Having problems with Robellini Palm

[Skip]

I planted a 7 gallon robellini palm in a landscaping mound in my front yard. The mound gets sunlight from 5:30AM until 2:00PM. I am in Western Arizona where it gets quite hot at times. Temps have been low 70’s at nite to 100 mid day. I amended the cactus soil the greenhouse recommended with the existing soil. I over excavated the hole by about 10 inches deeper than the pot and about 10 inches wider than the pot. I watered it with 3 gallons of water every day with a watering can in the late afternoon/evening for 2 weeks. I then watered at the same time for 2 weeks every third day with 3 gallons from a watering can. I then put it on a bubbler for which runs twice a week for 15 minutes. Now the palm is staring to look droopy and the color is turning a little yellowish. What am I doing wrong?

My moisture gauge read the top 2 inches dry, next 3 inches moist and last 4 inches wet. I pounded a concrete steak down about 2 feet and no soil stuck to it. After I watered with a watering can of about 2 gallons the moisture gauge read wet all the way down. Ph is slightly acidic.

This is the fourth palm that has been planted in this spot that does not seem to grow well. I have 2 other robellini palms in the same mound that are growing great based on the same bubbler schedule and in the same soil.

I will post a picture tomorrow. I did notice tonite that rabbits have been chewing on some of the fronds, so I put a cage around it and sprinkled cayenne pepper around it.

I hope someone can help me out, I am at my wits end trying to get this to grow. I have planted other robellini palms in the back yard that have sun all day and 2by my front door that have less sunlight than the mound and all of those are growing well!

Thanks for your time and like I said, I will post a picture tomorrow!

 

[SeanK]

Is there mulch over the root zone?

What specifically do you mean by "not seem to grow well"?

[Skip]

There is mulch around the palm. It just looks like it is sickly based on the color of the other palms by it. I have attached some pics. The last picture is of the palm in the same planting mound.

Edited June 23, 2023 by Skip

[SeanK]

Looks wilted like it's not drawing water up.

[Skip]

Should I water it more?

[D Palm]

Yes. Water more. Palm nutritional spray will also help.

[AZ_Palm_Guy]

@Skip only problem with these type of palms is that they are grown in the greenhouse and a lot of folks will plant them in full sunlight immediately with no protection. Was this palm under shade when purchased? Robellinis love water also. I would suggest some shade to protect it this summer and allow it to acclimate if possible. I would also refrain from fertilizing also. 

[Skip]

Ok, it was in morning sun and afternoon shade at the nursery where we bought it. About the same as where it is planted. I have not fertilized and am watering very 3 to 4days when the top 2 inches reads dry on my moisture meter. Using about 2 gallons of water in a watering can when I do water.

thanks for the advice!

[Johnny Palmseed]

8 hours ago, Skip said:

Ok, it was in morning sun and afternoon shade at the nursery where we bought it. About the same as where it is planted. I have not fertilized and am watering very 3 to 4days when the top 2 inches reads dry on my moisture meter. Using about 2 gallons of water in a watering can when I do water.

thanks for the advice!

Every 3-4 days is too long. Every day would be better. And 2 gallons is not that much. Remember that when it was in the container the moisture was held in by the plastic. But now the existing soil is dry and that is where you want the roots to progress to. They will not grow well if that soil remains dry. You really need to get the area surrounding the palm soaked well. These palms are not really tolerant of dry conditions unless they are well established. 

[Merlyn]

Here in Floriduh these palms love getting drenched every single day.  With the heat, sun, and low humidity out there, I'd probably be watering every day.

You said that you'd planted 4 other palms in the same spot, and none grew well.  What were the other palms?  And did they just sit and suffer and die?  It's possible there's some leftover chemicals from a spill, builder's sand, soil-borne disease, or some other problem with that exact location.  It's a common recommendation here to not plant another palm where one died, just because there might be leftover deadly fungi in the soil like Thielaviopsis or Ganoderma. 

[Skip]

After the 3rd one died, I overexcavated the area and found what looked like remnants of mortar in the side of the hole. I removed all of that material before planting the 4 th palm. I think that one suffered from underwatering which was my bad. I will start watering more frequently. What would you recommend on how much water at a time? Also, is a moisture level of “wet” at the bottom of the hole bad? I thought I had loosened up soil before planting. I drove a concrete stake down 2 feet and even with a wet reading, no soil stuck to the stake. first plant in that spot was an Ocotillo cactus. Then a med palm that never grew well over 10 years and always was stunted. we had all the landscaping in the mound professionally redone and had a robellini planted there. That never really grew well either and I believe just ended up dieting. We bought a 7 gallon robellini from Lowe’s and like I said, I believe I did not water it enough. This robellini we bought from Star nursery and planted according to their recommendations. I have always been afraid of overwatering. if you can, please let me know how much water I should be using each time.

Edited June 29, 2023 by Skip
Added more inf

[Desertlife4me]

I had the same problem, three of my pygmys died last year, I was not watering enough. I replaced them, have 6 growing healthy now. I put them on a watering system and they get water every day, 20-30 minutes worth. All look healthy and are putting on new growth.