I transplanted a wind mill palm from a 5 gallon bucket two weeks ago in southwestern Las Vegas Nevada. It's about 4.5 feet tall and looks healthy as a horse. Of course I read posts on this site after the process and I'm concerned that my timing couldn't have been worse. Any suggestions or ideas about watering etc. to get it thru the "winter" here? It is somewhat protected by the 5 foot property wall that it sits near, but the winds here can be tough especially in the coming winter. I excavated a 3 foot in diameter hole a little deeper than the bucket and added 6 bags of palm and cactus mix soill from Home Depot under and around the soil and root ball that it already had. The soil here is a horrible hard packd shaley cement like dirt that requires a pick axe to dig and probably isn't too root friendly. I've been told to water it daily for two weeks and then much less, suggestions? Any and all help would be appreciated. Tks. Lyndon Abbott
Amended hole excavated out of hard soil and watered daily liable to become flooded. Water often enough to keep moist, and no more. Winds could be a problem, this species does not like much wind. It is not a desert palm, rather a southeast Asian, monsoon climate plant.
Tks. will do on the limited watering now that the first two weeks have passed. Hoping that the block wall will shelter it from the wind long enough for the roots to get established. I read that if there's too much water it could develop root rot, don't want that.
As RonB mentioned, these would be considered well out of their normal growing conditions in Las Vegas. The blistering, relentless summer heat would likely be as stressful as high wind. Maybe get a Brahea armata (Blue Hesper palm) and give that Windmill palm to someone heading north or to the coast. Cheers, Barrie.
