Palm with very brown fronds—what to do?

[Peakster]

Hello all. I had this palm planted in April this year.  I asked the nursery for a windmill but immediately people on here say it’s a Washingtonia! Whatever it is, it has flourished and grown a lot.  It went from having four fronds to 11.

Now suddenly two fronds near the bottom have turned very brown and a few others have brown tips.   
Do these palms need a lot of water? 
We soaked everything daily for months until some of the plants were struggling.  My wife thought we were overwatering so we backed that off a lot, including for the palm, which we probably shouldn’t have done.  Truthfully we only watered it a few times through august, and we got no rain at all for about three weeks.  The browning came on in a matter of days.  
Do we think this is a classic case of underwatering, and I should start watering now and often?   Also, should I cut off the two fully brown fronds? They look dead. 
Thanks for the advice.  

[Xerarch]

Boy, yes that's 100% a Washintonia, and looks like robusta, which is one of the most widely adapted palms in the world.  Native to desert oases in Baja Mexico, they like water if they can get it, and also don't really care if they don't.  They're not picky about soil, and are quite cold hardy by palm standards, 20 degrees F give or take.  These things are found all over Florida but also grow out of cracks in sidewalks in the hottest cities of the southwest. These can take almost anything. So with that in mind, watering it only a few times throughout August is fine, no problem for a palm like that............except...... .......if it had been used to daily waterings ever since it was planted in April, I can see how that might send it into shock.  It definitely doesn't need daily water, and that may have even stunted the roots.

I say just stick to some periodic soakings maybe every week in the summer, and if you're in Virginia you'll probably have to offer it some protection in winter.  You can cut off the fronds that are completely brown.

[Harry’s Palms]

I don’t see anything alarming about your Washingtonia losing a few fronds after summer. As was mentioned , if it gets really cold this winter , it will benefit from a bit of protection. Next year it should be able to hold onto more fronds with enough water. These are great palms as they adapt fairly well if treated with a bit of minimal care . I would be a bit concerned about a nursery that plants a Washingtonia when you ordered a Trachycarpus though. Harry

[Peakster]

Thanks! Sounds like a great species. I would really have to screw up to harm this guy. 

[Chester B]

As others have stated, it just needs more water.  Eventually the old fronds will brown off no matter what.

I planted 5 this year around the same size of yours, and when they were in the pots I needed to water almost daily.  I missed a few days and they started browning off.  Once in the ground they have had ample water as we have had a lot of rain.  Early August the taps shut off so I have been watering weekly.  I have trimmed off a least a half dozen brown frond from each palm.  They all currently have between 12-16 green fronds per palm.  (I counted yesterday when I was watering).  They also grow faster with more water.

[DAVEinMB]

@Peakster pull that mulch away from the base a few inches and water the hell out of it.