I have been trying for months to germinate Musa Sikkimensis, and nothing is happening, could you let me know if I am doing something wrong?

I received the seeds in mid November. First I soaked them in warm water for 3 days. I then nicked each of them to expose the interior on each side of the seed and set them into a clear Tupperware container filled with moist perlite. At first they just sat like that with some cannas I have under a grow light. (Does this type germinate in light or dark?) After a month and a half or so , I put a heating pad under them and began to alternate between heat half the day and no heat the second half, still nothing. I am considering removing them from the perlite mixture and sowing them instead in a seed starter mix or cubes. Any suggestions? Alternate Methods? Anything would be greatly appreciated.


I need 15 foot banana trees in my New England yard!

Hello. Hope I can help a little here. I am in England and enjoy growing Banana plants mostly from seed.
I bought some seeds of "Sikkimensis" in 2003. I had 10 seeds and 3 germinated.
From experience you have to bear in mind the following points:
1) If you get 3 from 10 then you have done well!
2) The seed HAS to be fresh.
3) They need BOTTOM HEAT 75 to 80 degrees to come up.
4) Keep the compost MOIST not wet. Cover the seeds with about 1/4" of compost.
5) Germinate in the dark.
6) Check them often - if you miss a seedling it can be irreparably etiolated.
7) Dont give up ,they can take up to six months to appear.
My plants are now 6feet tall and MAGNIFICENT. Well worth all the effort..
Good luck and remember they are WELL worth it..
Sidney Parker An enthusiast.

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I used to think that they needed to be nicked, but they don't. Even really thick shelled ones will sprout, you just have to give them a good long soak before sowing. I would disagree that the seeds need to be fresh. I ordered some M.balbisiana from germany and they were so old that alot of the black had worn off leaving a papery white membrane. I got about 40% germination.
I think you are doing it right with the temp fluctuations, just make sure they aren't getting too hot, that can kill any emerging sprout, as well as being too wet would.
I think the sikkeminsis are some of the toughest to sprout needing such exact germination environment. Maybe you shoul greenhouse them this spring if they don't sprout, mother nature may give you the fluictuations you need.
Good luck
Another thought--- Maybe less amount of hours with the heat mat on would help.

Yeeha, I ordered some Musa sikkeminsis 'red flash' from Germany, and they sprouted in less than a month. All I did was soak, put in moist peat moss(in zip lock). Then since it really doesn't get below 35 F at night(and it's been getting really warm in the day) I put them in the window leaning against the glass. This made the bag get really cool at night, and hot during the day. After about a week of this I placed them in a warm spot near the ceiling, and wahlah lot's of seeds sprouting.
Now I'll put some other types that I've been having trouble with next to the window.
Good luck everyone!