Palms through the mail

[Pip]

Big thanks to KennyBenjamin for posting a few palms down to me. The parcel was at my door in less than 24 hours of posting. I promptly unwraped and plunged them into a bucket of seaweed extract. The day ended up being very busy I didn't get back to planting until mid afternoon. 

Preparing the garden bed took a little longer than I anticipated. I had claered the weeds by hand earlier in the day so the soil just needed compost and gypsum worked in.

The Foxy lady is very varigated so the lighter areas will burn in my climate but a completely shaded position won't be warm enough for growth.The final position is a compromise providing a few hours direct sun each day and shade. I decided to plant in infront of a Hibiscus tilliaceus rubra as the darker contrast of the purple green leaves will make the colour of the Foxylady pop! The hibiscus will provide filtered afternoon sun. I decided to plant three Hyophorbe indica in the same area, one on the south side of the Foxylady and two on the north side. All I had left to plant were two Syagrus sancona. I had germinated a few but lost them this past long and soggy winter. I planted one Syagrus sancona behind the Hyophorbe indica. The other one I planted in a different part of my garden. 

The other plants added to the garden bed are Costus pictus, pentas lanceolata and a canna hybrid.

[SirOxylon]

I have always potted up palms after being sent in the mail. Never thought to put them straight in the ground. It will be good to see how they respond to that.

[Pip]

39 minutes ago, SirOxylon said:

I have always potted up palms after being sent in the mail. Never thought to put them straight in the ground. It will be good to see how they respond to that.

I've always potted them up to. This time of year the soil here is usually bone dry too it is usually much easier to get things established in pots first. Fortunately there has been much more summer rain and with the spring drenching it doesn't take much to keep soil moist. I thought it best to take the opportunity to get them in the ground. I doubt the plants had been out of their pots for much longer than 30 hours. I'll get some mulch later this week and seasol regularly for the next few months.

[DoomsDave]

I usually pot things up first, if only to make it easier to control conditions.

Watch out for the Canna Hybrid (of Horra). They spread. And spread. Etc.

[Phoenikakias]

Good luck with them mate. I hope that one day you will be able to send to me seeds from your sancona's. Btw, how sure are you that soil needs an amendment with gypsym?

Edited January 24, 2017 by Phoenikakias

[Pip]

3 hours ago, Phoenikakias said:

Good luck with them mate. I hope that one day you will be able to send to me seeds from your sancona's. Btw, how sure are you that soil needs an amendment with gypsym?

The soil in that particular spot was dug out for the construction of the swimming pool. The soil becomes heavy clay the deeper down you go. The soil profile is all mixed up and once the construction was completed I used the left over soil to level out the nearly two foot drop the western side of the pool, creating a more gentle slope towards the boundary fence. 

[Pip]

6 hours ago, DoomsDave said:

I usually pot things up first, if only to make it easier to control conditions.

Watch out for the Canna Hybrid (of Horra). They spread. And spread. Etc.

Very true Dave they need digging up and dividing every few years. 

[Phoenikakias]

1 hour ago, Pip said:

The soil in that particular spot was dug out for the construction of the swimming pool. The soil becomes heavy clay the deeper down you go. The soil profile is all mixed up and once the construction was completed I used the left over soil to level out the nearly two foot drop the western side of the pool, creating a more gentle slope towards the boundary fence. 

Yes, but is it devoid of free calcium? Only then can gypsum be effective. Lol, I do not know exactly, what I am talking about, just repeating what I have red.

Edited January 24, 2017 by Phoenikakias

[Pip]

9 minutes ago, Phoenikakias said:

Yes, but is it devoid of free calcium? Only then can gypsum be effective. Lol, I do not know exactly, what I am talking about, just repeating what I have red.

Gypsum is what is used here to improve soil drainage and structure. It is common practice in landscaping here particularly when the soil is sticky muck.