Kratom seeds

[mr toodly]

I received M. speciosa seeds from a well regarded source. What sort of conditions do I need for germination?

Pictures soon.

[cisumevil]

Hope this helps a little.

Kratom prefers wet, humus-rich soils in a protected position. Being a heavy feeder, it requires very rich, fertile soil. It is drought sensitive, and if grown out of its native habitat, sensitive to frost. Propagation is by very fresh seed or cuttings. There is a low strike rate, due to a fungus which attacks xylem tissue.

Only little is known about growing kratom. Seeds and cuttings are very hard to find. Kratom cuttings are considered somewhat difficult to grow, though the plants themselves, once established, are relatively hardy. Because of the difficulty in getting cuttings to root, many people are experimenting with cloning. Two of the primary difficulties with cuttings appear to be that they are either attacked by fungus or simply never put out roots. Suggestions for dealing with these problems include:

- putting the cutting in water with an air bubbler to increase oxygen levels;

- using a small amount of fungicide in the water to ward of fungus growth;

- changing the water every day to reduce chances of fungus.

One person has found success using rock wool to hold the cutting in moisture while still allowing air flow, changing the water every day to cut down on fungus growth, and adding nutrients as roots start to grow.

It has been reported that the leaves of M. speciosa are most potent in the late autumn, just before the leaves fall off. It has been noted that plants grown in cold climates are weak. Plants grown in subtropical or warm temperate climate are weak in late winter and spring, but potent in late summer autumn and early winter. Most plants grown in a hothouse are also weak (reason not understood).

[Stonehenge]

Lots of luck. I've never gotten any to sprout nor have I heard of anyone getting any to sprout. I will buy them if I know the person and they tell me they have gotten success. Saying they "heard" others have success means nothing to me. I've been burned too many times. They put the seeds in potting soil which has weed seeds in it. Something comes up and they think it's kratom. Turns out not to be but they are too ashamed to report it.

[mr toodly]

I received these from SS. I inquired about viability, and they did not respond.

[mr toodly]

What I meant to ask, though, was:

I need bottom heat, right?

How long are the seeds viable?

Can I wait until summer (June)?

[planthelper]

they loose ther viabilety very fast, after 4 weeks proly hardly anything will come up.

most kratom seeds traded over the net wher fake, not speciosa but paucifolia (not sure if i remeber that name correctly)

[mr toodly]

If it means anything, I received them from a business connected to ..Of the Jungle.

[Tomer Corymbosa]

i got mine from IAMSHAMAN and nothing yet.

almost 2 weeks have past ...

after many tries i give up.

[shiner]

I have had recent success germinating Kratom seeds. I ordered them from a reputable source for very little investment. From three seed capsules taken from a seed pod I have well over 100 freshly germinated seedlings. The seed capsules were intact unlike the seeds purchased from IAS. The seeds I received began germinating after 10 days in moist peat moss wrapped with a damp paper towel in a plastic baggie. Temperatures were controlled with bottom heat from Flexwatt heat tape and a simple desk lamp fitted with a 1700 lumen compact fluoro bulb. Also of note, the seeds began geminating 2 days after I began using the light source.

[Tomer Corymbosa]

i have a feelin kratom seeds need light for germination...

but i'm an idiot i covered them a bit (tiny layer).

now they wont germinate,thats for sure...

[Spliff]

Method 1

Seeds were placed on 3 layers of moist kitchen paper in a small sealed Tupperware box sterilized with antifungal washing up liquid and 98C water. The first layer of kitchen paper was crinkled up in the hand, misted with pre boiled, dechlorinated & cooled tap water, the other two layers were then laid flat on top of the first layer and misted, seeds were sprinkled on top and misted with water and the lid was replaced.

They were misted every day & kept at about 40c by means of a hot water bottle with 75C water in it, this was then wrapped in a blanket, the box was placed on top of the hot water bottle and then everything was covered in 5 layers of thick blankets. This kept the seeds warm 24 hours a day.

The seeds germinated about 10 days later and were carefully removed from the kitchen paper with sharpened disposable chopsticks and inserted slightly under the soil in a light tropical soil mix, put into a large clear and sterile plastic box with a fluorescent daylight light on them.

Method 2

Seeds were sprinkled lightly on top of a moist tropical soil mix, misted and put into the same box with the already germinated seeds and kept warm.

Although, I now hear that it is best to slight press the seeds into the soil with something like the bottom of a sterile glass.

6 Days later they germinated.

Seeds on kitchen paper

Seeds germinating 10 Days later

Setup

Germinating seeds in method 2

The seedlings have started putting out their second set of leaves which I think are really the 1st real leaves.

Seedlings are still in the large plastic box with temp ranges from 15-30C and 60% humidity. I am leaving the lid off for an hour or so a couple of times a day to prevent the dreaded Damping Off disease.

Seems to be working with no visible signs of the white fluffy fungus on the soil. Perhaps this is because this soil has charcoal chips in it which from what I hear helps prevent damping off.

Hope this helps

Edited March 19, 2006 by Spliff

[Torsten]

ohhhh, aren't they cute

well done spliff. Given your source and your technique you should have lots of happy and properly identified kratom plants next season. please keep posting pics as they grow.

[Stonehenge]

I heard there were some good kratom seeds around. I've been burned so many times before and the stories were really good sounding each time. But, I sent off some money to see if I can get lucky this time. I'm like Charley Brown who kicks at the ball every year in hopes it won't be pulled back again. But the ball is always pulled back from poor Charley Brown. No sucker like an old sucker. Maybe this time it will be good?

[planthelper]

super, congrats spliff!

fantastic pictures and info, yep keep us updated, thx.

hey, tomer that means they need no light to germ, as the kitchen towel methode took place in darkness...

Edited March 20, 2006 by planthelper

[Spliff]

Yeah, these like Shiner's seeds were from Fract & they were still in their pods & very viable.

Probably about 40% of them germinated if I include the straglers, a few of which took a couple of weeks.

I gave up on some of them after nearly two weeks and put them outside in the tupperware box in direct sunlight, it must have been 50C in the box. The next day they germinated.

Maybe they just needed a jump start.

Leaves are getting bigger

Edited March 21, 2006 by Spliff

[shamantra]

Very cool. I am awaiting fresh kratom seeds myself now, hope i get similar results, thanks for sharing

[Spliff]

Not much sign of any dramatic growth going on although they are getting slighly larger and it appears that they are about to put out their second set of real leaves while at the same time the original seedling leaves seem to be drying up. I take it that this is a normal state of affairs?

Hey Shiner, how are your seedlings doing?

[Torsten]

I take it that this is a normal state of affairs?

Yes.

Give them a feed. They like lots of food and lots of warmth and will respond with phenomenal growth.

[Spliff]

Thanks Torsten

Will give them a good feeding right now.

I am here in East Asia & in another couple of months it will be 35C with 90% humidity which I presume they will enjoy. Not that I do but it does help the beer go down. :saufen2: :saufen2: :saufen2:

[shiner]

Here is an updated photo Spliff. They look pretty much identical to yours. On my seedlings I do not notice the smaller leaves drying as you described. They are growing very slowly. I am not using a seedling heat mat and have them next to a window receiving direct morning sunlight for 1-2 hours and indirect light the rest of the day. I have still not used any anti-fungal products.

[Spliff]

Looking good Shiner. They look a little larger than mine even though they germinated later. Great!

Yeah, I have mine in a South facing window inside a clear plastic box and they get direct filtered sunlight for 5 or 6 hours per day then I put them under the fluro for another 6 hours or so.

I am wondering at what stage we want to seperate them before all their roots get entangled. Not that we have to worry about that right now.

Are you feeding them yet? I fed mine twice and am a bit afraid of burning their no doubt tiny roots.

[shiner]

I have not yet even begun to think about fertilizers. I have no clue what type to use. My hands are tied as far as separating them goes. That picture is of 2 cells in a 36 cell seedling tray. All have 5-6 seedlings. I live in a small 1 bedroom apartment and have no space for this many individually potted seedlings. If you have some ideas I'm all ears to your suggestions. Obviously some have got to go eventually.

[Stonehenge]

My kratoms are starting to sprout. Will wonders ever cease?

[shamantra]

so how did you germinate yours stonehenge?

[Spliff]

Great Stoney.. Are those seeds also from Fract?

Did you go the kitchen paper tupperware box method or just on the surface of the soil?

Watch out for the DREADED damping off white fluffy mold.

I was very careful not to wet the soil too much and used a nozzle to insert the water under the soil so the surface soil is not kept too wet.

These 3 are the most developed of the seedlings so far & are starting to lose their first 2 baby leaves and putting out their second set of real leaves.

Edited April 3, 2006 by Spliff