Trachycarpus fortunei wobbling?

[RyManUtah]

Is this the death wobble? I’m not really sure what to look for or what to do about it, other than staking. 

 It’s the palm on the right in the photo of two.
Video of me shaking the palm

. It’s twin does not shake. 
 

Ideas and input appreciated. It’s not cold damage. 
 

 

[Steve in Florida]

What  was the width of the rootball when it was planted?

[RyManUtah]

26 minutes ago, Steve in Florida said:

What  was the width of the rootball when it was planted?

That I’m not sure. They were already here. Likely 35g or smaller pot. 

[Steve in Florida]

Have you checked for tunneling rodents or ants?  Could the soil be extremely dry or excessively wet to the point that lateral roots are dying?

[RyManUtah]

1 hour ago, Steve in Florida said:

Have you checked for tunneling rodents or ants?  Could the soil be extremely dry or excessively wet to the point that lateral roots are dying?

Thanks. I didn’t see anything obvious. I’ll move the rocks and poke around it though. From your suggestions, I am leaning more towards its too dry. 

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

Didn't St. George just go through the longest stretch of drought in recorded history? 150 days of zero rainfall?  Trachycarpus need a lot of water.

[RyManUtah]

2 hours ago, TexasColdHardyPalms said:

Didn't St. George just go through the longest stretch of drought in recorded history? 150 days of zero rainfall?  Trachycarpus need a lot of water.

Yessir. 155 was the official number. How much is a lot of water? I don’t think they had any Irrigation for a couple weeks. I can water between freezing. Interesting to me it is just one doing that though. I dig down and it isn’t anything burrowing, and not planted too high. Must just be too dry. 

[RyManUtah]

Do you any advice on a safe way to “bring it back”? I don’t want to hurt it by feeding it anything before it freezes. 

[Chester B]

Maybe you should pull the rocks back and give it a nice top dressing of rich soil and water it in well before putting the rocks back.  The leaves don't look like they're browning on the tips or anything which is a good sign.  I would keep it watered throughout the winter (on warm days) if you don't get much precipitation and once things start to warm up get some Palm gain on it. 

One other thing I would consider is staking it if you're susceptible to high winds.  The less it moves around the better, allow it time for its roots to take hold better.

That's about all I can think of, maybe others have better advice.

[RyManUtah]

16 minutes ago, Chester B said:

Maybe you should pull the rocks back and give it a nice top dressing of rich soil and water it in well before putting the rocks back.  The leaves don't look like they're browning on the tips or anything which is a good sign.  I would keep it watered throughout the winter (on warm days) if you don't get much precipitation and once things start to warm up get some Palm gain on it. 

One other thing I would consider is staking it if you're susceptible to high winds.  The less it moves around the better, allow it time for its roots to take hold better.

That's about all I can think of, maybe others have better advice.

Thank you. I’ll get some soil on it this afternoon. It’s supposed to rain again Wednesday night, and then possible turn to snow thursday. Do you think one water today would be sufficient for the new soil dressing until then? I just worry about to being soaked at night when it’s cold. I ask because irrigating is shut off until February so piped don’t freeze. Next freeze is Monday night/Tuesday morning. 

stakes are a good idea. Most of the wind comes from the south and is blocked by the house. But usually the “weather” comes from the northern mountains this time of year.  

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

Wet and freezing isn't a problem for a windmill.  Your other plant will soon exhibit issues too.  Water them both and keep them watered, ESPECIALLY all during the summer.  With your soil type you most likely cannot overwater a windmill in your area.

 

[Steve in Florida]

5 hours ago, Ryagra said:

Yessir. 155 was the official number. How much is a lot of water? I don’t think they had any Irrigation for a couple weeks. I can water between freezing. Interesting to me it is just one doing that though. I dig down and it isn’t anything burrowing, and not planted too high. Must just be too dry. 

Have you watered it any since discovering the base was loose?  One problem that may occur with wetting an excessively dry rootball immediately before a hard freeze is the palm roots overcompensate by absorbing too much water and it spear pulls when it warms up. 

[Allen]

I'd make sure dirt is mounded a bit and stake it for a year.  I agree you probably can't overwater it.  Mine is in a high water table area of the yard and it loves it as long as the palm is planted 'high'.  Search Amazon "Tree Tie - 3/4 Inch - 1,000 lb. - Guying and Staking" I love that stuff

Edited November 24, 2019 by Allen

[RyManUtah]

Landscape surgery: I added some rich dirt to the “soil”.  There were a couple of roots trying to grow into the rocks, so I added dirt as far out as they were and built it up a bit. I added some dirt to both and gave both of them a hefty watering. . I’ll stake it before the wind comes. 
 

[RyManUtah]

1 hour ago, Steve in Florida said:

Have you watered it any since discovering the base was loose?  One problem that may occur with wetting an excessively dry rootball immediately before a hard freeze is the palm roots overcompensate by absorbing too much water and it spear pulls when it warms up. 

I did water it the day after I discovered it. It hasn’t been below freezing since I’ve seen it. The next freeze comes tomorrow night. Hopefully it won’t hurt it..?

[RyManUtah]

3 hours ago, TexasColdHardyPalms said:

Wet and freezing isn't a problem for a windmill.  Your other plant will soon exhibit issues too.  Water them both and keep them watered, ESPECIALLY all during the summer.  With your soil type you most likely cannot overwater a windmill in your area.

 

I think you are correct. It just rained two two days and the soil was barely even damp beneath the rocks. 

[RyManUtah]

Being the unstable of the twins, I’ll have to watch it cuz they’re calling for snow this week. I don’t want any extra weight on it. 

[RyManUtah]

I shaved a little ring around the base to make sure there weren’t any bugs, cuz I saw one come out of the tree the doesn’t wobble, and to make sure I added soil to the right height. Here it is put back together. 

[GottmitAlex]

26 minutes ago, Ryagra said:

Being the unstable of the twins, I’ll have to watch it cuz they’re calling for snow this week. I don’t want any extra weight on it. 

I agree with staking it. 

[RyManUtah]

Just now, GottmitAlex said:

I agree with staking it. 

I’ll get it staked up in the next day or two. Success with the ring and 2x4 method? I already have those supplies so it’d be the easiest. If not I’ll do the hose and tie method? 

[GottmitAlex]

13 minutes ago, Ryagra said:

I’ll get it staked up in the next day or two. Success with the ring and 2x4 method? I already have those supplies so it’d be the easiest. If not I’ll do the hose and tie method? 

Ring and the 2x4 is fine for that height.

It's a coincidence but, two weeks ago a couple of poor bastards tried to steal, yes steal, one of my young hyophorbe lagenicaulis palms which are street side. 

They used a (evidently) blunt knife to cut around the base of the palm. Those two gents were so (I guess) "high" that they made a huge ruckus. The moment I opened the door they ran like crazy. 

Oh yeah, long story short, I'm employing the hose/tie (and ziptie, lol) method on the palm.

The poor palm can't support it's own weight.....

 

 

Edited November 25, 2019 by GottmitAlex

[RyManUtah]

2 minutes ago, GottmitAlex said:

Ring and the 2x4 is fine for that height.

It's a coincidence but, two weeks ago a couple of poor bastards tried to steal, yes steal, one of my young hyophorbe lagenicaulis palms which are street side. 

They used a (evidently) blunt knife to cut around the base of the palm. The gents were so (I guess) high that they made a ruckus. By the time I opened the door they ran like crazy. 

Oh yeah, long story short, I'm employing the hose/tie (and ziptie, lol) method on the palm.

The poor palm can't support it's own weight.....

 

 

I would be livid! Electrify that little fence at night  that poor palm! 
 

great, thanks. They’re barely 6’ total height. I stand 5’8” and am taller than the trunks. 

 

[GottmitAlex]

47 minutes ago, Ryagra said:

I would be livid! Electrify that little fence at night  that poor palm! 
 

great, thanks. They’re barely 6’ total height. I stand 5’8” and am taller than the trunks. 

 

Livid is an understatement to my thoughts that following week. I will not discharge what were my thoughts that ghastly week in the forum. Let's just say Rambo couldn't hold a candle to what I daydreamed that week....

 

[RyManUtah]

3 hours ago, GottmitAlex said:

Livid is an understatement to my thoughts that following week. I will not discharge what were my thoughts that ghastly week in the forum. Let's just say Rambo couldn't hold a candle to what I daydreamed that week....

 

I can imagine! We have a little more stand your groundy wiggle room in this state than most, and I would have crossed my fingers I caught them in my property. 

[GottmitAlex]

3 minutes ago, Ryagra said:

I can imagine! We have a little more stand your groundy wiggle room in this state than most, and I would have crossed my fingers I caught them in my property. 

Hear, hear!

[RyManUtah]

Raiding the shed I found some tubing and chicken fence posts. I can make that work and be a little less of an eye sore than a wood frame hopefully. 

Edited November 25, 2019 by Ryagra
I suck at typing

[RyManUtah]

Update: 

(that’s para cord not flimsy string)

[RyManUtah]

Thank you everyone for your tips. Special thanks to those who suggested staking. I’m very glad I listened; it is getting very windy / cold and holding solid. 
 

 

[mdsonofthesouth]

On 11/24/2019 at 7:02 PM, Ryagra said:

I did water it the day after I discovered it. It hasn’t been below freezing since I’ve seen it. The next freeze comes tomorrow night. Hopefully it won’t hurt it..?

 

We get mostly rain here in the winter and then sometimes it freezes and my windmills never seemed to care. Honestly it's the prolonged sub 15f temps that hurt or kill them. Typically those temps don't last but the night but if there are back to back nights like that it can spell disaster.

Edited November 26, 2019 by mdsonofthesouth

[RyManUtah]

Seems to be working. Held fine when the storm came. Today the wind is stronger and from the wrong direction, so it’s really cold.

[RyManUtah]

Update: seems to be happy as can be now. Thank you everyone for the advice! Gender reveal party to follow when it’s ready.



(feel free to tell me if you know. I cannot identify gender until flowers are open. )

[Chester B]

Male plants usually flower first.  I say male.  Thats pretty early, I won't expect to see flowers for another month.

[RyManUtah]

8 minutes ago, Chester B said:

Male plants usually flower first.  I say male.  Thats pretty early, I won't expect to see flowers for another month.

Thanks! It’s my first one watching in person. I saw the yellow and went to go investigate, thinking it was trash from the wind storm. It turned out to be much better! 
it’s twin is not currently flowering. Could get lucky with offspring. 

[Chester B]

22 minutes ago, RyManUtah said:

Thanks! It’s my first one watching in person. I saw the yellow and went to go investigate, thinking it was trash from the wind storm. It turned out to be much better! 
it’s twin is not currently flowering. Could get lucky with offspring. 

Yeah it would be nice to have an endless supply.  So far I only have mature male palms, but have a few more that I think will flower this year for the first time.

[RyManUtah]

37 minutes ago, Chester B said:

Yeah it would be nice to have an endless supply.  So far I only have mature male palms, but have a few more that I think will flower this year for the first time.

Yes it would. Best of luck with them! Let us know if they do.