Save Medjool date seed

Did you know you can grow a date palm from your Christmas dates? It won’t fruit in this country but will grow into an a ractive miniature palm. To germinate, date seeds need warmth and light, so unless you have a heated propagator or greenhouse store them until spring. Wash off the excess flesh and leave to dry on a sunny windowsill, then place in a labelled envelope and store in a cool, dry place. Before planting, soak them in water for a few days, then fold in damp kitchen paper and place in a sealable plastic bag. Keep in a warm propagator or sunny windowsill and pot them up into cactus compost once white roots appear from the centre of the stones.