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Planning backyard palm transplant in Austin Tx


JotaDe

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Hi all,

A short bit ago, I moved to a house in Austin that has a decent amount of mature palms. Unfortunately, the original owner planted some of them too close too the house, and to each other.   Given their maturity I'd prefer to attempt to move them instead of cutting them down.

The palm next to the house is a sabal, but I'm unsure of which type. You can tell in the attachments that it's petiole bases are very green compared to the sabal further away from the house. Does anyone know which types of sabal palms I have?

I believe the pineapple looking palms are CIDPs. Unfortunately the last two winters here in Austin have produced freezing rain, snow, and temperatures into the teens, as well as extended periods (days) at or below freezing. The sabals handle the cold like a champ, but the CIDPS brown up close to the crown, so I have to trim them up come spring time. Luckily they shoot out fast and fill out by summer.

You'll notice by the attachments that the sabal next to the house (crown is 4' - 5'), and larger of the CIDPs (crown is 5' - 6') will be moved to better locations in the yard to allow for their growth, while not smashing into the other two palms they're currently planted near. The company coming to move the trees will dig them, move them, and transplant them by hand as I can't get a bobcat in the backyard. 

Interestingly, another sabal very close to the house was cut down at the base, but somehow it started growing again! I'm considering moving this one as well, and staking it to see if it can grow upright. Has anyone attempted to transplant a palm that has resurrected itself in such a away?

Generally, I'd appreciate your opinions and thoughts on the relocation plan. Thanks!

 

2 Sabals.jpg

House Sabal.jpg

Sabal Palm Move .jpg

Date Palm 1.jpg

Date Palm 2.jpg

Cut Sabal.jpg

Edited by JotaDe
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1 hour ago, JotaDe said:

Unfortunately, the original owner planted some of them too close too the house, and to each other.

You think 6" away from the house is too close?  :lol:  It always amazes me how many people plant without thinking how big they will eventually get.  I'm not sure, but I'd assume the Sabals are mexicana.  I personally can't tell the young ones apart without seeing the size of the seed.  Since your Sabals seem to have at least 4' of trunk they should transplant fine.  Smaller Sabals do not transplant well for some reason unless you can get nearly all of the root ball but the larger ones often have all of their roots removed (and leaves) during a transplant.  It's a good time of the year for transplanting since the ground is now starting to warm up and promote root growth.  Hopefully the movers you are using know what they are doing - your CIDP's and Sabals look great (or at least will look great soon enough).  You'll need to provide frequent watering post-transplant for awhile.  I've not seen a palm coming back like that get moved either.  It might be best to let it go for another year or 2 before trying to move it.  By the way, welcome to the forum!  Lots of knowledgeable folks here.  Good luck with everything.

Jon

Jon Sunder

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They look like sabal mexicana. The one by the house will be difficult to move but not impossible.  Id dig a ditch 3/4 around the front of it and leave the area between it and the wall alone for 30 days while keeping it well watered then dig the rest of it out and move it to the new spot. 

If you move that canary it will die. I highly suggest you leave it right where it is. 

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Thanks for the replies and suggestions.

I didn't realize sabal mexicana could vary so much in appearance. The one by the house is a richer green in the stem and frond with very green petiole bases all the way to the base of the trunk, while the one farther from the house has a lighter gray-ish green in the stem and frond, and the petiole bases on the trunk are a grey and have almost no green on them even near the top.

What is the difference between leaving the sabal by the house well watered before the move, and creating a trench in the front for an additional 30 days?

If the canary can't handle a move I'd likely leave it (at least for now), but it ends up mashing into the other sabal and canary next to it. These trees are that sensitive to move? It comes back very strong after each winter and has added about 2' in trunk growth since I moved in, it seems pretty healthy and happy.

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Yes, CIDP are very sensitive without a significant amount of trunk.  I've killed a few 2-4' CT trying to move them and refuse to do so from now on.  Sabal vary in appearance and Mexicana in shaded conditions tend to keep that green petiole (as does riverside). 

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Could that twisted up little dude be a Brahea?  It’s not tripping my Sabal trigger.

Land O Lakes FL, a suburb on the North Side of Tampa, FL

Summers are great, 90f/32c in the day & 70f/21c at night with plentiful rain & sun

Winters are subtropical with occasional frosts and freezes. Tropical cyclones happen.

We have a few Royal palms in the warm microclimates but Coconuts freeze.

I am a Kayaker, Hiker, Bicyclist, and amateur Photographer that loves the outdoors.  

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Looks like old boots to me on the bottom left.  Leaves look crazy right now. 

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deleted by author

Edited by awkonradi

Andrei W. Konradi, Burlingame, California.  Vicarious appreciator of palms in other people's gardens and in habitat

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The small guy was defiantly cut down. I believe it was the same size as it's neighbor sabal (right up against the house). And from the very center of the cut trunk it sprouted a new crown(?) and fronds. 

I synced with the tree company, at this point we're only moving the sabal by the house. We'll leave the CIDPs where they are. In the future, I may rather spend the money on replacing them with a more austin-hardy type. However, by summer they are looking pretty full even though they get severely trimmed after winter.

If I was the original owner, and know what I know now, I would've planted only sabals or mediterranean fans (which are also handling the cold with no problem). No CIDPs, and in the front yard I have two very tall mexican fan palms - getting close to 40' high. each year they've been burned, but they live and end up with a full head of green by summer. 

IMG_0224.jpg

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I would live and let live. :greenthumb: CIDP torture, constricted trunk if practice of cutting off the fronds continue :evil:

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Coral Gables, FL 8 miles North of Fairchild USDA Zone 10B

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Don't let two bad winters sour you on cidp. They'll look great this fall and the chances of three cold winters in a row are very low. 

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On 4/22/2018, 8:21:18, TexasColdHardyPalms said:

If you move that canary it will die. I highly suggest you leave it right where it is.

 

On 4/23/2018, 8:24:18, TexasColdHardyPalms said:

CIDP are very sensitive without a significant amount of trunk.  I've killed a few 2-4' CT trying to move them and refuse to do so from now on.

Joe, this second post surprises me because I've transplanted CIDP with about 1/3 the trunk size of the one photographed without any issues (both in winter/early spring months).  I initially thought you discouraged the move because of the cold damage it had.  But I agree that it should be left alone since it's not up next to the house and really doesn't need to be moved and the risk involved.  It looks like it will come back great soon enough.

Jon

Jon Sunder

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Jon, we've have bad luck with cidp that werent properly root pruned. 

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The tree company will start digging up the sabal by the house today, I'm leaving the CIDP in place.

Hill country dirt here is a clay like soil. Even though the palm is happy now, and will stay in the same general area, I'm looking for any recommended preparations for the new site and relo:

- Should I add any particular soil or sand to the new site?

- Should I mound up the new site?

- Should I prune any fronds to allow more energy into root growth?

I'd prefer the palm to look pretty from the get go, but I want it to thrive and be happy. I've read that some folks insist on a hurricane cut for survival!?

IMG_0562 (2).jpg

Edited by JotaDe
Even though the CIDP cuts look extreme, here is an example of how full they got throughout the year and into the next winter (Jan 18). In the spring of 2017, they were pruned up about the same amount as you saw in the initial pictures above.
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Weird, I can't seem to edit my last post again. Anyway, another couple questions I forgot to add initially...

- Should the palm be staked, and if so for how long?

- If the fronds are left, should they be tied up together?

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hey all,

So the sabal mexicana was moved about 1.5 weeks ago, and has been getting daily waterings. The newest fronds are showing shock, yellowing or browning.

Question:

Is it necessary to prune off the bulk of the fronds to help the sabal recover?

 

Full After Cut.jpg

Most Spear.jpg

Some Spear 2.jpg

Some Spear 1.jpg

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That may be a good idea. When they move/transplant S. palmetto in FL they cut off all fronds except the emerging spear. That is because Sabals have to regrow new roots after being dug up so can't support/feed a full crown of leaves while doing so. Someone knowledgable in moving Sabals should know that. The palm will look like it has been butchered but the step is necessary.

Meg

Palms of Victory I shall wear

Cape Coral (It's Just Paradise)
Florida
Zone 10A on the Isabelle Canal
Elevation: 15 feet

I'd like to be under the sea in an octopus' garden in the shade.

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  • 2 months later...

Hey all,

So 2+ months ago I ended up trimming all the fronds off and left only the spear. I kept the palm watered and after about 1 month it started growing strong. However, the first two fronds both ended up bending/breaking under their own weight :(

I'm hoping this is a normal case of palm recovery after transplant, and that sooner or later the fronds will be strong enough to support their full weight. I wanted to check in there to see if I should be doing something differently, maybe tying them up to support them? I'm ok with leaving it be, it's just a bummer because it's going to be ugly for longer than I wanted.

IMG_0477.jpg

IMG_0478.jpg

IMG_0479.jpg

IMG_0480.jpg

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On ‎5‎/‎3‎/‎2018‎ ‎7‎:‎27‎:‎25‎, JotaDe said:

Weird, I can't seem to edit my last post again.

There is a one hour time limit for edits after the original post.  Good luck with your transplants.  :)

San Francisco, California

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The fronds break off because the lack of vascular pressure caused from the water loss during the transplant. 

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Got it. So i take it that this is expected, and with proper watering the fronds should eventually be strong enough to not break. Thanks for confirming.  

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Correct. Same thing happens during extreme cold weather, but only because the cells ruptured on the fronds.  

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