How to Grow Coconut Tree - DIY with10 Steps (Pictures)

All types of coconut trees and palm trees belong to the same tropical climate. These have strong affinities with cycads family (cycas trees) and same family (palm family – Arecaceae). However, not all the palm trees produce coconuts. You need to know some growth stages of coconut (Cocos nucifera) before know how to grow coconut tree;

1-6 months – Bright green with only water inside.
6-10 months – Turn yellowish with brown spots on surface and sweet water inside.
11-12 Months – Mature with brown husk.

How to Grow Coconut Tree?

Coconut trees naturally grow as flora of in a tropical climate. However, if you can manage, you can grow and plant some types of coconut trees at your home. Following are 10 developmental stages of coconut through which it goes from germination to maturity. You need to follow the following steps to grow coconut at your home;

Select and Incubate Nuts

Select nuts that have plenty of water inside. Feel it by shaking. Make sure that husk is still covering the seed.

Water Priming of the seed

Submerge the seed in a bucket with lukewarm water for 3-4 days. Use weight to hold the seed dipped in the water completely

Store seed in Plastic bag for germination of Coconut

Store in Plastic bag

To sprout coconut seeds, place the primed seed in zip locked plastic bag containing 250 ml water. Left the seed in the plastic bag for 3 months.

Sprouting

The seed will sprout. The roots will emerge. Wrap a paper towel around the roots and keep it in the plastic bag again.

Planting

Add all the soil media e.g. sand, potting soil, vermiculite, and fine gravel in the pot. Place your seed in that soil. Put the seed with a pointed end facing down and make sure 1/3rd of the coconut stick out of the soil.

Irrigation

Keep the soil moist by irrigating 2-3 times a week. Make sure that sunlight is available. A mini greenhouse is also recommended. Remove the greenhouse when the coconut tree reaches a height of 1 foot.

Temperature Requirements

Coconut trees grow best at 72°F or 22°C. However, as the plant love tropics, it grows best at a temperature of more than 27°C (80°F).

Fertilizer Application

Different types of coconut trees require different rates of fertilizers. However, apply fertilizers rich in boron, magnesium, and manganese at the rate of 1 pound per 100 square feet

Mature Coconut after germination 3-5 years

Maturity

The tree will attain maturity after 4-5 years. The time taken to maturity varies with the species of Coconuts.

Harvesting

Coconut is harvested when fully mature and ripen. A ripened coconut may weigh up to 6 pounds.

How does Coconut Reproduce?

Coconuts reproduce by flowers. A coconut tree may flower at the age of 4-6 years. Flowers are produced during the spring season. It takes 9 months from the flowers to the fruits. Out of the cluster of flowers, only a single flower matures, the rest drop to the ground.

FAQs

Place the coconut seed with husk in a plastic bag with 250 to 300 ml water. Zip close the plastic bag. This anoxic condition helps coconut seeds sprout faster.

Fruit bearing is different for different species of coconut. However, all the varieties of coconut may bear fruit at the age of 4-6 years. At this stage, coconut trees produce flowers that turn into fruit after 9 months.

The ripened coconuts are brown. The change in the color of the coconut shows maturity and ripening. However, if there are black spots inside the coconut, the fruit is over-ripe and has started rotting. This shows that fruit is unfit for consumption.

Coconuts don’t grow on all kinds of palm trees. Only single species of palm tree “Cocos nucifera” produces coconuts.

A coconut seed looks like a skull or head, this is the reason it got its name “coco” – skull in Portuguese.

Green coconuts are good for hydration, you can drink the flavored juice. However, yellowish-red and brownish could prove better for your flavored experience.

Coconut trees are also used by gardeners for aesthetic value. This makes it necessary to cut and trim these types of coconut trees as per your will

Coconut bras are traditional costumes, started in Hawaii islands and is now common in all the Pacific islands. It is used at special traditional occasions e.g. weddings and parties.

Dr. Qaiser Maqsood

I’m Dr Qaiser Maqsood (PhD), a dedicated researcher and expert in Biological Sciences, Gardening, Bio-Diversity, Ecology, and Environmental Sciences. I’m much concerned about Environmental Pollution, Climate Change, Plantation, Gardening, and Global Warming. My passion is to explore innovative solutions in all these fields.

Be aware that we have ONLY ONE EARTH. Protect it!!

How to Grow Coconut Tree – DIY with these 10 Steps (Pictures)