i planted these palms (3) in my yard back in november- the dry season (central coast FL). they did fine, are in a spot where water drains to in rain; they are also planted in a neighborhood where once was a bog so nutrients etc and sandy soil type are perfect. i do realize that all plants and trees from many nurseries are pumped full of fertilizer to the point they are used to getting nutrient availablity very easily- without working for it - so there can be an adjustment phase of 'not so good lookin' and then weeks later- they are fine. so we move thru dry season with less water, then jump rainier season- lots more water suddenly; and then the dark kinda necrotic rim on the fan leaves shows up. i use a palm fertilizer- spikes- and the leaves look better, then a brush fire came thru and scorched many of those leaves on the edges (burned up the wood behind us), this was april now. it is 1st of aug and they have come back.... BUT, the leaves in my opinion, are not branching as high and wide out as they should or were. its almost as if the newest leaves, very healthy looking and all, are keeping themselves very much close to the meristem. i guess for a palm, the 'frond's or petiole parts are not stretching their longest. is this a Boron deficiency or just a growth phase and i should leave it all alone and allow them to adjust some more over time. they are about 3 yr old palms that were in container before purchased so they are only about 6-7 feet tall at this point.
Well, Im not a "professional" by any stretch of the imagination, since I am not employed to do gardening and maintenance. However, I have been gardening and working with plants for the better part of my whole life, and im 37 years old. So thats about 25 years of gardening experience. Everyone that knows me, says I have a super green thumb, super green hand.. and I even had someone say I have a green body. LOL! Basically, I touch it, and it usually thrives. Dunno why, it just is what it is, and I love it. Anyway, I do have some palm experience, and I do know alittle bit about Washys. I can tell you they are much more adapt to an arid climate such as that of the SW US and CA. There is a reason you hardly ever see Washingtonia's achieve the same great heights in Florida that they do in CA, and that is do mostly to climate. Its a fairly commonly known fact that the hot, and much more importantly, HIGH HUMIDITY conditions generally tend to slow/ stunt the growth of the more "desert" palm types, including Washingtonia's. It sounds to me like the location they are in may in fact be too damp/ wet for them, espeically during rainy season. They do need better draining soil than some palms, like Sabal Palmettos, which can practcially grow IN water. I would not worry so much about watering them really, I dont think that is the biggest issue. They definitely can survive in Florida, but I have not really seen them THRIVE like the do in the SW and in CA. That is largely due to the very humid and much more "tropical" like conditions of FLA vs the arid, dry heat of the SW, and CA. I would not worry too much, but I also would not expect fast growth, nor the large sizes you see from them in the SW/CA. Itll get tall yeah, but not like what one thinks of when we think of Washingtonia. Hope that helps you! Good luck! Post some pics of those guys if you can!
thank you DC United.... i figured that i should leave them be. no i dont water. and it is sandy soil out here so a heavy rain with 6 in flood water is gone in 2 days. what is even more funny is , i used to live in DC for 30 years- born and raised. I still have good hope for them- they are green just not majestic. i have some other types of flora that ive planted and heliconia types, and palms, and 'Birds' all seem to go thru a crappy period upon planting and then snap into it about an entire year later. thanks.
Hey there, not a problem! Just my observations of those palms based on what you said here, and where you are. Nice to meet another "local" LOL! I swear I have met twice as many native Washingtonians, or even people just from the D.C. Metro Area, all around the country, than I have actually HERE in the D.C. Metro! LOL! You are lucky that you live in such a palm friendly environment! You get to enjoy all kinds of things, while im up here figuring what cold hardy palms I can grow, and how to protect them if need be. At least I know we can grow S. Minor and Needle Palms (Rapidophyllum Hystrix) here with NO protection, and Windmills with little to no protection, especially in the many "micro climates" we have here inside of our urban heat island. Were about a cold zone 8A, and at times a very warm 7B, at least here in the "dowtown/ urban area" The river helps alot in winter, since it hardly EVER freezes over anymore like it did 20 years ago. Good luck with your Washys! Post some pics of them if you can!
