How to Grow a Palm Tree

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The people in the nursery said it couldn't be done: Growing a palm tree from a seed. But it can. Advance warning: It's probably just as much luck as it is talent, and you may need to try it a few times before you're successful, but it can be done.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

palm tree seeds
a small bowl or shallow dish (a condiment bowl works well)
paper towels
liquid African violet fertilizer
a small planter (for later)
a place indoors to keep plants

Step1

Acquire some palm tree seeds. You won't find them for sale in your favorite store, but you can ask a nursery when certain trees go into bloom and seed and go to this location when the seeding occurs. You'll be able to get them free of charge just by picking them up.

Step2

Put the seeds in a moistened paper towel and put the paper towel in a shallow dish. Put a small amount of water in the dish and set the dish in a warm place.

Step3

Check the dish and the seeds frequently. The seeds mush stay constantly moist but not sopping wet. If the seeds dry out, your chances of success dry out with them. Eventually, some of the seeds will start sprouting inside the bowl. This is a very slow process and could take three to four weeks. Once this starts happening, you can add a drop or two of African violet fertilizer to the water to give them a little boost.

Step4

Plant the seeds in small planters once the seeds have a good root system of 1 to 1 1/2 inches. Plant them in very shallow soil with the root facing down. Put them in a window where they can get some sun and make sure the soil is kept constantly moist for the first several months. Once the seed starts shooting fronds, the largest danger period is over and your new plants will probably survive.

Step5

Keep your new palm trees in pots for the two years or so. They will grow slowly. Make sure they have growing room in their pots so as not to impede their growth. Keeping them in pots allows you to bring them in when it gets cold out. Palm trees become very hardy provided they make it through this period.

Tips & Warnings

Palm trees are very slow growing; it takes time and patience to grow them this way.
Once they are well established, palm trees will grow to the size of the container. If you want them to eventually look like palm trees, they need to be planted in the ground.
Do not put the dish with the seeds in the sun because the paper towels and the seeds will dry out too faster.