Areca Catechu cultivation

[Himdumb]

I just recieved a package of fresh betel nuts from taiwan. I know there are a few aussies who have some of the trees; and i have a few questions.

Ive read through the forums and did some google'ing.

I found this:

Betel palm (Areca catechu). Soaking seeds for two days in tap water, then keeping them for seven weeks in 1:1 sand and coconut coir dust gave 100% germination. Seeds soaked in hot water (50°C) for 15 minutes had a germination rate of 95.88%.

Here

And some general info at: http://tropilab.com/areca-cat.html

Anyone have anything to add, or want to confirm any of this?

Any info would be greatly appreciated

Thanks,

himdumb

[kadakuda]

another point to make is they should be started in shaded light. people here grow bananas to shade them. but that black cloth is equally as effective. not everyone does, but you keep a lot more plants this way. up to about 1 meter.

dont keep them wet, humid is ok but not constant. cleanliness is key.

http://waynesword.palomar.edu/ecoph10.htm#betel

http://www.bioinfcpcri.org/protocol/Arecanut1.html

www.crees.org/extension/betelnut.html

[dqd]

I had soaked seeds, then in moist sphagnum in a ziplock back - germing took bugger all time, and rubbed dry spag through a good free-draining mix to assist in continued germing/early life. Had no deaths so far, touch wood . Agree with kadakuda re shaded seedlings doing better.

[Himdumb]

Thanks for the info guys. The crees link has some good info.

I have a few questions still.

Can the shell/husk be used for anything? Betet coir? Or as a soil admendment (I have a good amount of nuts, so a decent amount of shell/husk)?

The nuts were in the mail for about 2 months (i think). The package got destroyed and the post put them in a vacume-sealed plastic bag. I think they may have sweat (?), because they were moist/wet when they arrived (they were in a plastic bag, in my mailbox in the hot sun). They dont smell or look rotten/moldy (they do have a smell, but not moldy. How should they smell, if at all?). When i opened a few, there was a white-ish powdery substance on the nuts. Is this natural, or a possible mold/fungus? Are they safe to chew or rotten? Still viable?

Lastly, some of the nuts had little sprout-like/root-like things hanging of the top/bottom. Are these roots? Sprouts? Or just the way the nuts were attached to the husk?

Thanks guys,

himdumb

Edited May 30, 2007 by Himdumb

[dqd]

Do they look/feel very moist, with a dead-leaf sort of colour? My germing nuts had a smell, but a good one like humus.

White sounds like a mould, wouldn't chew it but should still germ, just a little old to be fresh enough to consume . Instead of sphagnum try leaving in a watertight plastic bag (Coles/Safeway bag) with most of the air expelled and a ball of wet tissue/paper towel/bog paper to keep humidity high.

Those things are roots, plant them downwards and it'll shoot from the top. If coming out two sides then try planting with roots to either side. I bury to the upper side where shoot is breaking thru. Sphagnum in the mix sure cuts down watering during life

My $20 worth, payable immediately please

[Himdumb]

My $20 worth, payable immediately please

Your check is in the mail. Thanks for the info.

himdumb

[philistine]

Sorry, i know this post is s bit old now, but I though I'd chuck in another $20 dollars worth, though I'll just chuck it on to your Tab.

As far as I know, the husk is quite important for germination, it seems to provide a nice little moist jacket for the nut and a good medium for the emerging roots until they break out into soil.

Having said this, I have no idea if they'll germinate without the husk, they might just grow fine...?

All the nuts I grew and sent out where picked up off the ground, not buried and seemed to be thriving just by sitting on top of a layer of leaf mulch... but that place was magic for plants, don't know how to explain it.... right in the rainforest everything there would just GROW... never had any problems with parasites or insects... it was like the ecosystem was already so developed, there was no room for anything to become unbalanced, pests just get eaten by predators and fungi and bacteria seemed to just be beneficial and natural....

Sorry, went off tangient there.... The little white bits popping out of the round end of the nut are the beginning of germination, most likely the first leaf, I think the roots follow soon after.

Shade is definately good, although nuts I saw sprouting in another location in full sun looked much... fatter.... shorther distances between leaves and wider stems/trunks but a little bit burnt from the sun.

I hope this answers your questions, but you probably found all this out by now.

Take it easy, good luck

- Phil

[kadakuda]

thats how they grow in the wild here too, fall on the leaves/grass etc under the trees and germinate on top of everything. but there are a ot that don't germinate there as well...