Any way to save and transplant this sabal palmetto?

[floridaPalmMan]

So obviously I'll probably be able to save the 5ft of trunk sabal, but what about the sucker growing off of the trunk?

Any way I can dig really, really deep to not disturb the root system and pot the sucker sabal? Or is it certain death when I dig this thing out?

I'm picking up tomorrow so some immediate help would be appreciated. Thanks

[Johnny Palmseed]

It’s not a sucker. It’s a seedling. They are not known to transplant well. But you’re already digging it out so there’s no harm in trying.

[floridaPalmMan]

On 6/4/2021 at 7:35 PM, Johnny Palmseed said:

It’s not a sucker. It’s a seedling. They are not known to transplant well. But you’re already digging it out so there’s no harm in trying.

Welp... I started with the intention of trying to save the little guy, but as every degree increased directly in the sun, I cared less and less about the seedling.

What might work out though is that the seedling and the larger palm seemed to be connected at the hip. It came out "attached" to the larger palm so it came along for the ride and installation at the new location.

You can see it in the pics. Fingers crossed it survives.

 

[floridaPalmMan]

Also.... this beast wasn't a 5 foot trunk... I was mislead by the original picture. 

That's an 8 foot ladder in the first picture!!! When I arrived to pick up the palm I almost shat myself.

Luckily the neighbor who I happened to strike up a conversation with was hanging around to help me out. 

Otherwise I'd have never gotten this thing loaded onto the trailer. 

[NOT A TA]

Cut off most of the fronds still on top and water, water, water!  The lil guy probably won't make it. They transplant very poorly at that size.

[JohnAndSancho]

Good vibes and bonus good vibes for the dog in the pic. 

[floridaPalmMan]

8 minutes ago, NOT A TA said:

Cut off most of the fronds still on top and water, water, water!  The lil guy probably won't make it. They transplant very poorly at that size.

Yep, I cut off almost all of the existing fronds and built a little moat around the base which many, many gallons of water will be poured into for the next couple of weeks.

If the little guy pulls through I'll be blown away

[floridaPalmMan]

2 minutes ago, JohnAndSancho said:

Good vibes and bonus good vibes for the dog in the pic. 

Ha, it appears that's Cowboys favorite position when I dig out/install palms. 

It's so damn hot here in Florida, when I dig up the cool 70-ish degree sand, he loves laying in it and won't move until I physically remove him from the sand.

I'm surprised the chickens didn't make an appearance in any of the photos... they're usually curious and pecking around if we walk by 

[JohnAndSancho]

I'm in apartment so I just get Sancho peeking out the window making the Sarah McLaughlin face when I'm on the patio potting something up. 

 

Boop Cowboy's snoot and scratch his belly for me. 

[floridaPalmMan]

56 minutes ago, JohnAndSancho said:

I'm in apartment so I just get Sancho peeking out the window making the Sarah McLaughlin face when I'm on the patio potting something up. 

Boop Cowboy's snoot and scratch his belly for me. 

Ouch dude.. get out of that apartment as soon as the prices cool down. I've only owned my home for 1 year but I can't imagine ever going back to renting again.

For the same price of renting I can install palms, renovate, demolish, build, not surrounded by neighbors, Cowboy can chase all the squirrels, bunnies, and bugs he wants etc.. whatever I want. It's awesome. It's a shit load of work but it makes it's worth it because its mine... you know? Also every time I pay my monthly housing payment, my net worth goes up and I build equity. Rent is just a black hole. It makes me shiver how stupid I was giving my money away for my entire 20's.

But anyway, I kissed Cowboy on the nose and scratched his belly and told him JohnAndSancho gave the love.

Edited June 7, 2021 by floridaPalmMan

[floridaPalmMan]

@JohnAndSancho From his lazyboy chair that he's completely taken over, Cowboy says thanks.

[JohnAndSancho]

 @floridaPalmMan

[floridaPalmMan]

Just now, JohnAndSancho said:

 @floridaPalmMan

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

YES

[floridaPalmMan]

Ok so it's been 3 months since the sabal was installed so I can fertilize right?

I still can't tell if the little guy has survived the transplant but in the pics you can see some scraggly looking new growth coming out of the ground. The new growth is the second frond to be pushed out post-transplant.

Is it too early to call whether the little guy survived or not? Is there consensus that these both can be fertilized now?

Edited September 30, 2021 by floridaPalmMan

[Johnny Palmseed]

3 months and still green is a good sign although anything is possible. It really depends on how much the roots were disturbed. I would think you could put a light dose of fertilizer on but I would limit the nitrogen so as to not stimulate a lot of tender growth as we approach the fall/winter. 

[D Palm]

They can look green and fine for 6-9 months then show signs of decline. I would not fertilize until spring. Sabal palms generally don’t need fertilizer if you want to save some money. Just water, loads of water.

Edited October 1, 2021 by D Palm

[floridaPalmMan]

9 hours ago, D Palm said:

They can look green and fine for 6-9 months then show signs of decline.

Yea this is what I was afraid of. The first frond to come out seems to have stopped growing right where the petiole should have started. It's just a fan that came out of the ground, then kind of collapsed and half of it fell apart. That was the first red flag that this may not be recovering but dying a slow death.

I'll update with what happens to this second new growth fan as to whether it develops a petiole or not.

And now that the rain has pretty much stopped, it'll get it on a regular watering regiment.

Thanks

[floridaPalmMan]

20 hours ago, Johnny Palmseed said:

3 months and still green is a good sign although anything is possible. It really depends on how much the roots were disturbed. I would think you could put a light dose of fertilizer on but I would limit the nitrogen so as to not stimulate a lot of tender growth as we approach the fall/winter. 

I tossed a small bit of palmgain around the larger sabal which should be completely dissolved in 4-6 weeks and might help out a bit before winter.

Thanks for the tips