Transplanted Windmill Palm Yellowing and Browning Too Quickly

[Teri S]

Hello,

I recently had to have three 18+ year-old windmill palms transplanted from their original locations. Two seem to be doing fine so far, but one has fronds yellowing and browning at a very fast rate. It's definitely a lot faster than the natural slow yellowing and browning process they typically have. It had nothing but green fronds a few weeks ago and now has a bunch of yellow and brown. I'm not sure if it's stress, lack of nutrients, too much or too little watering, or something else but haven't found a definitive answer in my searches. I would love some advice to save this beauty. I'm just north of Atlanta, GA in Zone 7.  Photos included. 

Thank you in advance!

 

Edited July 23, 2022 by Teri S

[Allen]

I would say you are going to see some setbacks for 1-2 years.  They will likely lose a lot of the fronds due to having much less roots to support them. I wouldn't worry too much and keep the palm watered but no fertilizer at the moment.  I might fertilize in mid September with a controlled release.   You can cut the fully brown fronds and in this case you could also cut some of the lower yellow fronds to take some pressure off the plant's smaller roots system trying to keep up with evaporation from all that foliage.  Normally don't cut green/yellow fronds for optimum health

Edited July 23, 2022 by Allen

[Merlyn]

@Teri S the short version of the answer is it's probably "transplant stress."  Essentially you've cut or damaged a large percentage of the roots during transplant (which is inevitable) so the bigger palm is "eating" the older fronds to provide nutrients for new root growth.  Generally it's recommended to cut off about 1/2 the fronds just prior to transplant, so that the palm has enough roots and water absorption to balance the water losses from the fronds.  Keeping all the fronds on a transplant puts more stress on the plant.  So the smaller palm may have around a dozen fronds, and maybe it still has enough roots to support those fronds.  The bigger one looks like it might have 25-30 fronds, so it's under a lot more water stress.  Adding more water could lead to root rot, especially in a transplant.

I don't have any experience with Trachies, since the nematodes around central Floriduh kill them off in the ground.  So I'm not sure whether to leave all the fronds on, or cut some off to balance the root loss.  I'd probably leave the existing fronds on there until they are brown and desiccated, then cut them off.  If it's super hot and dry then it may be a good idea to cut off the "bottom rank" of fronds, basically all the ones hanging well below horizontal.  That'll relieve the water stress.  If it's been a month since the transplant then I'd add some controlled-release fertilizer like Osmocote.  After maybe 1-2 months add your regular "palm special" type of timed-release fertilizer.

 

[Merlyn]

As an example, I transplanted this Sylvestris from the back yard to the frond yard.  I cut off about 15-20 live fronds (the ones with white tips in the below photo) and dug up the below rootball:

I tied up the fronds to avoid the stabbiness, then moved it to the front and planted it:

About 2 months later it "ate" the oldest 6 fronds for nutrients, and has a few yellowed tips typical of potassium deficiencies.  But it has stabilized and I'm tossing a good handful of 8-4-8 Vigoro palm fertilizer on it today.

[Teri S]

@Allen @Merlyn Thank you both!! I'm headed to the store as soon as it opens to get a longer trimmer so I can actually reach the fronds I need to remove. 

[Toddmin]

Not only is it stressed from the move, but it's been a hot summer and we are in a rainfall deficit so far this year.  Are you watering it daily?  Was it in a shadier location before?

[Teri S]

@Toddmin Thank you taking the time to reply! I watered daily for the first three weeks, then last week went to every other day based on what the landscaper/horticulturist recommended. I can definitely go back to every day if needed. And the palm was in a sunnier spot before. There it got no shade at all. Now it gets some shade in the evening.