Date PalmThe Date palm is propagated easily by seeds and offsets that grow from the base of the tree.

Propagation is by seeds takes from 2 weeks to 3 months to germinate. It is not a very popular method because it is not possible to ensure future fruits quality, nor sex of progeny (since date palms are dioecious, when they are propagated from seeds, one-half will be males and one-half will be females). The female date palm trees rarely have the same qualities as the parents plants. Seed propagation is usually used for creating new types of dates.

The most common method of reproduction for the Date palm tree is the planting of suckers (almost always new trees are grown from suckers). Offshots have the same qualities as the parent plants, there will be genetic copies of parent plants, and it takes less time for them to harvest (2 years earlier than for seedlings).

Usually only stout 3 to 5 years old offshoots are selected for transplanting. Also the selected suckers must be disease and pest free.

The best time to replant offsets is in April or May. When propagated by offsets, it is necessary to keep the soil moist around the suckers for about 2 months.

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