Canary island date palm dieing??

[j.stout]

Hey guys,

I'm new to this whole forum thing, but ive searched around for a post to relate to but can't find anything.

I got a canary island date palm 5 months ago from a local nursery which is what I'm guessing about 5 year's old.

it's just slowly been deteriorating and cant get any solid advice on what to do (even when it was starting to) Nearly all fronds are turning brown at the ends, with two that are nearly all completely dead. I used to keep it in the corner of my back yard but thought the hot sun of Melbourne (Australia) might have been too much for it, so it's under the verandah now getting a bit less sun.

I was watering it everyday for about 2 months when I got it, but was told to keep it to 3 times a week max.

Any help, or is it beyond repair?

 

[Danilopez89]

Wow! Looks dead to me. 

[Danilopez89]

Just kidding with you. 

Actually looks okay. The older leaves die at some point. Th older fronds should slowly turn a brown color and dry out. If they are rapidly drying and dieing then you have a problem.

Also, If you aren't going to plant it soon you might want to put the palm in a bigger pot.

[Ben in Norcal]

Yep, I would pot up.  And, once you do, don't water more than a couple of times a week.  These are highly drought tolerant palms, couple times a week should suffice.

[j.stout]

Thanks for the tips guys, I was just worried that there might have been something wrong with it.

Do you recommend buying a pot a step bigger or a much larger one as I don't plan on planting it soon. Just an FYI I am a beginner and was recommended this tree as an easy starter project, is there a recommend fertilizer or nutrient I should be giving it?

[Zifool]

it's just want going into the ground

[PalmTreeDude]

Looks nice so far!

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

12 hours ago, j.stout said:

Hey guys,

I'm new to this whole forum thing, but ive searched around for a post to relate to but can't find anything.

I got a canary island date palm 5 months ago from a local nursery which is what I'm guessing about 5 year's old.

it's just slowly been deteriorating and cant get any solid advice on what to do (even when it was starting to) Nearly all fronds are turning brown at the ends, with two that are nearly all completely dead. I used to keep it in the corner of my back yard but thought the hot sun of Melbourne (Australia) might have been too much for it, so it's under the verandah now getting a bit less sun.

I was watering it everyday for about 2 months when I got it, but was told to keep it to 3 times a week max.

Any help, or is it beyond repair?

 

Can you put that puppy in the ground?  It looks like its just hankering' to be set free!  If not, get it a big pot.  When well fed and watered, they grow fast, especially when its hot and sunny.  I noticed Ben referenced its drought tolerance.  He's right, of course.  But I've killed more drought tolerant plants while they were in a pot because I didn't water enough, and yours looks a wee bit drought stressed to me.  One reason plants are drought tolerant is because the develop massive root systems to collect meager natural water supply.  Of course they cannot use that strategy when confined to a pot.  But to give you an idea of the growth potential, if you watered and fed that tree well, it would fill a pot with 4 times that volume in one growing season.  Canaries are aggressive growers.  They don't do well here (Florida) because our soils have no nutrients, summers are sodden and hot (they seem to despise that combination), and we have more Canary predators than you can shake a stick at (Fusarium, Lethal Yellowing, Texas Phoenix Palm Decline, Phytophthora), & the poor things just don't have a chance.  In other climates, Canaries are on my top 10 common palm list, and were a big part of my initial palm tree affliction.

[V-Cycle]

Planting it out is my vote.

 

[SouthSeaNate]

Yes it looks too dry to me too, despite being drought tolerant Phoenix canariensis in pots needs lots of water during the summer, I would imagine that pot is a mass of roots.

[Sr. Califas]

Just keep in mind that large palms in large pots  can be difficult to handle. So if you pot up rather than plant in the ground, place it somewhere where you are happy with it and, if possible, near its eventual home. The palm is looking pretty good btw. 

[atlantisrising]

On 2/16/2017, 9:06:47, j.stout said:

Thanks for the tips guys, I was just worried that there might have been something wrong with it.

Do you recommend buying a pot a step bigger or a much larger one as I don't plan on planting it soon. Just an FYI I am a beginner and was recommended this tree as an easy starter project, is there a recommend fertilizer or nutrient I should be giving it?

Ahh, fertilizer. Use nutricote 18-6-8, made by Florikan from Japan. I like the 100 day release myself. Here it is sold in 50 lb. bags which will last you forever or until the palm obsession takes hold. This fertilizer is 100%  time release, very key in palm health. For years I saved $ by using the cheaper stuff which only had a portion of the N and K coated for slow release, while the Mg, and the rest of the minors package flushed right thru. This caused me lots of problems including, ironically, potassium deficiency. Reason being the magnesium necessary for potassium uptake was flushing thru. I compensated by increasing poundage and frequency which made the problem worse. In general, palms need a special ratio of N, P, K, and Mg plus minors (iron, manganese, boron). The N requirement is usually lower than other plants. Can't tell if you are Melbourne FL, USA or Australia. If USA, PM me, I'll get you contact info for the Nutricote. If AU, I've seen some palmtalkers on here from your locale that seem quite knowledgeable and experienced. I bet they could help find a local brand and supplier.

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

On 2/18/2017, 8:31:45, atlantisrising said:

Ahh, fertilizer. Use nutricote 18-6-8, made by Florikan from Japan. I like the 100 day release myself. Here it is sold in 50 lb. bags which will last you forever or until the palm obsession takes hold. This fertilizer is 100%  time release, very key in palm health. For years I saved $ by using the cheaper stuff which only had a portion of the N and K coated for slow release, while the Mg, and the rest of the minors package flushed right thru. This caused me lots of problems including, ironically, potassium deficiency. Reason being the magnesium necessary for potassium uptake was flushing thru. I compensated by increasing poundage and frequency which made the problem worse. In general, palms need a special ratio of N, P, K, and Mg plus minors (iron, manganese, boron). The N requirement is usually lower than other plants. Can't tell if you are Melbourne FL, USA or Australia. If USA, PM me, I'll get you contact info for the Nutricote. If AU, I've seen some palmtalkers on here from your locale that seem quite knowledgeable and experienced. I bet they could help find a local brand and supplier.

Ah Nutricote, sold by Sauron and his minions, shipped from Mordor.  :-)  I work for the company that makes Osmocote so though I respect Nutricote, it keeps food from my table.  In AU, you can buy Osmocote Exact.  Every bit as good as Nutricote, btw.  Of course, I'm sure they sell Nutricote there too.  Just for clarity, Florikan markets Nutricote, but they don't make it.  Its made by Chiso Asahi of Japan.  Florikan does use it to make blends.  Here in USA, we sell Osmocote Plus or, in Florida, Suncote.  Both are as good as Nutricote, and sometimes better.  Its unbelievable how competitive Controlled Release Fertilizers (CRF) are these days.  But thats a good thing, for planet Earth and its inhabitants.  So buy CRF when you can.  It keeps the nutrients where you want them, as Atlantisrising noted in his reply.  In Australia, CRF is being used on the Queensland Sugar Cane crops to protect the Great Barrier Reef from nutrient runoff (you know, that Reef Wise program...).  Thats how I actually got to visit that wonderful country back in 2011.  My next trip will be longer, and feature a bridge climb!  Woo Hoo.  Hopefully in 2018, but not sure yet.