S. minor late season dig.

[Ben G.]

Over the years I have utilized the sprinkler from my septic system to help me sprout and grow a lot of plants. I made a bed around the sprinkler that I have planted with Musa basjoo. The bananas love it, since it gets water daily throughout the hot summer months.

I have also used this bed as a lazy way to sprout S. Minor seeds as well. I can just rake back some of the leaf litter, toss the seeds, and let the sprinkler keep them wet for me.

I have left the little sabal seedlings in the bed all winter before, and almost all of them survive when I do. Even though they get sprayed with water and frozen most nights through the winter, they have enough leaf mulch survive without any help from me. 

I really intended to dig some of last year's seedlings (2022) up to plant in the woods throughout my little 5 acres of wooded property. I never got around to that job this season though. I was concerned about killing the seedlings if I let get established in the ground any longer, so I dug them up to overwinter in the garage. My garage tends to stay about 20 to 22 degrees (F) warmer than the outside temperature, but it can drop below freezing during our worst nights. I thought that by keeping them in a container with loose substrate, they will be easier to transplant in March. I will let you know in the spring if this plan works well or not. (For any of you who may be considering a similar plan)

 

[Ben G.]

Here is what my septic system helps me grow in the warmer months. I thought growing bananas was a little more fun than just another little patch of grass.

[Leelanau Palms]

What zone are you? Updated pics of your palms?

[LeonardHolmes]

Your septic system has a sprinkler? How does that work?

[L.A.M.]

I highly recommend native Sabal minor over foreign Musa basjoo. Both are difficult to control, but S. minor is native and bears nutritious berries, so it helps native birds and mammals without harming native plants. Plus, it's evergreen like all palms, while M. basjoo not only is deciduous but becomes active late in the growing season. As a Tennessean (similar climate), I very much prefer my native, evergreen palms that are a net gain for the local environment over something that's a potential invader and contributor to my seasonal depression. I really don't get why M. basjoo is so popular here when we already have so many other invasive species from China and Japan and have native palms and yuccas that look similar enough and are objectively better options.

[Ben G.]

On 12/10/2023 at 4:32 AM, Leelanau Palms said:

What zone are you? Updated pics of your palms?

I am in zone 7 in Northeast Oklahoma. I can take some pics tomorrow of some of my palms. The little sabal seedlings in this post were only dug about a week ago, so they look the same.

[Ben G.]

On 12/10/2023 at 5:23 PM, LeonardHolmes said:

Your septic system has a sprinkler? How does that work?

Our soil here doesn't drain fast enough for lateral lines, so the cleaned water from the septic system sprays out from two sprinkler heads every morning instead. We have followed the instructions from the company for maintaining the system, and the water sprayed out has never had any bad smell or anything. I just don't plant anything edible within spray range of the sprinklers. Since they provide irrigation daily though, I try to take advantage of them.

Edited December 17, 2023 by Ben OK