Last effort to grow a Brahea edulis in my garden

[Phoenikakias]

I have lost up to now 4 or 5 specimens over the decades. I am not sure I have realized any wrong practice in their cultivation. I understand that as any other Brahea is rather root sensitive, but I had never disturbed the root system of any of my previous victims. So I decided to give a last try with this sp and more specifically from the very first stage of a plant's life, namely the germination. I got hold of some edulis seeds from the Marimurtra b.g., which resulted in several seedlings in a community pot. As I do not wish to disturb their roots, I am thinking of planting out the whole group in to the same spot and may the bravest seedling survive! Are there available  any particular advice to this purpose, especially regarding soil consistency and pH? My soil is, as you already know, alkaline (from 7.5 to 7.8) and stony irrigation water even more alkaline (at least 8.2). I begin suspecting that this sp needs a more acidic soil but it is a Brahea, growing in a warm temperate habitat with volcanic soil of various types , even alkali basalt. So if someone is aware of own soil properties, where a plant of this kind thrives, survives, hangs on etc, such information will be deeply appreciated. 

[Harry’s Palms]

I can’t help as I have never tested our soil . We are warm temperate as well and I planted one about 27 years ago , bought as a seedling in a 3” band from a palm collector . At that time I didn’t know how root sensitive these were . I dug a hole and planted it . It grew very nicely and thrives down near the bottom of my hill where it is coldest. It doesn’t see frost at all and coldest temp down there is 36f. I hope you can figure out what is killing your B. Edulis , they are quite the statement in a garden . Harry

[Darold Petty]

Both your soil and water pH are problematic,...... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guadalupe_Island

Good luck !  

[Phoenikakias]

53 minutes ago, Darold Petty said:

Both your soil and water pH are problematic,...... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guadalupe_Island

Good luck !  

I can handle it, provided I know that a certain plant is or may get in to trouble because of this.  Brahea armata on the other hand seems loving alkaline soil, in fact mine had been planted in to a hole with limestone gravel as fill in and it exploded with growth from the very beginning. So I could not consider readily alkalinity as a potential problem for other Brahea spp.

[Jim in Los Altos]

They are painfully slow growing while in the seedling and pre-trunking stages even under optimal growing conditions. I planted this one as a small seedling thirty years ago. My soil is neutral and clay based. Irrigation water is very alkaline at about 8.2. It gets watered once per week in the summer. Potassium deficiency has occasionally been a problem but I feed it more often now and the problem has subsided. These are really tough, drought tolerant palms as well as tolerant to freezing temperatures though mine hasn’t experienced that in eighteen years. 
 

[Phoenikakias]

9 hours ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

They are painfully slow growing while in the seedling and pre-trunking stages even under optimal growing conditions. I planted this one as a small seedling thirty years ago. My soil is neutral and clay based. Irrigation water is very alkaline at about 8.2. It gets watered once per week in the summer. Potassium deficiency has occasionally been a problem but I feed it more often now and the problem has subsided. These are really tough, drought tolerant palms as well as tolerant to freezing temperatures though mine hasn’t experienced that in eighteen years. 
 

How do you cope with the little by little alkalization of the soil through irrigation water?

[Jim in Los Altos]

14 hours ago, Phoenikakias said:

How do you cope with the little by little alkalization of the soil through irrigation water?

Nothing special, Konstantinos. Just PalmGain fertilizer three times per year.  

[dalmatiansoap]

Any ideas how to improve anchoring? I don't know if it's problem with it's roots or might be something else? It's going good but still isn't well anchored after 7-8 years in the ground 

[Phoenikakias]

10 hours ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

Nothing special, Konstantinos. Just PalmGain fertilizer three times per year.  

Does it contain Sulphur?

[Phoenikakias]

1 hour ago, dalmatiansoap said:

Any ideas how to improve anchoring? I don't know if it's problem with it's roots or might be something else? It's going good but still isn't well anchored after 7-8 years in the ground 

This is a matter of serious concern for the future.

[Jim in Los Altos]

9 hours ago, Phoenikakias said:

Does it contain Sulphur?

Yes.