Growing Coconut Palms Indoors

[@lizbecker1677]

I live in Connecticut, and I was visiting a relative in Florida last January. She showed me a pile of coconuts that had fallen from her tree, and I felt sorry for them because the landscaper was taking them to the dump. One in particular had sprouted a spiky leaf and a small root. She gave it to me and said, "good luck." I stuck it in my checked bag, got it home and potted it in a 12" pot with half potting mix and half sand from a nearby beach. I followed a bunch of advice I got from KZbin, especially Tropical Plant Party. My backyard is very sunny, so I planned to put it in the yard over the summer. Well, this summer was a really hot one, and the coconut has sprouted six leaves and seems really happy. I'm probably going to take it in tomorrow since we're looking at really cool temps over the weekend. I was going to get a grow light for it, but maybe not. It thrived in my west facing window with a lot of light last winter so I'm still on the fence. Love this channel, and I can't wait til my coconut looks like the one in this video!

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Awesome! Sounds like a really happy coconut! 😊 Yeah no need to improve on what's already working. If for some reason the window isn't cutting it, can always add a grow light down the road.

[@NinjaOrchids]

My favorite palm tree of all time! The sound of their fronds in the wind... how nature plays a harp! There is nothing that compares to their sound! I love them!! 🌴👀❤️

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Well said! There is something majestic about them isn't there?

[@teffanikendall9031]

Me to! I love them so much.After 25 years in India and now in Scandinavia I truely miss them.😌💕🌴🥰

[@wizewizard1840]

I keep one in my apartment in Germany. Works like a charm. It's around 2 meters high now.

[@Tony.795]

Is it a store bought plant or did you sprout one?

[@northeasthardytropicals541]

Nothing says tropical like a coconut tree. My mom moved to Florida and that was the first thing I bought her was a coconut tree. 6 years later it’s got some real size to it now. Nice video 🏝

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Oh how cool! Six years in a pot and you'd just have a gangly 5 to 7 foot tall and scrawny plant with like 4 fronds. 😂😅

[@northeasthardytropicals541]

Tropical Plant Party lol

[@leewatson3688]

Great video, I brought a coconut from a store, sprouted it, now its 17mths old and still growing strong, albeit being in England (London) summertime yh put outside, then indoors during colder winter.

[@davidsamollow]

I've been growing one here in Montana for 3 years. I'll be super happy if it makes it past 5.

[@TropicalPlantParty]

I hope it does! 3 years is already pretty impressive!

[@CrazyAsian1]

David Samollow How did you grow it during the winter? Did you have artificial lighting or a heat source?

[@NinjaOrchids]

Love your reaction to the background noise! I despair when I’m filming and suddenly some machinery goes on mid jibber jabber! ... ‘now there’s a saw going!’ I’m sorry but it made me chuckle! I know the feeling 🤣

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Oh the day I filmed this was particularly horrible with the noise. I dont mind some background noise, but there were lawn mowers, leaf blowers, hedge trimmers and more going at 4 neighbors houses simultaneously and then when the saw started I said screw it! Lol! I went inside and came back a few hours later. Even in the house the noise was obnoxious. That's ok, im glad people are outside enjoying and taking care of their yards. Also nice to have them all do it at the same time so it wasn't off and on lawn work noise all week.

[@jrich905]

Binging your palm tree videos tonight. You're such a wealth of knowledge! Thank you for sharing your beautiful plants with us! 🌴💓

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Thank you, Jessica! I hope you're doing well!

[@erlindamendez8633]

This is beautiful , and coconut 🌴 so unique & different and I went back to review your other videos how to seed the coconut... I would love to try this and looking forward to seeing my garden like this ! You’re always inspirational!!!

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Thank you Erlinda!

[@Tiki71]

Great info. I want to run down to the store now and buy up a lovely bunch of coconuts! And a bucket, and an aquarium heater and get to germinating.

[@TropicalPlantParty]

😅😂 I bet they would do even better for you since you have the greenhouse and a longer growing season outside.

[@stuarthatcher9944]

You should of seen my face when I saw this video come out. I jumped up and down 😂❤

[@TropicalPlantParty]

🤣😂 I'm glad you were excited!

[@mdbogar4505]

An excellent summary of Cocos nucifera growth and care, thank you!!!

[@xlrider1565]

JMO, I live in Honolulu, born and raised here! Have lived here my entire life, thus far, at 60 years of age. ❤d coconuts as a young boy. I would climb coconut trees, from age 6, or so, to pickthem! Was obsessed with coconuts as a youngster, lol! I could husk them faster than my samoan friends, as a child. Outgrew that. A coconut TREE, yes a tree, is meant to grow OUTDOORS, period. It is a large, space requiring plant, that grows into a large, beautiful tree. Indeed NOT an indoor plant. If you want an indoor palm, how about a smaller variety, like Areca Palm? Let Coconut Trees live where they are meant to live, OUTSIDE, UNENCUMBERED, happy! Aloha! 🤙🙂🤙

[@bencunningham6298]

Was going to attempt to grow one for our outdoor beach but decided against it after reading about it. Randomly found two christmas tree palms at an Amish farm so I picked up two and I'm going to give those a try instead.

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Love the Christmas palms!

[@sandorspalms]

Yes! New video! 👍🌴

[@sheilacasper2030]

That monstera... Wow!

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Love the big and shiny leaves!

[@vincenzecalzone8666]

Hey Jeff. Love the feature. There is a chocolate bar called Bounty in the Uk. Not sure whether you have that in the US. The adverts on the TV were always filmed on tropical islands. A close up of a coconut falling off a beauty of a palm would fall onto a rock splitting perfectly in 2. The definition of tropical for me. Beautiful palm. I'd love to try one but I know I wouldn't stand a chance in our 6 hour daylight winters in the Uk of keeping it alive. Cheers Jeff. Always great to hear from you. Looking forward to your Sat night Vlog. Cheers

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Thank you! Yeah, they need a lot of light/long days for at least half of the year.

[@sandorspalms]

Tried growing one a few year's ago from seed here in Southern Ontario Canada. Always did well in the summer but unfortunately the indoor winter's killed it and so after 3 years it said no more and went bye bye! Need's alot of humidity and sun will not tolerate cold for long periods 50 degrees is cold for this palm and keep well drained!

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Sounds about right! 3 years seems to be about when they start to fizzle out for a lot of people. Diva palms!

[@sandorspalms]

@@TropicalPlantParty lol yeah Diva Palm's!

[@stokermeister3]

I use washing up liquid diluted in a sprayer water bottle to deal with bugs on my rose plants and fruit trees and it works as well as the brand names that some people use 👍

[@audreyr9922]

Great info. Thank you.

[@sandyg8794]

Hi Jeff! This was very interesting, even though I don't think I want to try growing one. 😉 Too bad about all of the background noise when you're filming. It isn't that bad listening to you, but I can understand our frustrations. It's too bad you can't hang up a big sign saying "Please be quiet, I'm filming". LOL! The trouble there is that they'd have to see it and care!!!!! 🤣 There aren't too many comments yet, so will have to come back later to see what others say. Thank you so much for sharing!

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Haha! It isn't usually as bad as it was that day.

[@natsofatso1969]

"Diva Palm " LOL

[@louisecolombi6630]

I enjoy it like I enjoy cut flowers 💐 knowing it will last just some time and it’s ok. They’re wild plants not for indoors 🌴🌴🌴🌴💕💕💕💕

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Exactly! It's like aquariums trying to keep great white sharks. Can only be done for a very short period and they'll need to be returned to the wild to live and prosper.

[@sunnyjozani8421]

Early viewers unite!

[@NinjaOrchids]

🙌🏼🌴👍🏼

[@purplepear8505]

How often to water it and why are the tips turning brown on my plant? Its in doors in container. Should I trim off the browning part of the leaf?

[@judymckerrow6720]

Thanks Jeff💚🙃 I do now know that I won’t be trying a coconut palm💚🙃

[@TropicalPlantParty]

😅😂 I'd say that's a solid take away 😂😅

[@chrystalsabin4091]

Loved it 😎🙃🙄😜😎

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Thank you!

[@waybatch1506]

Should the pot be just large or especially long/high, because the palms are growing with a large taproot? I was thinking about getting an extra high, but not as wide pot for my cocobuddy and see if it helps. Do you think that could be a good idea, or maybe you already tried? What's your experience? Cheers🤙🏻

[@3SiameseCats]

Who cares if it lasts only about 3 years, it’s only $2.99 at the store. I still think I can get it to live longer than that though, with a grow light and humidifier, and maybe a space heater in the winter.

[@amys5260]

Happy to hear your doing great 🙂 I just got a pony tail palm and the tips of the leaves keep turning brown any ideas why? The soil felt pretty wet so I’m letting it dry out maybe more humidity? It gets 6+ hours of sun a day.

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Thank you! Ponytail palms notoriously get brown tips. While they like things dry, very dry actually, brown tips is an indication of dry air and/or dry soil. Increasing humidity and avoiding drafts or just strong airflow can help. Just don't forget that if the air is more humid, then the plant will need even less water.

[@dmitrimikrioukov5935]

Is it the same with common date palms?

[@lorellstoneman74]

You mentioned aquarium salt....would these salts work?......there is a pint size like a milk container that has salt for fish treatments, or would food grade like Celtic sea salt...or Epsom salt be something to consider? These are not too spendy...I have used Epsom salt....also discouraged slugs from pot.

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Epsom salt is usually great for palms for the magnesium. I mentioned the reef salt because it is loaded with minerals for coral growth, and that is an added benefit to the palm.

[@sheilabroad8192]

Hi Jeff , well they are beautiful but I don’t want one. I would like to visit them for let’s say 🤔 two weeks in February ? Ya that would work. 🤣🥰

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Oh yeah, that sounds good to me too!

[@stokermeister3]

How often would you water the coconut palm? Would letting the soil dry out before watering them again as I don’t want to kill my coconut palm

[@EL-te5om]

This is a very helpful video, could you do one for a queen palm please? I have recently got a queen palm in the UK and I don't have a warm greenhouse or location for it a part from my garage which stays above freezing and is warmed by central heating from the connecting house but low light and the temperatures aren't growing temperatures so can they go dormant and also what temperature damages the fronds on a normal syagrus romanzoffiana?

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Thank you! I am.actually working on a bunch of palm videos for winter and spring next week. I'll sum up what I do with my queens in winter. I keep them in my garage, on the unheated and darker side and only give them a small watering maybe once a month. The temps on the non-heated side very from 30F/-1C to 70F/21C depending on the outside temps, but it's around 55F/12.8C to 70F/21C on average. When they get too big to stand up in the garage, i lay them on their side(down on the ground)and drill a big hole in the side of the pot so i can still water them. I move them in when temps start to drop into the upper 20sF at night. A few light frost usually isn't going to hurt them, but i avoid hard freezes. There have been times when I've left mine out into the teens at night and they survived, but lost almost all of their foliage.

[@EL-te5om]

@@TropicalPlantParty Thank you for your advice

[@GardenTronics]

👍🏼💕🌿

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Thank you!

[@michaelmccarthy4077]

So, you're saying they are more picky than Majesty Palms? Now, wouldn't it be ironic if the problem is that you're planting them in a soil like other palms and they did better if you planted them in coconut husk chips? 🤣 One thing to consider, they typically grow in sand along the coast. So perhaps they should be planted in a very coarse sand with, maybe, 10-20% organic matter added or even a soilless bonsai soil. And maybe use a heat mat to warm the root zone?

[@NinjaOrchids]

I have sand 🤣🤣

[@michaelmccarthy4077]

@@NinjaOrchids I hope you hid it from the smelly gardener

[@NinjaOrchids]

Michael McCarthy yep!! Build my own castles ... not sharing

[@TropicalPlantParty]

They definitely prefer a gritty soil, i usually use at least 50% sand.

[@cloudviews]

I clicked so fast lol 😘

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Hey you! My favorite ☁️!

[@securethebag1613]

hey there mate. how long does take for the leaves to split? mine is over a year old and the leaves havent split yet but they have gotten huge

[@PizzaHutDogTraining]

I recently bought a young green full husk coconut and was wondering if I could germinate it by a south facing window with the plastic bag method since the coconut is green and young.

[@alicianeumeyer7504]

I see this was 6 months ago. Did you get it to germinate? I have a full husk coconut someone brought me from Florida and it has a tiny bit of green but mostly brown. I am soaking it in water hoping for a sprout! No liquid inside it is solid and heavy

[@PizzaHutDogTraining]

@@alicianeumeyer7504 unfortunately I never got mine to sprout or any signs of germination mainly because the nut was way too green and young it eventually just rotted away but since you have a more mature one you have a higher chance and plus it’s finally spring So outdoor sunshine would be great too but still provide the humid environment if not humid outside 👍 good luck 😉

[@PizzaHutDogTraining]

@@alicianeumeyer7504 if the coconut is heavy and makes no sound it might be too young or it’s just really full of water that it doesn’t have space to slosh but it’s worth a try.

[@happydogpainting8656]

Can you grow Century Plants in your zone ?

[@TropicalPlantParty]

There are a few varieties that are ok into zone 6, but they need some shelter in winter to keep them dry.

[@chrisdenation1]

And i wondered myself why there are almost no pictures of that palm tree on google 😬 anyways i bought one and hope it will survive? Maybe in a bigass pot with light and humidifier in winter 🤔