In date palm-growing regions,
palms are never grown from seed. The many seedling palms that exist are the
result of a seed carelessly thrown near some irrigating ditch where the ground
was moist enough for it to germinate.
Fruit
and seed
Propagation by seed is sexual
propagation, and is good for inbreeding studies but not for commercial
plantation. The seeds do not reproduce the characters of the parents, and on the
average 50% of the seedling will be males, only a small number of which are
needed.
In order to determine the sex of
a plant, the flowers must be seen. Many of the palms will flower within a few
years, until they flower and are sexed, the propagation by seeds cannot be
recommended for commercial plantation. No one would think of trying to establish
an orchard of oranges or apples from seed, and the principles involved in the
case of the date palm are similar.
Morphology
of date palm fruit
However, in date palm-growing
countries, the growing of seedling palms is worthwhile for many people who do
not want to enter commercial production, but who want a few palms around their
own homes for ornament and/or to serve as a windbreak, or furnish a domestic
supply of fruit.
Seed
morphology
Seedlings have much variation
within progeny in regard to quality, and production of undesired males. The
grower who wants to establish a commercial plantation has no other recourse than
to plant offshoots.
To those who want to grow date
palms by seeds, shallow boxes offer a convenient method of beginning. The seeds
must be cleaned by soaking in water for a week, and then sorted by rejecting all
small and imperfect ones. The seeds should be planted at 2-5 cm (about 1-2
inches) deep, and 8-10 cm (about 3-4 inches) apart. When transplanting, the
leaves should be cut back to within a few inches of the ground, and then the
plant should be taken up with as large a ball of moist earth around its roots as
possible.
Part
of a date palm seedling
In an open field, a hole is made
in the earth with a broomstick; the seed is dropped in and covered with soil,
then tamped down by the foot. It is usual to plant seedlings 8 m (about 26 feet)
apart in the row, and to place the rows at any convenient distance apart 8 m
(about 26 feet).
The soil must be kept
continuously moist; germination will take place within a few weeks.
The seeds can be planted in sand
or any ordinary soil, and can be successfully planted from September to March.
More
information about Seed propagation
