Help! What is going on with my palms!

[Bethwilliams40]

Hey guys and gals,

I am at a loss, my landscaper planted 6 palms around the front and back of my property. All have done well and thrived except for 2 palms that have been planted in the front of my house. This is strange because the palms currently planted in those spots are the 3rd ones. All the past Palms have dyed there. The row consists of 3 palms and the one on the left has done well but the trees planted in the center and on the right have dyed. This is a complete mystery. I can’t keep replanting 2 new palms every year with the same end result. I have an irrigation system in my yard to make sure the trees are getting enough water. This last time my landscaper moved the irrigation hose more away from the palms thinking maybe they were getting 2 much water.  Nothing has worked and am concerned these palm trees are dying but not to the point of no return.  Please help me! I love my palms  and need to save them…  I have attached photos. 

[Allen]

I'm not sure I have a answer but what is your location and when were palms planted?

[EPaul]

Do you have a photo of these when they were first planted (before their supposed decline)?  They look like over-trimmed cabbage palms, which will lead to health issues.  If they are nutrient deficient then they can succumb more easily to a fungus or disease, which these look like they have - or about to. 

Edited May 26, 2022 by EPaul

[Bethwilliams40]

Thank you for responding. All my palms were planted 2 years ago. The 2 palms pictured are the 3rd ones that have replaced the palms that have dyed. For some reason in this location the trees are not thriving. These palms were planted 90 days ago and looked great at the time. They are healthy trees but have  been deteriorating like the others  did in the past. I will upload a photo of all 3 palms planted in a row. The one on the left was planted 2 years ago and not a concern as it has thrived like all the other 4 palms trees in my yard that were planted at the same time. I hope this information helps, what a mystery!?  I have attached another photo showing all 3 palms

[Bethwilliams40]

The base of the trees , trunks look like they are beginning to bow, starting to curve not standing upright and proud. I will upload a photo of the palm trees that were planted 2 years ago. The one on the left is the same palm tree and has never died. 

[EPaul]

I'm a bit confused.  Regarding the photo with all 3 palms - why does the palm on the far left barely have any fronds if it's 2 years old?

[Bethwilliams40]

This photo was taken 2 years ago when I first had my landscaping done. I will repost that pic again. The other pictures are 2 years after taken yesterday 

[mydateplams]

They look like they need more water over the roots. How much are you watering and is it draining or over following? 

[mydateplams]

Also if you dig down around the base of the palm a few feet is it dry or really mushy and wet? 

 

#1 Not enough water

#2 The water is not draining and around the base is really wet. 

[Bethwilliams40]

My landscaper moved the irrigation drip hose farther away when he planted the 2 new palm trees 90 days ago. I thought that would resolve the issue of possible overwatering and was not expecting the new palms to start turning brown and wilting so fast. I run the irrigation everyday for 20 minutes.. it’s weird the palm on the left has never had to be replaced after 2 years  and remains healthy ( thank goodness ) yet the 2 palms I plant next to it eventually die. It’s extremely frustrating. Is there a device I can buy to measure moisture levels or lack there of in the soil? 

[jreich85]

I am getting over the same problem as you and my guess would be that your palms aren’t getting enough water, particularly if you have sandy soil. Those do not look to be regenerated sabals so will need lots of water for at least a couple of months. They can be seasonally flooded in natural habitat so overwatering shouldn’t be a concern unless you have real mucky soil. You may want to also pour copper fungicide down the crown if the leaves start looking rough. I almost lost one (it would have been my third loss) this winter, and through months of almost weekly fungicide applications and deep watering, it’s finally pulling through.

[palmfriend]

Hi,

I am no expert at all, but if this happens with all your palms trough the years, something might be wrong with your soil. 

If really nothing else comes up to explain this tragedy, you could run a soil analysis of your property. ( @kinzyjr did this a while ago

for his place which was interesting to learn about. )

Just my two cents - all the best!

 

Lars

 

 

[UK_Palms]

Sabals have quite high water requirements and your ones are planted into a rocky medium. Not ideal, especially in a hot climate. They need more water than what they are getting. Even here in southern England my Sabals struggle during the dry spring & summer months as my water table is so low. I have to irrigate them quite a bit to force growth. 

[Palms Brisbane]

If I had this issue, and watering is OK.

I would be concerned about the soil. Maybe do a pH test with potential soil analysis.

Maybe builders dumped a bag of lime there? Or maybe hydrocarbons were dumped there?

A friend had all his plants die at his new house and on soil analysis the pH was ridiculous high. He had to treat the soil to get it back to neutral.

Hopefully you get to the cause of the issue.

[D Palm]

Your profile does not show location. That would help a lot. Water, every day, with a water hose. Flood it, evening would be ideal. 
Rocks are not ideal for a Sabal, Cypress mulch would be more in line for water retention purposes and not throwing off your PH during decomposition of the mulch.

Edited May 29, 2022 by D Palm