How To Plant Bird Of Paradise Flower Seeds

Bird of paradise is a rapidly growing plant that needs to reach a certain size before it will bloom.

How to plant bird of paradise flower seeds. Locate newly planted seeds somewhere hot at least 85 f. If you will plant purchased seeds or harvested seeds that have hard shells then pretreat them to speed their sprouting or germination. A 5 to 6 foot plant usually thrives in a 14 inch pot. Try reducing your watering schedule during the growing season and let the soil dry out on the surface.

To grow bird of paradise start by buying a plant cutting from a gardening store and filling a large clay pot with rich potting soil. If possible sow fresh seeds immediately before their black outer shells harden. Store the seeds in a dry cool place until you re ready to plant them. You ll need to keep the soil moist by watering your bird of paradise at least once a week.

Put the paper plate in a cool dry well ventilated room for one to two weeks or until the bird of paradise seeds are completely dry. Place the dry bird of paradise seeds in a paper envelope and label the envelope. Let the soil dry about halfway down the pot. Remove the orange tuft and scratch the outside of the seed coat with a sharp knife.

Repot it every spring into a somewhat larger pot. Don t fertilize the fourth week. Plant the seeds 1 2 to 1 inch deep and several inches apart. Sometimes overwatering can prevent a bird of paradise from flowering.

Always scratch or nick a seed on the side opposite its hilum the mark or indentation indicating where the seed was formerly attached to its seed stalk inside the pod. When the plant starts blooming let it become fully dry even extra dry before you water and it will flower more. It can take 8 weeks or longer. Then only water when the soil is dry.

Don t let the soil dry completely to the bottom or the plant will start wilting. A bird of paradise that is 3 to 4 feet tall grows well in a 10 inch pot. The germination of bird of paradise seeds is slow so be patient. Hold the bird of paradise seed pod over a paper plate.

Crowded plants produce more blooms so don t rush to. During the growing season. 29 c with indirect light. A newly planted bird of paradise often doesn t blossom for a few years.

Seeds should be planted 1 inch 2 5 cm deep in moistened high quality potting mix. Apply liquid fertilizer once a week for three weeks. Before planting soak the seeds for 24 hours. To encourage a plant to bloom start fertilizing.

Cover the pot with plastic to retain humidity and keep the soil moist. Repeat this process until the plant starts flowering. Sow bird of paradise seeds fill a planting tray with moist potting soil. To nick it instead use needle nosed pliers to hold the seed still on top of a cutting board and chip a tiny piece out of its rounded edge with the tip of a utility knife.

Bird of paradise seeds are slow to germinate. Plant the seeds in march or april but first remove their orange hairy tufts called arils and refrigerate the seeds at 40 to 45 degrees fahrenheit for two weeks inside a plastic bag with one handful of damp seed starting mix. Be sure to water the plant well an hour before you fertilize.