, the seeds should start to grow.If you can't find a spot that's 70 F, place the pots on a mat.
Step 10: There are lots of drainage holes in the pot.
There are lots of holes in the bottom of a clay pot or plastic container.To help catch drips, you may want to purchase a dish to rest the pot on.Keep in mind that you will need to transplant to a larger pot as the plant grows, so you should start with a smaller pot.
Step 11: The pot should be filled with full soil.
When filling the pot, make sure it reaches a little over halfway.A good mix of soil, sand, vermiculite, perlite, and peat moss is needed to regulate the soil's water and drainage.The soil should not be packed down.It will need to be loose.Adding sand or vermiculite to normal potting soil could be done in a 1: ratio.
Step 12: Place the sprouted seed above the center of the soil.
The leafy or sprouted end up in the center of the pot.The sprout should sit below the edge of the pot.You can plant the sprout with the paper towel if the roots are still delicate.Only one sprouted seed per pot is allowed.
Step 13: Take lightly packed soil or sand and fill the rest of the pot.
When you add the rest of the soil, fill it to the point where the sprout emerges, hold the seed and sprout in place.The sprout will have support if the soil is lightly packed.
Step 14: Make sure to water the plant.
A good drink is needed after the sprout is planted.The water should trickle out through the drainage holes at the bottom.Let the soil absorb and drain the water, then water the plant until it is fully moistened.
Step 15: The pot should be in a sunny area.
On an open porch or a window with lots of sun, there are some good spots.Try to expose the plant as much as possible because it will grow best in full sunlight.
Step 16: Water the plant if the first 2 inches of soil feels dry.
You can check the soil by sticking your finger up to the second knuckle.You should wait to water the plant if the dirt feels moist.If the soil feels dry, pour some water over it.It is better to water plants when they need it.Date palm plants need to be watered about once a week.
Step 17: As the date palm grows, transplant it into bigger pots.
If you notice that the plant is outgrowing its current pot or growing roots out of the bottom of it, you need to move it to a bigger pot.As the plant grows, keep doing this.Before moving the plant into a new pot, make sure to water it well.The large pot can be moved onto a deck or porch once the plant has grown to a tree size.It's important to keep it in a spot that gets the most sun exposure.You can keep it indoors in a large pot if necessary.Keep in mind that growth will be hampered by this.You can transplant the date palm into the ground if you live in a warm climate.
Step 18: If the date palm gets big for a pot, transplant it into the ground.
If you live in a warm climate, you can plant your date palm plant outdoors.You need to dig a hole large enough to hold the plant's roots in a sunny spot.Take the plant out of the pot and fill it with soil.Dates can reach heights of 50 feet (15 m).There is plenty of room for the tree to grow in that spot.