Helen's hybrid, sikkimensis etc

jmoore · 11-09-2008, 12:55 PM

OK I live in the UK, which is coming up to the shortest day (about 6 hours daylight if we're lucky), December 21st I believe. I planted some Helen's hybrid and musa sikkimensis about 5 or six weeks ago when there was more light.

The question(s) How important is light to germination of musas, or indeed any banana?
I'm getting fed up waiting for these seeds to come up, I've tried to give them a cooler night and a warm day, but my cool probably isn't that cool (between 15 - 18 degrees C) my warm is good enough about 30-35 degrees.

I've got hold of some itinerans, daj. giant, red tiger and yannanensis seeds, but feel loathed to get them going if light is really important.

Anyway, I've put my Helen's and sikkis in the fridge overnight to try and shock them into some action. They're himilayan (sp) so my reasoning is give them a bit of extra cold to spark them into life.

Am I being impatient? Yes I am! I want nanas! Got some ventricosum going with no probs.

Gabe15 · 11-09-2008, 01:50 PM

Banana seeds themselves are not responsive to photoperiod, so short days will not be an issue. They can be responsive to warmth associated with the amount of direct sunlight hitting the soil surface in their wild habitats, but this is not an issue when hobby growing unless you were to direct seed all your bananas into the ground.

6 Weeks isn't very long, they may well take months (occasionally years in some cases) to germinate, so be patient.

musa_monkey · 11-11-2008, 08:08 AM

6 months or more for germination is not uncommon. I have some red tiger still sulking a year after sowing. I am just about to try some chini champa seeds with various methods to see if i can get those to sprout any quicker.

Egluzhe · 04-04-2009, 04:10 PM

Hi,
I'v sow Musa Helen's Hybrid today. When can I expect germination?

Tog Tan · 04-05-2009, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Egluzhe

Hi,
I'v sow Musa Helen's Hybrid today. When can I expect germination?

Hi Egle, if your sds are good to go, they normally sprout by the 3rd week after sowing. Being a true hybrid, don't be surprised if the sdlg come up with 2 little p-stems. Kinda cute looking thing. All the best!

Chironex · 04-05-2009, 06:13 PM

I think that I should just send all of my seeds to you, Tog. Then I know that they are going to germinate. Here I have 4 - 72 cell trays on heat mats with little or no germination. I think I have seeds for over 20 types of bananas in these trays and more that have yet to be sown.
Some have been in there for 6 months. So what do you think? Then when I move to China in a year or so, I will come to get some from you. Deal??? (I am serious)

Tog Tan · 04-05-2009, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chironex

I think that I should just send all of my seeds to you, Tog. Then I know that they are going to germinate. Here I have 4 - 72 cell trays on heat mats with little or no germination. I think I have seeds for over 20 types of bananas in these trays and more that have yet to be sown.
Some have been in there for 6 months. So what do you think? Then when I move to China in a year or so, I will come to get some from you. Deal??? (I am serious)

Hey Scot, China? Why are you going to China to stay? Did Beth convince you its cool to run far, far away from home? Not kidding here.

Please read my line...if your sds are good to go. Did your stuff come from rps? I had very low germn rate from most of their stuff and got like one Helen's Hybrid which made it to 2ft p-stem height.

Ok, if you are dead serious, I can babysit your sd germination till hatching and find a way to get them back to you. I have such an arrangement with one of the guys on the board. He will post something soon on what we are doing.

China.....sheesssh.... One of the last places I want to end up.

Chironex · 04-05-2009, 11:30 PM

Yep, China - I really wish I could move there sooner than a year from now, but I have commitments that must be fulfilled.
China has such beauty, culture and fascination for me.

Perhaps Beth and I had similar motivations for moving, who knows? I have been studying China for a long time and want to live there and explore it while I am still able. I will probably teach for a living. I hope to go to Tian Zi on my next visit.
If you will PM your mailing address I will send the seeds to you. Some are from RPS, but most are not. Most came from various sources, including our members here. Others, such as Ingens I bought directly from PNG.
Thank you for helping me out.

11-09-2008, 12:55 PM	#1 (permalink)
jmoore jmoore 's Photo Gallery Location: Lowestoft, UK Zone: 8a Name: James Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 766 BananaBucks : 121,682 Feedback: 4 / 100% Said "Thanks" 192 Times Was Thanked 799 Times in 373 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 71 Times	Helen's hybrid, sikkimensis etc OK I live in the UK, which is coming up to the shortest day (about 6 hours daylight if we're lucky), December 21st I believe. I planted some Helen's hybrid and musa sikkimensis about 5 or six weeks ago when there was more light. The question(s) How important is light to germination of musas, or indeed any banana? I'm getting fed up waiting for these seeds to come up, I've tried to give them a cooler night and a warm day, but my cool probably isn't that cool (between 15 - 18 degrees C) my warm is good enough about 30-35 degrees. I've got hold of some itinerans, daj. giant, red tiger and yannanensis seeds, but feel loathed to get them going if light is really important. Anyway, I've put my Helen's and sikkis in the fridge overnight to try and shock them into some action. They're himilayan (sp) so my reasoning is give them a bit of extra cold to spark them into life. Am I being impatient? Yes I am! I want nanas! Got some ventricosum going with no probs.

11-09-2008, 01:50 PM	#2 (permalink)
Gabe15 Moderator Gabe15's Photo Gallery Location: Oahu, Hawaii Find me on the map! Zone: 12 Name: Gabe Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 3,892 BananaBucks : 13,349,474 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 8,241 Times in 2,200 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 8 Times	Re: Helen's hybrid, sikkimensis etc Banana seeds themselves are not responsive to photoperiod, so short days will not be an issue. They can be responsive to warmth associated with the amount of direct sunlight hitting the soil surface in their wild habitats, but this is not an issue when hobby growing unless you were to direct seed all your bananas into the ground. 6 Weeks isn't very long, they may well take months (occasionally years in some cases) to germinate, so be patient. __________________ Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

11-11-2008, 08:08 AM	#3 (permalink)
musa_monkey musa_monkey's Photo Gallery Location: Burnham, Bucks, UK Find me on the map! Zone: 8 Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 217 BananaBucks : 28,492 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 53 Times Was Thanked 147 Times in 71 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Helen's hybrid, sikkimensis etc 6 months or more for germination is not uncommon. I have some red tiger still sulking a year after sowing. I am just about to try some chini champa seeds with various methods to see if i can get those to sprout any quicker.

04-04-2009, 04:10 PM	#4 (permalink)
Egluzhe Location: Vilnius, Lithuania Find me on the map! Zone: 5-6 Name: Egle Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 14 BananaBucks : 2,699 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Helen's hybrid, sikkimensis etc Hi, I'v sow Musa Helen's Hybrid today. When can I expect germination? __________________

04-05-2009, 06:13 PM	#6 (permalink)
Chironex The causasian Asian! Chironex's Photo Gallery Location: Jakarta, Indonesia Find me on the map! Zone: I have no idea Name: Scot Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 2,788 BananaBucks : 121,955 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 4,544 Times Was Thanked 1,406 Times in 808 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 609 Times	Re: Helen's hybrid, sikkimensis etc I think that I should just send all of my seeds to you, Tog. Then I know that they are going to germinate. Here I have 4 - 72 cell trays on heat mats with little or no germination. I think I have seeds for over 20 types of bananas in these trays and more that have yet to be sown. Some have been in there for 6 months. So what do you think? Then when I move to China in a year or so, I will come to get some from you. Deal??? (I am serious) __________________ Scot

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04-05-2009, 11:30 PM	#8 (permalink)
Chironex The causasian Asian! Chironex's Photo Gallery Location: Jakarta, Indonesia Find me on the map! Zone: I have no idea Name: Scot Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 2,788 BananaBucks : 121,955 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 4,544 Times Was Thanked 1,406 Times in 808 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 609 Times	Re: Helen's hybrid, sikkimensis etc Yep, China - I really wish I could move there sooner than a year from now, but I have commitments that must be fulfilled. China has such beauty, culture and fascination for me. Perhaps Beth and I had similar motivations for moving, who knows? I have been studying China for a long time and want to live there and explore it while I am still able. I will probably teach for a living. I hope to go to Tian Zi on my next visit. If you will PM your mailing address I will send the seeds to you. Some are from RPS, but most are not. Most came from various sources, including our members here. Others, such as Ingens I bought directly from PNG. Thank you for helping me out. __________________ Scot

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