Queen Palms - advice / help needed - newbie

[bsl333]

Hey everyone, 

I just moved to North County San Diego (temps between 40 - 90 year round) a few months back and the home I purchased has 21 queen palms. They range in size from 10 feet to 35 feet. 

This is my first time owning palms in general. I’ve noticed a little more dying of the fronds (turning brown), some fronds yellowing, fronds starting to not be as perked up as they once were. I haven’t been watering them regularly since I’ve moved here and late last month I left a drip hose on them for several hours and was worried I over watered them, as it was after this I noticed them drooping more, but it may have been coincidence. However, I was glancing around this site and I see many people saying you basically cannot over water them in SD county. So before I start watering again or do anything, figured I’d ask for some friendly advice. 

here’s the first one that is struggling. This one has been struggling since I got the place and hasn’t shown much improvement, new fronds are partially brown. More water?

 

Not sure if it can be seen easily from this pics, but fronds are yellowing and the two completely brown ones died pretty quickly, would guess over a few weeks. 
the shorter one in the middle you can see fronds look droopy. Again, more water here?


 

These 3 seem to be the youngest of any palms on the property, and again, more dying fronds and even the new growth has some parts of the frond browning/dead. 

 

I do a decent amount of veggie gardening, so I have plenty of amendments on hand if they look hungry at all.
 

sorry if this is rudimentary question, but thanks in advance. 🙏 

[Josue Diaz]

More water, and please feed those puppies! they look deprived of water and fertilizer. They likely won't die, but they will barely hang on for a long time. I'm north about 5 hours, but welcome to San Diego (and California in general?) and also welcome to Palmtalk!

 

JD

[bsl333]

11 minutes ago, Josue Diaz said:

More water, and please feed those puppies! they look deprived of water and fertilizer. They likely won't die, but they will barely hang on for a long time. I'm north about 5 hours, but welcome to San Diego (and California in general?) and also welcome to Palmtalk!

 

JD

 

thanks JD! California native here, but relatively new to SD (3 years). 
 

Really appreciate the help. For fertilizer, what do you recommend? I have a lot of organic amendments on hand so I can make pretty much whatever, or if there’s a preferred product for palms, let me know. 
 

I was thinking of mixing some worm castings with insect frass (2-2-2, maybe 1/4 cup or so per palm) and water in. These will take some time to break down, so I can water them with a fish hydrolysate (3-3-0.3) so they a get a quick boost. What do you think? 
 

thanks again!

[Jim in Los Altos]

Those poor palms look very thirsty! And hungry too. Queen palms are native to areas that are often like a marsh. They’ll live happily in saturated soil so don’t ever worry about overwatering them. As far as fertilizer is concerned, the one I and many other palm “addicts” are happiest wit is pictured below. You can purchase on Amazon and the Home Depot sometimes has it on the shelves and online. 
 

[SeanK]

You live in San Diego. That's likely z10b, as I think only the islands are Z 11.

In your zone, you should be experimenting with and enjoying a much broader palette of palms. 

1. Tall Pinnate

2. Tall Palmate

3. Understory Pinnate

4. Understory Palmate.

Leave the Queens for strip malls and z9b areas where choices are limited.

[Harry’s Palms]

Welcome to the forum , I agree with the rest, more water and mulch the soil around them. I use a claw to break up the existing soil and add a good garden soil when you fertilize them . Wood chips can help hold moisture . Don’t expect immediate results , we are heading into winter and even Syagrus R slow down . I might be Spring before you see noticeable change. Palm Gain doesn’t get absorbed as well in winter. Harry

[Jim in Los Altos]

1 hour ago, SeanK said:

You live in San Diego. That's likely z10b, as I think only the islands are Z 11.

In your zone, you should be experimenting with and enjoying a much broader palette of palms. 

1. Tall Pinnate

2. Tall Palmate

3. Understory Pinnate

4. Understory Palmate.

Leave the Queens for strip malls and z9b areas where choices are limited.

Sean, He’s new to palms and needs those mature Queens to look better. He can certainly explore more exotic palm species if he wants to in the future. I have 132 palm species in the garden but the big old monster queen palms (seven of them) are an integral part of the landscape.  

[DoomsDave]

@bsl333  Nice to meet you and welcome to Palm Talk!

As noted, you have a nice bunch of mostly mature queen palms that appear to have been neglected a bit.

If it rains, great; if not, give 'em a big drink. Come spring (April), give 'em some fertilizer. There's others in addition to the one that @Jim in Los Altos listed, including "Palms Plus" or even plain old Bandini Rose food, though the palm ferts are better because they have trace elements. 

[SeanK]

1 hour ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

Sean, He’s new to palms and needs those mature Queens to look better. He can certainly explore more exotic palm species if he wants to in the future. I have 132 palm species in the garden but the big old monster queen palms (seven of them) are an integral part of the landscape.  

'There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why? I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?'

@Jim in Los Altos - I hear you man. Still, I think about that beautiful land and climate, and what he could do that would set him above the crowd.

[DoomsDave]

3 hours ago, SeanK said:

'There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why? I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?'

@Jim in Los Altos - I hear you man. Still, I think about that beautiful land and climate, and what he could do that would set him above the crowd.

Up to him!

[sonoranfans]

Queen palms are notoriously heavy feeders and they need lots of water as well.  Do as DoomsDave said, fertilize heavily when the temps rise in spring and dont let them get too dry.  

[Tomas]

I wonder what kind of planting is it in the last picture? What are the black things at the base?

[DoomsDave]

23 minutes ago, Tomas said:

I wonder what kind of planting is it in the last picture? What are the black things at the base?

Those look like big plastic pots that got left on the ground.

[Tomas]

On 12/31/2024 at 5:39 PM, DoomsDave said:

Those look like big plastic pots that got left on the ground.

From the form of the stem, my impression is that the root initiation zone is inside the pots and  well above the ground. Am I wrong?

[DoomsDave]

1 hour ago, Tomas said:

From the form of the stem, my impression is that the root initiation zone is inside the pots and  well above the ground. Am I wrong?

It appears you're correct.

[bsl333]

Thanks everyone. I ended up ordering some palmgain. Looking at the back, I think I can make an organic version fairly easily with what I have on hand, manganese sulfate is not something I want to mess around with tho. So I’ll use palmgain this year and then play around with my own organic palm fertilizer once these palms are looking a little more dialed. 
 

here’s what I’m thinking:

1. going to apply a 1/4 dosage since it’s winter and nute uptake will be reduced but at least start to get nutes in the ground and available  

2. Start ramping up watering, thinking to use drip hoses once or twice a week to soak the area. Thoughts? 
3. prune dead frongs 
4. when spring comes around, will apply a normal dosage of palmgain.

 

couple follow ups:

 

1. with the palms that are planted in ground but in the large black pots, do I apply the fertilizer differently to these since roommate is predominantly in the black pots? Or just apply to surrounding area and water in and let roots find the food?

2. The three largest queen palms are planted in a turf area, so there’s not much exposed dirt. Any recommendations on applying fertilizer for these? Attached a pic for reference  .

thanks again!

 

hope everyone is having a good start to the new year!