Plant your coconut in a very sandy soil (up to 50% coarse sand). Bury it only just half way beneath the surface (on its side). It then needs to be placed in a very warm location. When mine finally germinated (in December), it WAS at warmish room temperature and in a very sunny southern exposure. I guess the nut and soil got enough heat from the sun to do the trick. (Room temps were probably in mid 70's-80 for most of the fall in that part of the room but soil temps probably got well into the 80's midday.)I don't think the nut itself needs sun (unlike avocado pits which really do!)--it's more the HEAT they need. I would put it on top of a radiator at this time of the year (as long as it's not too hot). Keep the soil slightly moist. Most important--BE PATIENT. Mine was planted in July from a seed I found on a street in Biscayne Bay and sprouted in December!

I remember reading somewhere that you throw the seed in a big tub of water, see how it wants to float, and plant it in that orientation. Is that true, or is it "garden legend"?

Kevin : )

njoasis-
Howe much depth of soil/sand do you think I should put under the nut. I think I will have to use some sort of heat mat. You started yours in the summer and even in the fall when it was indoors you proboebly got quite a bit of sun. Now it's the middle of winter and we're luck to get 1 day of sun a week. I may just leave it alone until march when we start to get more sun (it's only been off the tree about 5 days so it is quite fresh). my concern is that if i try and plant it now and don't have enough heat that it will rot. I will also look into putting in on the water heater or something.

thank you,
Andy

Problem with most palm seeds that most are NOT known for long term 'viability'. Meaning that they should be planted fresh and not stored for long periods of time (citrus are like this too). I'm not sure if March is too long to wait (??). Maybe someone else here has that info for you. Yeah, this is a rough time to germinate real tropicals (coconuts ARE!). By the way, more temperate/subtropical palm species such as Trachycarpus and even Washingtonia can actually germinate successfully at room temps (70-75 F) but even they benefit from warm soils. The pot itself need not be that big--just wide enough to contain the nut but maybe several inches below the nut. (Palms like smallish but deep pots.) Personally, I would plant it already and position the pot in a warmish location (75 + F. as a minimum is good)--maybe near a furnace. Good luck!

Born and raised in Panama, grew up with coconuts all over, have germinated and successfully planted many. The best thing to do is to: replicate its natural environment. There is not much to this, really. It just needs warmth, that's pretty much it. Believe me, wether you place it in sand, soil or whatever medium you chose, it will not have a big impact until it has rooted. It needs warmth, lots of warmth, put it in the sun or partial shade (indoors or out) temps of 78+ are ideal. I remember I used to take fallen coconuts and just leave them in partial shade/sun indoors or outdoors in my house in Panama, and all of a sudden....green life would sprout from it...then I'd plant them.
That's it guys

This may work in Panama, but I expect life is more of a challenge for a coconut in Michigan.:)

...that's why I clearly said to not go overboard worrying about types of medium to bury it in...just worry about one thing - WARMTH-

I'm going to place it in a large window facing due south. I am also going to place a heat mat from a veggie seed starting kit underneath it. I have gotten many smaller palm seeds to germinate this way. Should I soak it in water for a day or two like we do with other small palm seeds? Will just a couple of inches of soil underneath it suffice for now? I'm afraid if there is too much soil between the heat mat and the nut it won't get enough heat. I have two of these heat mats underneat two of my three live coconuts and they seem to have helped greatly. I have had virtually no browning all winter and some slow but steady growth. Of coures the daily doses for grow lite have helped also. I keep my house at about 64 from 11:00 Pm until 6:30 PM and then turn it up to 68 when i get home from work.

thanx,
Andy

andy-

I just bought a few huge coconuts from the store here. I've bought them in the past (i use them for cooking) and these were some of the biggest i've seen. I forgot to look at the side of the box, but i believe they come from the Pacific side of Mexico (Mazatlan?). I may just try germinating one too. For a $1, i'm not out much.

They seem to thrive in southern portions of Florida. I noticed them everywhere around Ft. Lauderdale and all the way down to to the lower Keys. S Florida usually has very dry winters with temps in the 70F's/low 80Fs and nights in the 50's to maybe 70F (all depends on the winds down there). Of course this winter has been rare with cold, so my guess is quite a few took a hit.

It would be nice to get one to sprout by about April or May and have it soak up the warm MN sun :)

Home Depot sells them pre-sprouted usually in the Spring.

I have two dwarfs and a tall. The tall and one of the dwarfs I had shipped from Hawaii last spring. The other dwarf I bought at Home Depot. In their infinate wisdom they did not bring them in until October.