Watering Rhopalostylis baueri

[David_Sweden]

Hi. My Baueri is very thirsty. I had it for 2 years and repotted it a few times and it has now reached what I intend to be the final pot size. Until a few weeks ago it needed watering every 3 days but since recently it requires water every 2 days. I can not combine normal life with plants that require watering more than every 3 days (my even bigger Kentia requires it every 6 days) so I'll either have to give it away or find a different watering solution.

I just started testing putting a bowl instead of saucer under it (see pic), and after I completed watering I add water to 1-2 cm from the brim. This water lasts about 1½ days so that I have to water every 4 days. I wonder what you think about this, is there risk for root rot or does it sound ok?

I read in other threads here that Baueris are known for being very thirsty, that the "heel" at the top could be prone to rotting (so I keep it sticking 1 cm up above ground) but that in general they love water. I also read some other thread (not specifically about Baueris) about how some pots leave a few cm at the bottom because of drainage holes not at bottom but a bit up the sides, and the consensus there was that it probably usually is fine for most palms.

Top diameter is 27 cm (almost 11"). I water it when it is (slightly) moist all over (not dry, not wet) using a moisture meter. I use a pot mix with 30% 2-3 mm sand. Here is one pic from when it was new and one from a week ago. I grow it in an apartment in Gothenburg Sweden:

  

[Monòver]

Wow, very nice palm!!!!

The solution is very easy, plant your baueri in a bigger pot.

[David_Sweden]

Thanks but there was no big difference after last repotting almost 1 year ago: Before repotting it needed water every 2 days, and 2 months after repotting it was every 4 days, and from February to May it was every 3 days, and now 2 days. My Kentia has always required around a week and it is ½ m taller with 2 stems (i e much wider) in exactly the same kind of pot.

My guess is it fills the pot with very efficient roots and it sucks all it can find and lets it evaporate. I guess it naturally grows where there is ample water since it doesn't seem to conserve water at all. Pot is 11 litres (28 cm diam at top) and I thought the idea with indoor palms is to not increase beyond that size, so that it slows down, I mean sure I could give each palm a bathtub to grow in but then it would just hit the ceiling. That's the way it works I'm told, otherwise I will eventually have to move or give them away I guess.

In any case, I mainly want to know about experience and opinions in leaving water in bowl. I know it works with many palms but am not sure about this one.

[Pal Meir]

As Monòver already wrote, you have to repot it into a (plastic or wood) container of 40-50 cm diameter.

[Pal Meir]

If you use Seramis instead of sand you may try it with a container of 35-40 cm diameter because Seramis holds the moisture a little longer.

[David_Sweden]

I dug up the thread on pots which keep lots of water at the bottom, just like my bowl, here. Seems there are different opinions, mostly due to lack of much experience, but that some palms do like this. And in my case I improve the situation by (A) Not watering until soil is slightly humid, so that roots are not constantly wet, and (B) then water until water comes out at the bottom, suck this away (to avoid salt buildup) and then add water to the bowl until 1-2 cm from rim.

And here's the thread I was thinking of where Kostas shares experience of heels/saxophone roots/tillering roots and how much Rhopalostylis love water.

So those threads are two main reasons for believing my idea with the bowl might actually be good.

I also remember reading in some thread how someone waters his Rhopalostylis with around a week in between, but I don't know why (maybe air is cold, or very damp, or soil is pure peat?) because I also see evidence on my palm of too dry soil by drying of leaf tips if I let it dry out more than I do, so waiting longer than I do is not an option, it gets too dry for sure.

[Kostas]

I think that it is ok for this species to stand in water for a day at a time and then left to get back to just moist, so that the roots have sufficient aeration. I think it would be safer with a taller pot but as long as the palm sucks up the water fast and use it, I think it will be fine with it and not have rot problems. Your Rhopalostylis is very well grown btw :)

[David_Sweden]

Thanks :-)

I think I'll try the bowl thing then. I'm thinking there are big roots at the bottom which will be dry 2 of every 4 days or so.

And I think regarding the related topic of mould (both being fungus) that if you keep air humidity in a room at close to 100%, but bring it down to say 40% one hour per day, mould will not grow, it will die off during the low-humidity phase. So I hope the same goes for rot.

[DoomsDave]

Just now, David_Sweden said:

I dug up the thread on pots which keep lots of water at the bottom, just like my bowl, here. Seems there are different opinions, mostly due to lack of much experience, but that some palms do like this. And in my case I improve the situation by (A) Not watering until soil is slightly humid, so that roots are not constantly wet, and (B) then water until water comes out at the bottom, suck this away (to avoid salt buildup) and then add water to the bowl until 1-2 cm from rim.

And here's the thread I was thinking of where Kostas shares experience of heels/saxophone roots/tillering roots and how much Rhopalostylis love water.

So those threads are two main reasons for believing my idea with the bowl might actually be good.

I also remember reading in some thread how someone waters his Rhopalostylis with around a week in between, but I don't know why (maybe air is cold, or very damp, or soil is pure peat?) because I also see evidence on my palm of too dry soil by drying of leaf tips if I let it dry out more than I do, so waiting longer than I do is not an option, it gets too dry for sure.

David!

Welcome to PT from another David . . .

That is an awesome Rhopie. Really nice. In a pot. Not an easy thing to do.

Rhopies are thirsty. A big plant in a small pot will appreciate a lot of water now and then and really soak it up. The general wisdom (In my experience) is that good drainage is essential.

BUT

A flood now and then won't hurt, especially a plant like yours. I'd go ahead and give it a big drink, say, once a week in the summer. You probably get a lot of daylight in the summer and that makes plants grow fast, or want to. Leave a couple cm of water in a saucer and see how long it takes the palm to drink it. You might be surprised. Rhopies aren't one of those types that croaks in a day from standing in a little water, trust me. I've soaked a few for two days at a time, to get them re-hydrated when they got dry. (A problem here.)

Also see my PM.

dave

[David_Sweden]

Thanks guys. I'm pretty sure there's no good way to get to know how water loving a Rhopalostylis is except to ask in this forum, so it is really valuable. Sites like Palmpedia and Dave's Garden (which are usually quite good) don't include anything about this even.

[DoomsDave]

You're welcome!

Dont be afraid to show us your other plants!

[Alicehunter2000]

A couple of sapida's that were brought inside till it cools down a biT outside. One has a dish below the other doesn't.  Have not tried keeping water in the dish the whole time. They do seem to drink it very fast. Been watering every 4-5 days but may step it up to every 2 days.

This my first experience with Rhopy's. ...will probably keep them in a pot till they get too huge to move. Any advise is welcomed.

Btw...

David your palms are awsome for being grown inside!