I am helping a friend with some sickly windmills. They are located on a windblown south-facing bluff in West Van, at a an elevation near the highway at Roger's Creek. They show signs of perhaps both potassium and manganese depletion. Their roots are partially exposed and the soil is likely not terribly healthy (due to a lack of mulching, constant exposure, no groundcover, etc...). I will start rehabilitating these plants immediately by placing a mulch around their bases, generally taking steps to improve the soil, and increasing watering during hot weather. Does anyone have any additional advice on how to start rehabilitating these palms in an organic fashion (i.e. without rushing out and buying the fertilizer plugs and microrrhizal treatments recommended on so many commercial sites?). All advice much appreciated!
Mulch would be the best, anyway, so stick to that. No reason why you shouldn't be able to get organic mycorrhizal treatments, it is just an innoculation of natural symbiotic fungi. The difficulty would be finding one that works for palms, as they probably associate with different fungi to most other plants
Since we are on the outskirts of where palms will prosper, try fertilizing with things like worm castings, rock phophate and greensand. they are slow to release and should add trace minerals to your soil. consider glacial rock dust as well.
