So bare root coconuts this is how we get our coconuts and
they send them down from
Far North Queensland just loose within a bit of coconut fiber just a bit of
this around the roots and this is how we receive them so they travel really well
like this so this is how we also send them out but they like a very humid
tropical environment so this is our fog machine which creates a very fine moist
humid environment and this is where we keep our coconuts while they're here at
Daley's so it's a perfect environment for strengthening up plants that have come
out of tissue cultured flasks that are very tender and fragile so this is a
really fabulous and exciting new addition to Daley's nursery what do you
do with your plant on arrival so the first thing is just check the roots and
if you feel they're I can feel that that root there is actually broken so it's
not going to hurt my plant if I cut that root off
so this coconut has got all its energy stored in this nut to make all its roots
and to make all its shoots so it uses the energy from the nut for about the
first two years so it's really important that under no circumstances do you take
the nut off but don't be concerned about cutting the roots off so any roots that
are old and damaged cut them off anything like this this is great and you
need to cut these ones off so don't be concerned if it doesn't have any roots
at all it's quite normal for your coconut to come without any roots so
that's perfect I'm just going to leave those two fresh
shoots that's all we want and that is absolutely perfect for planting what you
want to do is rehydrate your plant so you can actually soak the nut in a
bucket of seaweed solution and what that's going to do is it's just going to
strengthen up the nuts so seaweed is really good for preventing pests and
diseases and it actually makes your plant Hardy so it's also a great thing to have
in your garden shed and soak it for at least an hour you can soak it for up
to a day don't leave it in the bucket don't forget it and go to work for a
week but just rehydrate it and get it ready to plant
So where do coconuts grow coconuts are tropical they're what we call a strictly
tropical plant they're tropical and they grow on the beach so you don't see them
in the mountains you don't see them in Melbourne they are really
perfectly suited to growing in a tropical coastal climate now if you are
outside of that area and you want to grow a coconut what you need to
know is that they ideally like temperatures that are 20 to 30 degrees
centigrade they don't like it when it drops below that although they can
handle a little bit of cold in the winter they will not tolerate any frost
they also like a very humid environment so they ideally like 70% humidity
throughout the year so if your tropical you'll find coconuts grow easily if
you're not tropical you're going to find them difficult so don't be surprised if
you try one and you don't succeed but it really it's because tropical plants love
really hot humid conditions if you can offer them that you you're going to have
success if you can't you might be better growing something suited to your climate
so planting out your coconut in all areas outside of the tropics it's a
really good idea to start your coconut in a big pot or a bag so we're going to
start ours in a bonsai bag and what you need is a pot that's big enough to fit
the nut and the palm so that's nice and comfortable that's a really good sized
pot and because all the roots are going to come from this part of the nut you
want to bury that plant down to there so I've just put some in there because we
haven't got any roots to worry about spreading out so you can just part fill
your bag and then fill it around it so this is just coconut fiber this is our
Coir which is fabulous stuff it has really good drainage it's not going to
water log my coconuts it's not going to give you any problems with drainage and
I can add slowly less nutrients to this mix
which is all my coconuts gonna need for the first couple of years so what you
want to do is get it growing really well in its bag get it established so you
want it about like that so your coconuts part buried your palms
coming up from just above the ground level so you don't want to bury that too
deep and this nut is going to provide all the roots you need to keep this
really well watered so they like constant moisture and perfect drainage
put it in the shade until it's established so don't put it out in the
full Sun where it's going to get cooked until it starts to show nice new growth
and don't be concerned if it looks a little bit stressed for a little while
so the first couple of leaves might be weak growing leaves once it starts to
make vigorous new growth its well established and it's ready to thinking
about putting in its final home so once your palm is a couple of metres tall
it's ready to plant in the ground so what you need is a well-prepared site
and your coconuts going to love very good drainage so build a mound a bit
like an avocado lots of compost and organic matter and you can add Coco
fiber and husks all that sort of stuff to
your well composted mound you can start doing it when you put you put your
coconut in the bag so it's got two years to mature you can keep adding to that
composted mound once you're ready to plant it put it in the ground if your
nut comes off after two years it's nothing to worry about
but don't plant it any deeper than you've had it in your bag that's a
general rule with plants so make sure you keep it at the same line on your
palm when you plant it into the ground and keep the moisture up to it so it's
going to love that tropical climate and if you can provide it with that you're
going to be picking coconuts in five years maybe 6 years
ten years it is going to vary you need to be patient
you