Winter palm planting

[DoomsDave]

BS Man's post provoked this one:

So, the conventional wisdom is that palms are best planted in the summer, but I can say that's just a bunch of BS (not the man!).

Hedyscepe for one, seems to move easily during the winter. Dig (umph!) stick in the hole, and it's rooted in a couple of weeks. Yeah, I know, my mind, such as it is, is blown . . .

What about the rest of you?

[epicure3]

I have no problem planting most palms in the garden any time of year. I might wait for varieties such as Hyophorbes or Clinostigma.

[BeaumontTropics]

Well Dave,

I'll be real honest: I don't know much about palm trees. I've been a "collector" for about a year now and I'l I can say is I know what I've tried and worked, and I know what I tried and didn't! First off, that first reclinata didn't go well, at all! (It's showing new growth though!) But I think it was just way too cold that day. I dug a hole in my yard almost 4 feet deep, 3 foot wide, 3 foot long, and I was freezing the whole time. So when those roots hit that frozen clay, I just think they "choked" up a bit.

however, the next two weeks I tried another one, and it's doing awesome! Not 75 degrees or anything close, but at least it was in the 60's. As opposed to the very low 50's maybe high 40's when i tried the first one. also, the tall washingtonia i planted seems to be doing fine along with the canary, no worries in February, just maybe not the day after Christmas to start planting?

[Tassie_Troy1971]

BS Man's post provoked this one:

So, the conventional wisdom is that palms are best planted in the summer, but I can say that's just a bunch of BS (not the man!).

Hedyscepe for one, seems to move easily during the winter. Dig (umph!) stick in the hole, and it's rooted in a couple of weeks. Yeah, I know, my mind, such as it is, is blown . . .

What about the rest of you?

Hi Dave

With the warm winter you have had over there im not surprised . Your winter 18-23c 5-12c overnight is similar to summer on mt gower where Hedyscepe is from . My Hedyscepe's grow well all through our cool winter.

[quaman58]

I agree Dave; it seems to depend on the temps vs. the species being planted. Trying to plant out something that is near dormant is asking for trouble. Obviously that still leaves a pretty big swath of palms for those of us in SoCal.

[Kostas]

I have been planting yearround the past year only but still,i have noticed a few things. Most plants are ok to plant yearround as it really isnt any worse than them being in the pot,on the contrary,they enjoy more stable conditions and can start acclimating sooner However,i have had some problems with winter planting the very tropical in needs species as babies. In Pyrgos,it can rain for the 9 months of the year and the 4 cool months it really pours heavily...So,that makes Pyrgos ideal for winter planting ferns and cool and humid weather loving palms such as Trachycarpus,Ceroxylon,etc. Most other palms can be planted in winter too no problem but the most tropical species,when planted as babies in winter, seem to get beaten up by leaf fungus and can be dominated and die from it This is the only problem i have had with winter planting so far...But i must also say that the same species get beaten up with leaf fungus anyway in the rainny weather of the winter,they just seem to get a little less of it if they have grown a new canopy in the ground before winter rains come.

My Archontophoenix alexandrae are of the first palms i planted and i planted one of my 2 in the middle of winter with temprature falling to 0,1C the same night It didnt mind at all the winter planted and the cold weather but got burn from the sun even under 30% shade cloth and only morning and afternoon sun. Archontophoenix trully dont mind winter planting and grow thought the winter for me in Pyrgos,they seem to like the rains,humidity and do well in such weather even coupled with cool tempratures

[Walter John]

This topic is worthy of more input so here's some thoughts.

When I first started out palming I killed Archo Alex palms that I planted in winter. The palms were tropical and therefore dormant in the cold weather but what did I know at the time ? , I watered them and watered them and ended their days by turning their silent sleeping root systems to mush and bringing in disease. The application of fertiliser probably was a deterrant and not an aid. Lesson learnt ? Either wait till Summer when the roots and soils are warming and the root system is thirsty or don't water too much if planting in cool weather.

Question: Is a young palm planted inground better off than one in a pot during cold weather ? Not sure, things to consider are the black bag or pot that the palm rests in, these containers warm up very nicely with direct sun even during winter. A palm planted is likely to experience cold soil surrounds that will not warm up in a hurry and therefore could jeopardise it's health if watered and fertilised.

Just some thoughts....over and out.

[Rafael]

Any thoughts about winter planting of:

- sabal maritima,

- trithrinax campestris,

- trithrinax schyzophila, 

- bismarckia,

- livistona saribus

- nannorhops and

- copernicia alba?

[akaranus]

i would wait with bismarckia, copernicia and nannorhops to avoid problems with to much water at winter time

[Kostas]

All should be fine Rafael, just make sure the planting areas don't stay excessively wet without good air circulation for the more arid species like Nannorhops and Trithrinax

Bismarckia is far better in the ground than potted

[Phoenikakias]

I would wait with all of them. BTW any pictures of your Trithrinax schizophylla?

Edited December 30, 2015 by Phoenikakias

[Rafael]

Unfortunately i wont be able to wait, because i am back to the islands in a couple of days and I have already lost a big potted nannorhops waiting for spring to be planted.

later I will upload some pics Konstantinos Teodoropoulous.

 

thank you all for your inputs :)

[Ben in Norcal]

I wouldn't hesitate either, most of those are pretty cold hardy...

[Rafael]

On 30 de dezembro de 2015, 13:41:18, Phoenikakias said:

I would wait with all of them. BTW any pictures of your Trithrinax schizophylla?

Here it is Konstantinos

[Phoenikakias]

Aya, aya, aya

[DoomsDave]

I think you should be all right to plant all of them, too. They're all tough and hardy.

I'd wait on anything with a crownshaft.

[Rafael]

10 hours ago, DoomsDave said:

I think you should be all right to plant all of them, too. They're all tough and hardy.

I'd wait on anything with a crownshaft.

They are already on their way to the ground 

Happy New Year Dave!

[Tracy]

16 hours ago, DoomsDave said:

I think you should be all right to plant all of them, too. They're all tough and hardy.

I'd wait on anything with a crownshaft.

That recommendation provoked me to have a little more patience and wait to put a few items in the ground.  I have been working on my new garden in fits and starts for 5 years, and have an area which finally became available to plant.  I will probably hold out on putting some of my potted palms in the ground now, despite the urge to get them out of the pots.  2 years ago, I had to move some items for a remodel project, transplanting in late November.  The Burretiokentia hapala and Howea belmoreana transitioned well and are thriving, while the Rhopalostylis cheesmannii was dead within 3 months.  I'll have to report back on the Dypsis cabadae I planted a couple of weeks ago, when Spring comes