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Is there a harder place to dig than in South Florida?!

Mandrew968

By Mandrew968
in DISCUSSING PALM TREES WORLDWIDE

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Peter Pacific Mentor

Peter Pacific

Posted
Posted

you guys actually have topsoil???

Do you know how hard it is to dig in sand?

Peter

hot and humid, short rainy season May through October, 14* latitude, 90* longitude

Cycadcenter Experienced

Cycadcenter

Posted
Posted

We do it the hard way at the farm in Childers, Queensland.

childers709051.jpg

childers709052.jpg

A chain digger on a Dingo can dig 60-100 holes an hour 40cm x 40cm x 40cm deep.

The soil here is about 5 meters deep.

Cheers

Bruce

Now living the life in Childers, Queensland.

larisa Rookie

larisa

Posted
Posted

My place...

I have rocks and rocks and again rocks.... ;)

First I used dredger and now big hammer to dig....

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Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my palm tree*

dalmatiansoap Grand Master

dalmatiansoap

Posted
Posted

Great picture Larisa!

Im wondering what does it mean "gomila"??

Looks somehow familliar :lol:

larisa Rookie

larisa

Posted
Posted

Tell me about that, I'm tired of all procedures before planting, believe me, truly exhaustive...

Nothing without hammer after 10-20 cm down....

Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my palm tree*

  • 2 months later...
Mandrew968 Grand Master

Mandrew968

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Here are some photos(Finally!) of my raised frontyard. Again, this part of my yard just keeps eating more and more soil! I'm not sure if I'll ever fill it in totally! :lol:

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stygiana Rising Star

stygiana

Posted
Posted (edited)

I have a similar problem for a garden we have to plant a few kilometres away. It is volcanic, but nothing like pebbles or rocks... Just one single flat, super thick, layer of lava rock. Basalt to be precise. With a meagre 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12 inches) topsoil above...

The good soils around there are dedicated to the cultivation of banana. It is much warmer than where I live. It is actually the sole place where purple mangosteen fruit grow well and ripen in the Canary (as far as I know). Palms in that area include a 100 year old Cocos nucifera (and many younger ones), Phoenix canariensis, Adonidia, Ptychosperma, Roystonea, etc. Kentias too, but they don't like it (it's too warm, but the city council insists in planting more... A pure aberration). The problem is that I'm not sure if I can use those examples for that site, as these other palms grow in better, deeper soil.

So, could someone please help me to chose more suitable species? What about your experience on shallow coral in Florida, or hard lava flow in Hawaii?

One important point. We can hardly dig (and not to mention using dynamite... :lol: ), we are not allowed to use machines as we are surrounded by historical monuments. Any crack on a wall caused by hammers would lead to serious problems. And digging with an axe is simple impossible. I'd rather dig a concrete floor.

I know, it's not going to be easy, but some palms grow on rocks...

Edited by Sebastian Bano

Sebastian, garden on La Palma island, 370 m (1200 feet) above sea level / USDA Zone 11/12 ; Heat zone IV / V

Record High: 42°C (107F) / Record Low: 9°C (48°F). Rain: 600 mm (24 inches) per year with dry/wet seasons. Warm Season: July-November / Cool Season: December-June
Warmest month (August/September) average minimum temperature : 21°C (70°F) / Warmest month (August/September) average maximum temperature : 28°C (82°F)
Coldest month (February/March) average minimum temperature : 14,5°C (58°F) / Coldest month (February/March) average maximum temperature : 21°C (70°F)

Temperature of the sea : minimum of 20°C (68°F) in march, maximum of 25°C (77°F) in September/October.


 

Mandrew968 Grand Master

Mandrew968

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Basalt is no joke! Can you gather soil to make a mound?

The Silent Seed Grand Master

The Silent Seed

Posted
Posted

Wow - I feel BLESSED to be a Massachusetts native now - we may have the cold, but we have rich soil, nothing a standard shovel can't handle. And I can dig as deep as I want. Sorry guys - I just had to put that last part in!

That said, all my Palms live indoors anyway!

stygiana Rising Star

stygiana

Posted
Posted (edited)

Mounds... That could help indeed. Thanks Mandrew. However, I'll have to select small palms (otherwise the mound would not provide enough soil for the palm tree's roots if it's too big). And drought tolerance would be required, as a mound dries faster. Hyophorbe lagenicaulis? Serenoa repens?

Edited by Sebastian Bano

Sebastian, garden on La Palma island, 370 m (1200 feet) above sea level / USDA Zone 11/12 ; Heat zone IV / V

Record High: 42°C (107F) / Record Low: 9°C (48°F). Rain: 600 mm (24 inches) per year with dry/wet seasons. Warm Season: July-November / Cool Season: December-June
Warmest month (August/September) average minimum temperature : 21°C (70°F) / Warmest month (August/September) average maximum temperature : 28°C (82°F)
Coldest month (February/March) average minimum temperature : 14,5°C (58°F) / Coldest month (February/March) average maximum temperature : 21°C (70°F)

Temperature of the sea : minimum of 20°C (68°F) in march, maximum of 25°C (77°F) in September/October.


 

  • 6 months later...
bananaman Enthusiast

bananaman

Posted
Posted

I know this is old, but I hate rocky soils!!!

Mine is 1/2" of topsoil on top of 3" of topsoil mined with very large pieces of limestone, then it is solid limesone (actually a bunch of pieces about 20 feet wide).

It can take me 2 days to dig a decent planting hole.

Stupid rocky soil!!!

>:(

-bananaman

All images I post are shared under a Creative Commons BY-NC-ND License

trioderob Grand Master

trioderob

Posted
Posted

please dont ever call me that again.

.............. :floor:

rprimbs Mentor

rprimbs

Posted
Posted

I don't know about you guys but for digging in clay or rock the jack hammer has become my tool of choice. I pick, shovel, and digging bar are just too slow and too darn much work! Admittedly the jack hammer has its limitations too -- as in the case of the rock Matt was trying to go through. That's when you gotta get some of that good ammonia nitrate fertilizer, mix it with some diesel -- and set a long fuse!! And hopefully don't blow up the neighbors house in the process!

Walter John Grand Master

Walter John

Posted
Posted

That might be easy for all you clay/rock/lava/basalt hole diggers, but have a look at me, I have blisters because my soil is so good , I dig so many holes in just one day. :)

Happy Gardening

Cheers,

Wal

Queensland, Australia.

Mandrew968 Grand Master

Mandrew968

Posted
  • Author
Posted

WOW--Looking at the photos of my place is really a motivation, as it was in transition in those photos and has come so far(still in transition)! My wall is almost filled in with palms and we have not even gone through our second winter! Three more palms planted this weekend too with much more to come; Homeownership has really been an awesome ride, so far... :)

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