Coconut Palm Experiment in Southern Italy

[Alicante 233]

1 hour ago, veeman55 said:

Present condition of coconut..any opinions of the brown spots on older leaves? Fungus that can be treated with anything.

Main center shoot bright green no issues

I might ask for professional opinion since a young plant is always sensible and more a coconut. There is probably some specific anti-fungus product or something. 

I also agree with Alex, remove the rocks and if you can, put some beach sand around, since it's also a good heat trap. For some reason, coconuts love beach sand.

[veeman55 51]

 

L

19 hours ago, Alicante said:

I 

Present condition of coconut..any opinions of the brown spots on older leaves? Fungus that can be treated with anything.

Main center shoot bright green no issues

[veeman55 51]

. My freind keeps me informed of the weather in the area and the plants he grows and sees around. You dont have to agree or beleive what i say. your not from there and oblivious to the area. You know whats in your area. But unless you go to that area in person  youll never understand whats really there. 

Edited March 3 by veeman55
Edit

[veeman55 51]

The latest condition of the southern italian coconut

[sandgroper 460]

That looks like cold damage to me.

[Tyrone 1,316]

I think the roots are getting too wet and cold in the water retentive soil there. If it was planted in beach sand it would have done better I think. When you're trying to push the boundaries with coconuts sand is a must in my experience. In the true tropics you'd get away with water retentive soil though.

[veeman55 51]

On 3/3/2019 at 9:22 AM, Alicante said:

 

Owner thinks it was lower sunlight during winter months plus surrounding plants creating extra shadow to the sun..his soil is well drained as he said to me.

The coconut was sweating alot in that mini green house which caused the mealybug troubles month ago.

He has since given it antifungal.

Edited April 12 by veeman55

[dalmatiansoap 261]

Any news?

[veeman55 51]

@dalmatiansoap apparently i just heard its still alive despite the gloomiest rainiest coolest winters in all of southern italy and sicily has had in many many years and despite the shade from other trees and behind a wall and despite moisture condensation and plant sweating built up due to hardly any air let in from mini makeshift plastic greenhouse and despite the leaf attack by mealy bugs because of all that sweating more than month ago and despite it was bought germinated in a hot greenhouse   the plastic covering has since been removed and now theres repairs being done to that wall close by to the coconut despite all these negative factors this coconut still is alive.  Its unbeleivable all the hell its been through including low sunlight due to its position behind a wall and other vegetation causing more shade. This coconut should been long gone but its unbelievably still alive.

Gonna get pictures in next couple days as confirmation that it's still alive.

Of note sicily had one of its worst winters and springs ever with temps in low 50s and 60s and 30s40s at night in friggin May. Their papayas suffered many damages including most died even in the mildest palermo messina provinces with the rain and below average cool temps.

Theres only one place in the south that that didnt get affected as much and it wasnt in sicily.

 

Edited May 19 by veeman55

[dalmatiansoap 261]

That's a great news! We also have lots of rain and quite cool weather for this time of year. Keep us posted please

[pietropuccio 125]

Enzo,

the shadow is not a problem, I kept one for years in winter in a small shady north-facing greenhouse with masonry walls, until touched the roof: