Growing tip: mounding

[Swolte]

Came across this very interesting article, at least for a seedling like me, by Len Geiger:
http://www.marriedtoplants.com/palms/palm-tree-growing-tips-mounding/

I was wondering whether this has been your experience as well!

~ S

[LJG]

Personally, I think it’s GREAT advice!

[joe_OC]

3 minutes ago, LJG said:

Personally, I think it’s GREAT advice!

Too funny!

[Swolte]

LOL, thanks for writing this!!

[joe_OC]

On 11/28/2018, 12:20:52, LJG said:

Personally, I think it’s GREAT advice!

All kidding aside, it is great advice.  Len’s blog is a great resource of information/

[Bill H2DB]

   Back  in the 70's and 80's and 90's during the numerous stout freezes here in FLA , I had noticed that

the Citrus Growers were using discs to make a big furrow  along the rows of trees , particularly small ones .

   They made sure to cover to above the area / line where the budding  was done .

That way even when the exposed top froze , the variety that was grafted on the rootstock was still alive 

and would take off and later grow as the variety wanted ,from the un frozen portion and not just revert to the rootstock .

Saved a lot of time and money already invested . Of course labor was cheaper , and they did have to go back later and pull the dirt back .

 

    So I used this idea in my own plantings . I would apply a fungicide ( usually tomato dust ) around the base of small palms , and then mound dirt up

as high as practical . When removed later , the palm would usually survive up to within an inch or two of the top of the dirt . As long as the

heart was protected .

  It also was great for saving a good bit of plants like Hibiscus etc , and would give me a good head start in the Spring for the plant to regrow .

Nowadays I think that they rely on Microjets to save the variety , but the old way works , and doesn't use large amounts of water .

Those decades had a lot of freezes in Central Florida .   In my area Hibiscus , and any serious tropical froze to the ground nearly every

year .

For a home owner , getting a good start after your Crotons etc freeze , is a good benefit .

Nothing like pulling the dirt away from a wretched looking frozen browned out plant , and finding green leaves and life at the bottom foot or so .

 

 

 

[DoomsDave]

@LJG good blog!

Hmm. Which of your palms is this? Looks like my big Chambeyronea when it hit puberty.

 

[LJG]

3 hours ago, DoomsDave said:

@LJG good blog!

Hmm. Which of your palms is this? Looks like my big Chambeyronea when it hit puberty.

 

That’s not my palm. 

[Swolte]

Hey Len (or anyone else for that matter), can I get pick your brain on another, related, issue? When I found your GREAT (no irony here) article, I was actually looking for more information on potential detrimental effects of making a little hill/mound with the purpose of elevating the palm above soil level for increased drainage. I have been recommended to do this by some growers in situation where the natural soil doesn't drain very well. For example, in the pic below I made a small mound of about a foot in height. Now, I was thinking, if palm tree roots are adventitious and extend out (radially?) from the root zone, could this severely limit the establishment & nutrient uptake? For example, the figure below shows a hypothetical situation in which palm 'A' would have a strong advantage over Palm 'B' in terms of root development. I am currently considering making the hill a little wider, for example.

[TomJ]

On 11/27/2018, 7:00:32, Swolte said:

Came across this very interesting article, at least for a seedling like me, by Len Geiger:
http://www.marriedtoplants.com/palms/palm-tree-growing-tips-mounding/

I was wondering whether this has been your experience as well!

~ S

For those of us living in a Mediterranean Climate, Len's his blog Married to Plants is awesome.

Not always palm related but very entertaining and informative.

Even better if you can stop by his place and pick his brain.

[BS Man about Palms]

I remember when there were updates to that site...  

[LJG]

9 hours ago, Swolte said:

Hey Len (or anyone else for that matter), can I get pick your brain on another, related, issue? When I found your GREAT (no irony here) article, I was actually looking for more information on potential detrimental effects of making a little hill/mound with the purpose of elevating the palm above soil level for increased drainage. I have been recommended to do this by some growers in situation where the natural soil doesn't drain very well. For example, in the pic below I made a small mound of about a foot in height. Now, I was thinking, if palm tree roots are adventitious and extend out (radially?) from the root zone, could this severely limit the establishment & nutrient uptake? For example, the figure below shows a hypothetical situation in which palm 'A' would have a strong advantage over Palm 'B' in terms of root development. I am currently considering making the hill a little wider, for example.

This is one of the many techniques people use to grow palms in clay soils actually. So it’s a great idea when you have no other choices. I don’t really see the benefit if the soil type below the mound is the same above. 

[DoomsDave]

55 minutes ago, LJG said:

This is one of the many techniques people use to grow palms in clay soils actually. So it’s a great idea when you have no other choices. I don’t really see the benefit if the soil type below the mound is the same above. 

Clay rocks. If you amend it enough.

Holds water, nutrients, yeah yeah, I've heard the scorn, but

Clay rocks.

[Palm Tree Jim]

3 hours ago, BS Man about Palms said:

I remember when there were updates to that site...  

Haha....

[Tracy]

On 12/1/2018, 10:25:18, LJG said:

That’s not my palm. 

I've noticed with my Burretiokentia hapala a consistent habit of roots popping up to the surface after the fact.  As you can see, there is no cupping at the base of the trunk, so it wasn't really planted high.  Also note how the roots pop up out of the ground as opposed to from the base of the trunk and then re-submerge themselves.  What are your thoughts.... planted too high, or just a habit of some species?  The other roots are crawling along the surface are from a Monstera deliciosa, not another palm.

[LJG]

Tracy, all my flowering-size Burretiokentia do this. I use to throw DG over them, but the roots would pop up again. Now I just toss mulch or compost over. Burretiokentia roots have those nodes (or whatever they are called) on them, so maybe they are for feeding in the leaf litter in habitat? 

[Tracy]

1 hour ago, LJG said:

Tracy, all my flowering-size Burretiokentia do this. I use to throw DG over them, but the roots would pop up again. Now I just toss mulch or compost over. Burretiokentia roots have those nodes (or whatever they are called) on them, so maybe they are for feeding in the leaf litter in habitat? 

Thanks for the information Len.  I'm glad to hear that it is common for Burretiokentia to exhibit this behavior.  My two in clay soil in Carlsbad did it, and now both in my Leucadia sandy soil have done it.  Now I'll be watching for them to pop up on my B koghiensis.  It isn't flowering size yet nor has it exhibited this trait as of this time. 

[BS Man about Palms]

My large Chambeyronia, and Howeas are doing this in clay soil. When I have dug various holes around to plant here I have found some somewhat significant rocks in there. I am half convinced that the roots have hit a large rock ..or maybe a section of hardpan.