I have bought the same packet of seeds over the past 2 years.
It seems I have 1 or 2 that germinate within a month and the remaining ones never seem to sprout. I do soak my seeds for 2-3 days. Once they sprout they do grow fast, not a foot tall after a month but once they get outside in warm weather they will grow a foot in just a couple of weeks. good luck. I think I would buy more seeds if I were you.

Thank You!
I am going to try soaking them, maybe with a bit of luck theyll sprout! If not I guess I will just buy more...

I agree that soaking them can help; I've had decent luck (never 100% germination, though) planting them in small pots which are then enclosed in a ziplock bag to maintain moisture. Bottom heat helps, too - placing the bag on top of a refrigerator or setting it up on the end of a fluorescent aquarium strip light (being careful not to cover the vents on the fixture) can provide a little extra warmth to kick the seed into growth.

BTW - in a testament to global warming, I discovered the other day that one of the Ensete ventricosum plants I had left in the ground all winter (it was too big to bring in, so I'd started a new one for this year) survived the winter and is growing again, having received no mulch or protection of any kind. I'm used to hardiness in Musa basjoo, M. velutina, and Musella lasiocarpa, but this was kind of a cool surprise - of course, it also messes up the plans I had to replant that space with something different this year!

Bubba,very cool that your nanas came back!Saturn-I have read that ventricosum can take up to 3 months to sprout,it was also suggested to scrape the seeds a little before soaking them which is not easy,I am waiting for mine to sprout as well,they are in a baggie with spagnum moss and are sitting on top of a gas stovetop for extra warmth

soak the seeds in boiling water and let them stay soaking for 24 hrs, then give them lots of warmth + bottom heat

I got my seeds from Thompson and Morgan, they are also Musa ensete. They all took four weeks to sprout. I soaked them for 24 hours then planted them in a pot of a mix of perlite,compost, manure, peat moss, and some sand in a ten inch pot. then placed them each in their own zip-loc bag and sealed them. Left them in front of a sunny window. I live a cold zone so I leave them out when it's summer and bring them in when it's winter.
Tasty

I also bought the T&M ensete seeds from the seed rack at the local store. I soak the seeds for a day (just lukewarm water) and then plant, just in plastic cups with potting mix. For the four or five seeds in the pack, one seed seems to sprout in 3 weeks to a month. The next one follows a couple of weeks later, and the others don't seem to sprout. But, all you really need is one good plant so one plant for the $4 seed price is really a good deal.

This spring I also bought seeds of musa basjoo, they seemed to take longer than a month to sprout, I had just given up, but I was able to get two good plants from the seed pack.

Xerophyte, have you really soaked them in boiling water? I guess that would help break down the seed coat, but I would be worried about killing the seed inside.

Glen

That seed coat is so damn tough there's no way you'll damage the embryo with boiling water. All you need to do is to nick the seed coat a tiny amount so that the seed can imbibe with water. I tried with a sharp knife but it was too tough. Maybe a pilot drill would do it? Soaking the seed in some acid may also help - something like Drano or Liquid Plumber. I've never tried that but I will the next time I germinate Ensete.