Worried about the windmill palms

JorgeRom · Post by **JorgeRom** » Mon Mar 31, 2014 2:50 pm

I uncovered my two windmill palms today here in Windsor, Ontario. The leaves were dark green and moist. One one the centre looked ok on the other, it was dark green like the other leaves. There was also a bit of a white mildewy substance on them. I did my best to protect them. I tied the leaves up, tied them with burlap and then put four posts around them and filled the area with leaves. Then I put tarp over them. I think one might survive but I'm not sure about the other one.
My needle palm looks ok. The outer leaves are green but dry and the centre looks good. There are still going to be some cool, just under freezing nights. What should I do to take care of them until the real warm weather comes?[/u]

905palms · Post by **905palms** » Mon Mar 31, 2014 3:33 pm

Welcome aboard!

Green means clean! Give them a shot of fungicide when above 5C. Let air dry. Do your best to keep them dry for the next couple of weeks, and water them slightly with lukewarm water.

Enjoy!

JorgeRom · Post by **JorgeRom** » Mon Mar 31, 2014 3:39 pm

Should I cover them if it rains or gets a bit below freezing?

905palms · Post by **905palms** » Mon Mar 31, 2014 6:39 pm

Yes, because if you get moisture freezing and thawing constantly in the crown area, this can damage the tender parts and cause Pathogens to infiltrate.. hence the fungicide. Best to use a frost cloth to wrap so it can breath and you'll be fine.

See my Youtube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRZLH9wfE3g

JorgeRom · Post by **JorgeRom** » Mon Mar 31, 2014 7:06 pm

Where do I get frost cloth? I have tarp covering the top of the palms now and burlap around the sides.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue Apr 01, 2014 3:29 pm

Welcome aboard!

Agree with comments.

Frost cloth goes by several names, also called Row Cover, available at gardening stores/big box stores.
http://www.gardeners.com/Row-Covers/511 ... lt,pg.html

Look forward to seeing photos of your palms.

Barb

JorgeRom · Post by **JorgeRom** » Tue Apr 01, 2014 6:47 pm

I bought the fungicide today so the next day it is around 10C and sunny I'll spray the palms I'm worried about. I am wondering if I could still get frost cloth this time of year... or is that something that is only available in the fall? I covered the palms with tarp again. It is supposed to rain in the next couple of days and also cool down. They are forcasting nights to be around or just below freezing.
With the needle palm, most of the leaves are green but dry. The centre looks alive, though.

905palms · Post by **905palms** » Wed Apr 02, 2014 6:35 pm

You're definitely on the right track. Frost cloth is like synthetic burlap. I got mine at Canadian Tire, it's the white stuff, could be on sale this time of year.

JorgeRom · Post by **JorgeRom** » Wed Apr 02, 2014 7:22 pm

I called around to different garden centers and no one heard of the term frost cloth or row cover... I was surprised. There is one place that might have something to put over plants to avoid frost but I'm not sure if it's frost cloth. I'll go to Canadian Tire to see what they have. Now I'm waiting for a decent day to apply the fungicide. It's supposed to be cool the next few days. One of the palms does not look good.
I'll take pictures soon.

JorgeRom · Post by **JorgeRom** » Tue Apr 08, 2014 10:28 pm

Well, I'm pretty sure one of my windmill palms is dead. The trunk feels soft. The other one... maybe, maybe! It looks a bit better after I put the fungicide on it. The needle palm does look promising. Should I be doing something to help them now? Fertilize? or something else?

bananieru · Post by **bananieru** » Wed Apr 09, 2014 8:53 am

If the trunk is soft, search in this forum for cutting the trunk. Once you cut it you have to get rid of all the black stuff. I saved one this way. (it's true that it was still green, just the center spear pulled)

Tavi

JorgeRom · Post by **JorgeRom** » Wed Apr 09, 2014 7:27 pm

First time loading pics. I hope this works. The first two should be the needle palm... the one that to me looks very promising. The bottom two should be of the windmill palms. I think one is dead and if the other was in a plant hospital it would probably be in the Intensive Care Unit.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Thu Apr 10, 2014 8:43 am

Needle will make it, but the windmills look bad.

I never fertilize a sick plant.
Doubt even Thrive (B-vitamins) would help it.

Let's see what others think.

Barb

Held4Ransom · Post by **Held4Ransom** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 4:33 am

Hello There,

I live in essex, and I have a 6ft windmill palm. Having problems with mold and palm having to be cut off. Do you want to exchange phone number and we can share notes?

Lance

JorgeRom · Post by **JorgeRom** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 5:50 pm

Hi Lance, I'll give you my e-mail address and we can go from there. If you got a windmill to 6 feet you've had more luck than I have had. I got one to survive winter last year but that windmill didn't make it through this winter. If Colasanti's sells windmills this spring, I'll buy a couple more and try again.
e-mail address: Jorge1528@yahoo.com

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 9:26 am

Welcome aboard, Lance!

Wondering if it was Essex, ENGLAND

Barb

JorgeRom · Post by **JorgeRom** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 1:42 pm

Barb, there is a town called Essex that is very close to Windsor Ontario. I am assuming that that is where Lance is. I hope it's not the Essex in England.
Well, I had to cover the palms again. It has become cold and we got some snow last night. I hope that this cold spell doesn't kill the needle palm in the front. Winter has just been too tough on the palms this year. If the needle palm does survive, what can I do to help it along?

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 2:01 pm

Needles and Trachies are almost the only palms to be a "sure thing" this winter.

I'd leave it alone.
But if you need palm food, lots of folks swear by this stuff: http://stokestropicals.plants.com/Carl- ... -P300.aspx

But I NEVER fertilize a sick plant.

Barb

JorgeRom · Post by **JorgeRom** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 7:11 pm

I'll see how the needle palm and the one Trachie do after this cold spell. The other Trachie is officially dead. The center of it pulled out very easily a few days ago. If they all go, I will try again with new plants one more time. Hopefully, the place where I bought them last time will sell them again this year. Thanks for the info on fertilizers, Barb. I won't fertilize any palm until I know it will survive.

JorgeRom · Post by **JorgeRom** » Mon Apr 21, 2014 10:06 pm

I'm discouraged. The windmill palm that I thought might make it is dead also. So both of the 2 that I had are gone. The needle palm in the front still looks like it has some life in it but I'm not sure for how long. Should I cut off the dry fronds?
I plan on buying a couple windmills and try this again. If they don't survive next winter, I'll give up on palms ( even though I love palms so) and plant plants that are more likely to survive the cold Canadian winters.

bananieru · Post by **bananieru** » Tue Apr 22, 2014 1:45 pm

I don't think they can survive without heat added in your area (even though it's warmer than Toronto).

Tavi

JorgeRom · Post by **JorgeRom** » Tue Apr 22, 2014 10:23 pm

How do I add heat? ... wrap Christmas lights around the palm and plugging the string of lights to an extention cord to the house?

Beny · Post by **Beny** » Wed Apr 23, 2014 4:36 am

Hi Jorge, just check on my youtube channel Under expressiontropicale, i posted lot of videos. Some videos explaining how i protect palms near Montréal. Or check post i made here or my website at expressiontropicale.com ( it s in french )

Ben

PalmsNorth.com

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