Sylvester palm trees dying fast

[Daa]

I had 12 palm trees planted in my yard about 3 weeks ago. Within days 4 of the palm tree fronds started turning brown as well as the center bulb in two of them. The remaining 8 had some mild browning of the lower fronds as well. Need help on what to do next. 
I have gone around each bulb and pocked around with garden hoes and there was no obvious air pocket. I am watering them constantly using a drip system and every night creating a puddle of water using garden hoes.  The fronds turned brown so fast that it was hard to believe.  

[kinzyjr]

1 minute ago, Daa said:

I had 12 palm trees planted in my yard about 3 weeks ago. Within days 4 of the palm tree fronds started turning brown as well as the center bulb in two of them. The remaining 8 had some mild browning of the lower fronds as well. Need help on what to do next. 
I have gone around each bulb and pocked around with garden hoes and there was no obvious air pocket. I am watering them constantly using a drip system and every night creating a puddle of water using garden hoes.  The fronds turned brown so fast that it was hard to believe.  

Hello and welcome to the forums!  It will help the experts here help you if you can post a photo of what they look like right now.

[Daa]

This were taken exactly 6 days after planting the trees. 

[Daa]

The last two pictures were taken the day after planting. 

[kinzyjr]

The ones in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th photos look like they are on the way out, either through transplant stress or something else.  The last photo is a toss up.  They look relatively healthy in the photos when they were planted.  I'd certainly contact whoever sold them to you and inquire about potential replacements for the ones that perish.

Who did you buy them off of (if you don't mind sharing)?

[Steve in Florida]

Did they have roots and what size were the root balls?

[Daa]

They were about 3-4 ft in diameter. 

[joe_OC]

Were these field grown?

[Daa]

Yes, they were field grown about an hour away with similar weather 

[Matthew92]

I've seen the exact same symptoms and timeline of death for many newly planted sylvester's here in Orlando as well- especially ones planted along I-4. I think it's Ganoderma or some other quick acting fungus. It's staggering how many are being lost in the area.

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

That's not any fungus or rot. That's a fresh dug tree that wasnt dug or planted properly.  There are way too many fronds on those plants for fresh dug trees.  I'm guessing you got a great deal on these?

[ahosey01]

16 hours ago, Daa said:

This were taken exactly 6 days after planting the trees. 

Yeah, this is rough.  And these don't look like inexpensive trees, either.  I am hoping they had a guarantee attached to these.

[Daa]

If you were to look at the pictures taken the day after they were planted, the fronds  were full and robust. 
We did have 4-5 days with temperatures around 100 degrees after they were planted. I knew there was a possibility of shock but never expected a palm tree to dry to solid brown /black so fast. 

[Daa]

At what point do you pull the plug? I still see some green fronds toward the center. Not much but some. 

[Steve Mac]

Wow, mate I feel the pain. A personal decision but, as mentioned it is probably best to refer back to the seller and see what you can do from there. 

[ahosey01]

2 hours ago, Daa said:

At what point do you pull the plug? I still see some green fronds toward the center. Not much but some. 

You could always wait to see if you get spear pull but I suspect it's a done deal at this point for at least a few of them.

3 hours ago, Daa said:

If you were to look at the pictures taken the day after they were planted, the fronds  were full and robust. 
We did have 4-5 days with temperatures around 100 degrees after they were planted. I knew there was a possibility of shock but never expected a palm tree to dry to solid brown /black so fast. 

I doubt the temps had anything to do with it, especially if they were grown an hour away from you.  I live in the low Sonoran desert where it's 110+ this time of year.  I've taken plants that were grown up in higher altitudes and cooler weather under partial shade and stuck them directly in the hot desert sun and still not seen a rapid decline to that level.  Probably the roots were majorly disturbed when transplanted. 

Weird though, seems like a grower that could grow this many palms of this size, deliver them to you and plant them in your yard would at least have a rough idea of what the hell they were doing.

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

You get what you pay for; if the deal is too good to be true it usually is.  Those were either freshly dug a day or two before being planted or were out of the ground so long they grew back on and then ripped all the roots out again.  Seeing that amount of leaf loss in a short time isnt surprising. 

Opportunities arent as abundant as they were last year so people will resort to anything to get a deal done. Folks are desperate, businesses are going bankrupt.  

[Daa]

To Texascoldhardy palms. You keep rambling about getting a deal On these trees and jumping to criticism of the business that sold me the trees as well as the business that planted the trees. I paid the going price and hired reputable landscaping business to plant these tree. You are loosing focus on what a forum like this is about. It’s to share knowledge and educate one another. These were freshly dug trees directly from a farm that had thousands of trees.  I wanted twelve trees about the same size and one of the options I was given was to handpick them myself. I asked for the fronds not to be over trimmed as the ones they had on hand were moderately trimmed.  I have contacted the business and they have come out to look at the trees and have stated that they are in shock. 

[ahosey01]

11 minutes ago, Daa said:

To Texascoldhardy palms. You keep rambling about getting a deal On these trees and jumping to criticism of the business that sold me the trees as well as the business that planted the trees. I paid the going price and hired reputable landscaping business to plant these tree. You are loosing focus on what a forum like this is about. It’s to share knowledge and educate one another. These were freshly dug trees directly from a farm that had thousands of trees.  I wanted twelve trees about the same size and one of the options I was given was to handpick them myself. I asked for the fronds not to be over trimmed as the ones they had on hand were moderately trimmed.  I have contacted the business and they have come out to look at the trees and have stated that they are in shock. 

I don’t think it’s meant scornfully.  His point is mostly that the grower or the planter, or both, did not do a great job.  What’s in those photos is beyond transplant shock.

Here are two Brahea armata I planted around two months ago in the dead of a Wickenburg summer.  These species when large are known in the literature to be root sensitive.  The one on the right had some transplant shock.  This is more normal. It has since opened a spear and is about to open another.

 

Edited July 30, 2020 by ahosey01

[Jcalvin]

On ‎7‎/‎28‎/‎2020 at 2:52 AM, Daa said:

I had 12 palm trees planted in my yard about 3 weeks ago. Within days 4 of the palm tree fronds started turning brown as well as the center bulb in two of them. The remaining 8 had some mild browning of the lower fronds as well. Need help on what to do next. 
I have gone around each bulb and pocked around with garden hoes and there was no obvious air pocket. I am watering them constantly using a drip system and every night creating a puddle of water using garden hoes.  The fronds turned brown so fast that it was hard to believe.  

Could it be possible you're overwatering them? IDK, just a thought. Hate it for you, though.

[Daa]

That, I could possibly be doing.  I was told that freshly planted Sylvester palms need plenty of water and I have made sure they are well watered, in-fact the thought have crossed my mind that it could contribute to the wilted green/ yellow fronds I have noticed. Thank you. 
I will post updated pictures tomorrow. 

[JLM]

Lets hope these things can hold themselves in the ground! With Isaias coming towards that area, depending on how close it gets to the coast will depend on how much wind you get.

[Daa]

Unfortunately I am on the water and get some major gust of wind at times.  

[Laaz]

Personally I would remove all but the top two or three fronds & leave them be.

[Kelly1010]

Any update on the trees? I also had the same type palm tree delivered from a tree farm. It was removed and planted the same day. We’ve been watering, but the fronds turned brown within a week. The inner fronds are still green. Grower says it’s shock, Silvestris are tough to kill. Landscaper says test the ph or buy root stimulator or try 8-2-12 palm fertilizer. 
 

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

@Daa any update?