I soak mine for 2 or 3 days... change the water daily. I usually soak them in plastic beer cups on top of the fridge. Before I plant them I rinse them with warm water...sometimes dip them in 1 part bleach 9 parts water to prevent fungus....but sometimes I dont bother. Usually put seed starting mix in a 5 or 6 inch plastic container(walmart storage tubs do fine)and put them in a warm spot. The last ones I planted started to sprout in a couple days. Over the last week or so 60 of 106 have started to grow. Ive pulled them out of the tub they were started in...put then in individual plastic beer cups( with drainage holes in the bottom)and put them in the light. Most have there first full leaves. I order my seeds from rareseedsource and always have good results.

I am interested in either or both of your bananas, Check by list, Paul

Hi Judith, I bought those same Park Seed esente. They took about a month to germinate some took longer. So plan to start them early before spring in your area. The bigger the pot the better and/or stick them in the ground and give lots of organic matter and water during the frost free growing season. You can lift them and store during the winter similar to the way you do brugs. Mine did not get 10 feet (more like 6)in one season and hasn't even bloomed yet but I am keeping it from frost now and hope to see more in the spring. It was fun to grow bananas from seed because I usually just buy plants at Stokes Tropical here locally.

Hi Gail I managed to get Ensete seeds off ebay. Ive had a 1st batch of 30 seeds with about half that germinating so far. I would like to know why arent we 'allowed' to grow ornamental Musa species/cvs in WA (I mean temperate WA, not the tropics)? I mean how can an ornamental banana be a threat? FFS, they struggle to throw up pups or seed sometimes!