Coconuts; Container Growing

20 years ago

Here you go Angel-Fl, I did attended H.S. for about a year and a half there, Go Buccaneers! haha

Now, courtesy of Jose from PR. Hopefully he doesn't mind me posting the info and pics. =) I did lose other emails that had a little more info, but here is the basic principal in his own words. Grown and fruited at that time in New York. Edited to remove some personal info.

"The yellow variety in my opinion is the smallest of all of them. They usually grow 1 ft. per year so after 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 years the palm is only 4 ft-4-1/2 ft and that is the time when it begins to produce the first crop.(usually about 12 coconuts; year after year it will continue to produce but as the years go by the crop is larger also (approx.40 coconuts a year);then after 12 years the palm is about 10 ft. tall and kind of level off or its grow is very slow. At that time it produces approximately 100 coconuts per year.

The trick consist in having the coconut planted in small container in the beginning ; then at the end of the second year you take a 55 gallon plastic drum, provide a layer of rocks at the bottom (maybe 2 inch layer of crushed stone) with good drainage. then you fill it with a good garden mix (top soil preferably)water the coconut AND PROVIDE A GOOD FERTILIZER HIGH IN NITROGEN. (15-5-10 WILL DO IT) Â¼ # EVERY 2 MONTHS TO 3 MONTHS. PROVIDE WHEELS TO YOUR CONTAINER FOR EASY HANDLING. IN MY CASE IT TOOK the palm to bear in exactly 5 years. It was of the yellow species."

Picture of that variety,

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Comments (6)

ARAD
20 years ago
That's not the final height of it, obviously. When he says 4 1/2 ft. tall he reffers to the height of the trunk and you have to add the lenght of the fronds, about 8-10 ft.(sometimes more). You really need a tall greenhouse for that, but it is possible to grow it. However, the palm grows much larger eventually, but is not a fast grower. The smaller the container, the smaller it stays, but you still have to provide it with enough space for its roots. Good luck!
Eggo
Original Author
20 years ago
Yes, it is mentioned that the variety gets much taller. However if you look at the picture posted, that palm can't be no more than 6 ft or so even with the fronds. The pictures are of the same plant at the exact same time, one is just a close up of the fruits that are hiding under the fronds.
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garyfla_gw
20 years ago
Hi
This is an interesting thread to me as I have been trying to dwarf palms for several years. I have been told repeatedly that a palm can not be dwarfed as it will either not reach maturity or die.
Obviously you're doing it as they're producing nuts therefoore mature and obviously way under normal size.
I've tried Areca,Wodyetia and Roystonea all are still under 8 feet and growth has slowed considerably but show no signs of maturing. Have had none abort though at least so far.
have not tried Coconut as I don't have enough room and have not been running long enough to ee if it will work
gary
bihai
20 years ago
I think they are slow growing enough (coconut palms) anyway that youcould keep it a long time without it topping out. They have them containerized here in very large planters in our local Mall and they have had the same trees for almost 15 years and they have not grown that large.
mariava7
20 years ago
Yes, coconuts can be container grown. Well maybe it depends on where your going to grow it. During my gardening years in the Philippines, I have a friend who is into Bonsai. He has a coconut tree (yellow variety) growing in a bonsai dish for years. It was a constant winner in the Philippine Bonsai Society show. I just don't know how old it was but it already had like 2 inches of trunk at that time. It never fruited though but the leaves would eventually get small like 1-1 1/2 foot long. The bonsai dish was like 12x18x3 inches.
gw:angel-fl
20 years ago
Hey eggo, Go Jaguars and Gators, got to have some swamp (lol) Good Picture. Well my coconut is a yellow one and I have in a pot and is almost 2 feet tall now. I won't give up very easy, I will keep trying.