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Transplanting a Bismarck

Chad

By Chad
in DISCUSSING PALM TREES WORLDWIDE

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Chad Apprentice

Chad

Posted
Posted

So there was a lady in San Marcos, CA (located in San Diego county for those of you out of the area) who needed a couple of palms out of her yard asap because she was redoing her landscaping. She thought they were Blue Hespers but when I showed up to get palms out of her yard for her they ended up being Bismarkia Nobilis. Now I know that the best way to transplant Bismarcks is to root prune for awhile and cross your fingers and see what happens. I tried to talk the lady into letting me root prune but there wasn't enough time. So my approach was simple....dig around the root ball as carefully as possible and as quickly as possible and try and trick the palm into believing that it was never transplanted :)

So I must say that after about 2 hours of precise digging I was able to free up the larger of the two bismarcks (probably the most intack root ball I have ever had when transplanting a palm) and I immediately got it home and put it into the ground with a dose of superthrive on the rootball. I believe I transplanted the palm the beginning of April 2010 and here we are over a month later and it's still looking good....the palm was beat up a little bit to begin with it and I have cut off a few dried up leaves but much to my surprise it is beginning to open up a new leaf. Am I out of the woods on this one? Or is there still a posibility that this thing will stress out and die now?

The second bismarck was in a bad location for removal but I still was able to get it out without hacking the roots up too bad. i put the second one in a 36" box container and so far it seems to be holding up without much change. I am keeping it well watered and saying a prayer here and there.

Anyway, I am hopeful that these two beautiful palms will make it. I really had no expectations of them living given all the pesimistic feedback on transplating Bismarcks. But maybe I will provide some much needed hope that they can be transplanted even without root pruning. I guess this will remain to be seen. I have transplanted a dozen or so palms...maybe more and these seem to be holding up really good so far.

I will post some pictures in a followup post showing the removal process and how they are looking now.

Chad

Growing my palms in the Murrieta, CA where it is 110*F in the summer and 27*F in the winter.

Walter John Grand Master

Walter John

Posted
Posted

Hi Chad, did either of these palms have any trunk ?

Happy Gardening

Cheers,

Wal

Queensland, Australia.

Mark Heath Veteran

Mark Heath

Posted
Posted

Hey Chad,

Good luck w/ your Bizzies! I would remove a few of the good fronds and keep a mister on them. I had the same

case senerio happen to me as well, and my bizzie is doing good after 3 years. I removed 3/4 of the fronds and put a very fine spray mister next to it for about 2 months. It has come back and looks good now.

Good luck and keep those guys moist!

Mark

Orlando, Florida

zone 9b

The Pollen Poacher!!

GO DOLPHINS!!

GO GATORS!!!

 

Palms, Sex, Money and horsepower,,,, you may have more than you can handle,,

but too much is never enough!!

freakypalmguy Grand Master

freakypalmguy

Posted
Posted

Good luck Chad, I've never moved one, but had a serious gopher attack that almost laid one over, and it survived but defoliated 50% very quickly. Sounds like your have a chance.

Matt

  • Upvote 1

Matt in Temecula, CA

Hot and dry in the summer, cold with light frost in the winter. Halfway between the desert and ocean

BS Man about Palms Grand Master

BS Man about Palms

Posted
Posted

Same thing I say in general. The magic 3 inches. I have noticed that if you mark a spear (if it has one) its extremely rare that if they push it out 3" that they die from the transplant.

Sadly I've seen a lot of palms that push almost 2" then expire. Good luck.

Bill

  • Upvote 1

Zone 10a at best after 2007 AND 2013, on SW facing hill, 1 1/2 miles from coast in Oceanside, CA. 30-98 degrees, and 45-80deg. about 95% of the time.

"The great workman of nature is time."   ,  "Genius is nothing but a great aptitude for patience."

-George-Louis Leclerc de Buffon-

I do some experiments and learning in my garden with palms so you don't have to experience the pain! Look at my old threads to find various observations and tips!

LJG Grand Master

LJG

Posted
Posted

If they transplant, they will be the first I have heard of in SoCal for moving large, established Bizzies. People in FL, HA, Oz, etc have better luck. Very hard here.

Len

Vista, CA (Zone 10a)

Shadowridge Area

"Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are."

-- Alfred Austin

Chad Apprentice

Chad

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hi Chad, did either of these palms have any trunk ?

Here are what they looked like before transplanting....good size....close to trunking but not quite.

post-3896-12736793688138_thumb.jpg

post-3896-12736793813502_thumb.jpg

Chad

Growing my palms in the Murrieta, CA where it is 110*F in the summer and 27*F in the winter.

Chad Apprentice

Chad

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Here are some pictures of the transplanting process of the larger of the two bizzies. I forgot to take pictures of the second one but I will post the after photos later on tonight.

Since I was by myself on this dig I had to back fill the hole in order to get this beast out of the planter is was in. Then I just used a heavy duty dolly to get it into the back of the trailer.

You can see what it looks like in the ground at my house...I have removed more of the leaves since transplanting as you will see when I post more recent pictures.

post-3896-12736795696354_thumb.jpg

post-3896-12736795904793_thumb.jpg

post-3896-12736796072553_thumb.jpg

Chad

Growing my palms in the Murrieta, CA where it is 110*F in the summer and 27*F in the winter.

Chad Apprentice

Chad

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Same thing I say in general. The magic 3 inches. I have noticed that if you mark a spear (if it has one) its extremely rare that if they push it out 3" that they die from the transplant.

Sadly I've seen a lot of palms that push almost 2" then expire. Good luck.

Bill

I am going to mark the middle spear tonight....and see if I can make it to the 3" mark. Thanks for the info.

Chad

Growing my palms in the Murrieta, CA where it is 110*F in the summer and 27*F in the winter.

MattyB Grand Master

MattyB

Posted
Posted

Smaller ones can be done for sure. Looks like you got a good root ball. Thanks for the pics of the process. Good luck.

post-126-12736908655699_thumb.jpg

post-126-1273690897762_thumb.jpg

Matt Bradford

"Manambe Lavaka"

Spring Valley, CA (8.5 miles inland from San Diego Bay)

10B on the hill (635 ft. elevation)

9B in the canyon (520 ft. elevation)

paulgila Grand Master

paulgila

Posted
Posted

what a handsome dewd helping his buddy dig a palm. B)

the "prince of snarkness."

 

still "warning-free."

 

san diego,california,left coast.

gsn Veteran

gsn

Posted
Posted

what a handsome dewd helping his buddy dig a palm. B)

I beleive he ABIDES!! :D

Scott

Titusville, FL

1/2 mile from the Indian River

USDA Zone COLD

LJG Grand Master

LJG

Posted
Posted

Smaller ones can be done for sure. Looks like you got a good root ball. Thanks for the pics of the process. Good luck.

Matt, got a pic of that plant now? Minus the ugly dude in the picture please.

Len

Vista, CA (Zone 10a)

Shadowridge Area

"Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are."

-- Alfred Austin

paulgila Grand Master

paulgila

Posted
Posted

oh len,stop trying to hide how you REALLY feel about me! :wub:

the "prince of snarkness."

 

still "warning-free."

 

san diego,california,left coast.

MattyB Grand Master

MattyB

Posted
Posted

Len,

Here it was in March....and no Paul for your viewing pleasure.

It's a real champ, with a great compact habit and holding leaves right to the ground. I think it's due to the full, all day sun exposure, and rocky substrate. It's showing a bit more silver in my opinion now that it's warming up.

post-126-12736966423811_thumb.jpg

Matt Bradford

"Manambe Lavaka"

Spring Valley, CA (8.5 miles inland from San Diego Bay)

10B on the hill (635 ft. elevation)

9B in the canyon (520 ft. elevation)

LJG Grand Master

LJG

Posted
Posted

Wow. That thing is cranking.

Len

Vista, CA (Zone 10a)

Shadowridge Area

"Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are."

-- Alfred Austin

sur4z Grand Master

sur4z

Posted
Posted

I realize I'm on the other coast but a few years ago I too dug up a trunking bizzie and planted in my yard with the same mindset you had...it will never know it was out of the ground. Well it must have known something happened because it wasn't very happy. The fronds were not very blue and there weren't very many of them.I watered the heck out of it and it held on...barely for about a year. Then we had a couple hurricanes and the tree must have gone into survival mode. The fronds were pretty shredded but the tree all of a sudden took off. Color came to the leaves and it looked great...still does. Go figure.

The weight of lies will bring you down / And follow you to every town / Cause nothin happens here

That doesn't happen there / So when you run make sure you run / To something and not away from

Cause lies don't need an aero plane / To chase you anywhere

--Avett Bros

freakypalmguy Grand Master

freakypalmguy

Posted
Posted

what a handsome dewd helping his buddy dig a palm. B)

Handsome on Mars

Matt in Temecula, CA

Hot and dry in the summer, cold with light frost in the winter. Halfway between the desert and ocean

paulgila Grand Master

paulgila

Posted
Posted

ohhhh so jealous,arent we?

the "prince of snarkness."

 

still "warning-free."

 

san diego,california,left coast.

Chad Apprentice

Chad

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I realize I'm on the other coast but a few years ago I too dug up a trunking bizzie and planted in my yard with the same mindset you had...it will never know it was out of the ground. Well it must have known something happened because it wasn't very happy. The fronds were not very blue and there weren't very many of them.I watered the heck out of it and it held on...barely for about a year. Then we had a couple hurricanes and the tree must have gone into survival mode. The fronds were pretty shredded but the tree all of a sudden took off. Color came to the leaves and it looked great...still does. Go figure.

Do you have any pictures of the palm and how it looks now?

Chad

Growing my palms in the Murrieta, CA where it is 110*F in the summer and 27*F in the winter.

LJG Grand Master

LJG

Posted
Posted

what a handsome dewd helping his buddy dig a palm. B)

Handsome on Mars

Handsome FROM Mars.

Len

Vista, CA (Zone 10a)

Shadowridge Area

"Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are."

-- Alfred Austin

DoomsDave Grand Master

DoomsDave

Posted
Posted

Chad!

You are the man, as they say, good luck, keep us apprized, we all want to learn something, especially something positive, like how NOT to kill a nice palm by moving it.

dave

Let's keep our forum fun and friendly.

Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or lost profits or revenue, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of my opinion or the use of this data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and I disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use my data. Other terms may apply.

tropicbreeze Grand Master

tropicbreeze

Posted
Posted

I always thought Bizzies were a bit sensitive in the root department. I put in a few large seedlings and they sat for a couple of years without doing much. I was told they needed to develop a deep tap root before above ground growth could really begin. They've started up over the past year and look more like Bizzies now. But from the success people seem to have had transplanting, maybe the advice given me was a bit exaggerated.

Gileno Machado Grand Master

Gileno Machado

Posted
Posted

I've always read everywhere that Bismarckias are impossible to move once they're strongly established in the ground. Well...I forgot to mention this feature to one of my cousins whom I've given a small seedling some years ago. She actually moved the palm twice and the last transplant, a few months ago, was done when the palm was much bigger than mattyB's and I doubt my cousin was so careful as Paul with the moving procedures...and the palm didn't even stop the growth rate...

Maybe it has something to do with the granulometric properties of the local soil, like for Cyrtostachys...Fast draining open soils like sands are great for most palms but some species seem to like clay to get established and they actually have a better chance of survival with water retentive medium when trying to overcome the transplanting stresses and shocks...

Sirinhaém beach, 80 Km south of Recife - Brazil

Tropical oceanic climate, latitude 8° S

Temperature extremes: 25 to 31°C

2000 mm average rainfall, dry summers

sur4z Grand Master

sur4z

Posted
Posted

I realize I'm on the other coast but a few years ago I too dug up a trunking bizzie and planted in my yard with the same mindset you had...it will never know it was out of the ground. Well it must have known something happened because it wasn't very happy. The fronds were not very blue and there weren't very many of them.I watered the heck out of it and it held on...barely for about a year. Then we had a couple hurricanes and the tree must have gone into survival mode. The fronds were pretty shredded but the tree all of a sudden took off. Color came to the leaves and it looked great...still does. Go figure.

Do you have any pictures of the palm and how it looks now?

Chad- Here's a photo of my bizzie...it's not the biggest or bluest but it seem to be alive and thriving.

bizzie.jpg

The weight of lies will bring you down / And follow you to every town / Cause nothin happens here

That doesn't happen there / So when you run make sure you run / To something and not away from

Cause lies don't need an aero plane / To chase you anywhere

--Avett Bros

paulgila Grand Master

paulgila

Posted
Posted

what a handsome dewd helping his buddy dig a palm. B)

Handsome on Mars

Handsome FROM Mars.

look who's talking! :blink:

the "prince of snarkness."

 

still "warning-free."

 

san diego,california,left coast.

Chad Apprentice

Chad

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Here are a few pictures of the palm now about a month after transplant.

I marked some lines on the spears...we will see in a month or two if we have any movement.

The one in the box isn't really doing much...it looks like the leaves are drying out a little but not too bad.

post-3896-12738616376562_thumb.jpg

post-3896-12738617397729_thumb.jpg

post-3896-12738617710735_thumb.jpg

post-3896-12738617901032_thumb.jpg

Chad

Growing my palms in the Murrieta, CA where it is 110*F in the summer and 27*F in the winter.

BS Man about Palms Grand Master

BS Man about Palms

Posted
Posted

Heres hoping Chad! :)

Zone 10a at best after 2007 AND 2013, on SW facing hill, 1 1/2 miles from coast in Oceanside, CA. 30-98 degrees, and 45-80deg. about 95% of the time.

"The great workman of nature is time."   ,  "Genius is nothing but a great aptitude for patience."

-George-Louis Leclerc de Buffon-

I do some experiments and learning in my garden with palms so you don't have to experience the pain! Look at my old threads to find various observations and tips!

LJG Grand Master

LJG

Posted
Posted

Here are a few pictures of the palm now about a month after transplant.

I marked some lines on the spears...we will see in a month or two if we have any movement.

The one in the box isn't really doing much...it looks like the leaves are drying out a little but not too bad.

I wish you luck but that doesn't look good to me. Looks like what is standard with SoCal transplants with this palm.

Len

Vista, CA (Zone 10a)

Shadowridge Area

"Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are."

-- Alfred Austin

richnorm Grand Master

richnorm

Posted
Posted

The method which I understand has had some success here (as opposed to 100% failure) is to dig in summer, crate-up, then place in a plastic house for a year before planting.

cheers

Richard

JayW Community Regular

JayW

Posted
Posted (edited)

If they transplant, they will be the first I have heard of in SoCal for moving large, established Bizzies. People in FL, HA, Oz, etc have better luck. Very hard here.

I've seen some pretty big ones around here (Central Florida) transplanted and I've yet to see one die. I saw 2 - 15+ footers today that had been transplanted

and still had the leaves tied up.

Edited by JayW

Zone 9 Central Florida

Wanderanwills Rising Star

Wanderanwills

Posted
Posted

Good luck Chad,I wish somebody around here would like to dispose of some bizzys..

Regards

Stephen

Stephen

Broome Western Australia

Where the desert meets the sea

Tropical Monsoon

  • 1 month later...
Chad Apprentice

Chad

Posted
  • Author
Posted

So I am making good progress with the transplanting of these two Bizzies. The larger one which is in the ground had opened up a new leaf and it has probably grown about 1.5 inches so far. The smaller one in the 36" box is growing even faster...it has about 3 inches of growth on one spear which is getting close to opening and the other spear next to it has grown about an inch.

I will post some pictures of the one in the box soon...only has one leaf but should hopefully look better by end of summer :)

post-3896-12772260151774_thumb.jpg

Chad

Growing my palms in the Murrieta, CA where it is 110*F in the summer and 27*F in the winter.

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