How to Grow Coconut Trees From Seed
The coconut palm thrives in sand on tropical coasts and it contributes to the economies of countries where commercial-scale production is possible. While the nut's flesh is edible, it is the coconut oil that has the most cash value as an ingredient for soaps, shampoos and cosmetics, as well as for its culinary use as cooking fat. Coconut palms reproduce from seed -- the ripe coconut -- planted in sandy soil and exposed to consistent temperatures of 90 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
-
-
1
Scout for a viable coconut to germinate. Look for one that has just fallen to the ground from ripeness and whose husk is brown and intact. Shake the coconut next to your ear. Select it if you hear water splashing inside.
-
2
Fill a bucket with water and soak your coconut for three days.
-
-
3
Select a site in partial shade. Dig a hole that can accommodate one-third of the coconut when it is placed on its side.
-
4
Plant the coconut on its side, one-third in the hole, two-thirds exposed.
-
5
Irrigate the coconut thoroughly, providing 1 inch of water weekly until you have an established four-year-old palm, which is drought tolerant. The seeds germinate three to six months after you plant them.
-
6
Apply a 3-inch-deep layer of mulch at the base of the coconut palm. Shredded bark or wood chips help to conserve moisture and choke out weeds.
-
7
Begin to feed the coconut palm when it is one year old. Until then, the plant uses the nutrients stored in the coconut seed. Use a foliar spray that contains macronutrients -- nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium -- and micronutrients, including manganese, boron, zinc, copper, molybdenum and iron. Spray the tree once a month. In addition, apply 1 pound of a 2-1-1 granular fertilizer every three months. Stop using the foliar spray when the palm turns four years old. Continue to feed it 5 pounds of the granular formula once in spring and once in the fall.
-
8
Harvest coconut trees using a knife attached to a pole to cut the nut off the tree. Six to 10 years after germination, the palms begin to bear small crops, but production doesn't get into full swing until the tree is at least 15 years old. It also takes one year for the fruit to ripen, but a bearing palm produces continuously. Pick the mature fruit for oil extraction and dehydration processing. Harvest seven-month-old coconuts for their water.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Use a 10-inch-deep planter to grow a coconut in a container. Plant it with the pointy side down.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
