North Texas Pygmy date yellow/browning

[Kanianic]

New here but I bought a 15 gallon Pygmy date palm that I potted with stagreen potting mix. I water deep every other day to maintain at min moist to two inches down. I’ve also sprayed daconil anti fungus on the fronds. I’ve also fertilized with miracle-gro for palm. The lower fronds are all brown and almost dead and the yellowing and browning fronds are getting worse. Can anyone tell me what I’m doing wrong?

[PalmatierMeg]

I think you are watering too much. "Deep" watering every other day is overdoing things. People new to plants believe water cures all ills. Actually more palms die from overwatering by far than from lack of water. Your soil looks like it lacks drainage so your two palms have root rot. Back off on the water and let the soil dry out. If your potting mix came straight out of a bag or from the dollar store, try mixing in perlite, pumice or pine bark or invest in a quality, coarse garden soil.

Welcome to PalmTalk.

[Kanianic]

Thanks for replying. I’m a bit curious about the potting mix I bought from Lowe’s, it’s a stagreen potting mix. That being said I’m not sure how much actual soil is even in it. It seems like it’s more mulched wood and or bark. I’ll back off on water for a bit and see if it helps! Thanks again

[Allen]

Recently bought and put outside immediately?  Then it is most likely not used to the sun and needs to be sun acclimated.  Put in a part shade spot and gradually move to sun over 2 weeks.  Outside in heat in a pot I find it hard to believe you could over water a pygmy.  No more fertilizer.

Edited June 2, 2020 by Allen

[Rickybobby]

Potted roebellini love water but in saying that I mean that they seem to dry out there soil faster than. Most but I still only water them max twice a week also I found when they suck up a lot of water when it’s hot they need some good fertilizer I didn’t see it with my lighting but my one pot grew so much that it faded to light green no biggy some good slow release and a few months and it will be good as new. Awesome potted palm to keep!

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

Looks like sunburn to me. Pygmies need to be acclimatized in north texas as our sun is very intense.  

[oasis371]

My Pygmy Dates bleach in the North Jersey sun, yes, they need to be acclimated to outdoor, direct sun.  Should, though, grow out of it soon enough. Mine are outside, and I water them every other day in full sun and high heat of Summer. But depends on your conditions, best to let go slightly dry even in Summer.  People tend to misunderstand Date Palms..., even those that grow in deserts need lots of water, they tap into underground aquifers, and this Pygmy species is a date from  a tropical/wet, monsoonal climate.

[Kanianic]

Here’s the latest. I’ve given it time to dry out and make sure after getting dry The following day I’ll water it. I check with a moisture meter now to be sure. I’ve also put it in a spot where it only gets sun between 8am-2pm everyday...also used a fungus spray. Also about 3 weeks ago I fertilized it with miracle gro for palms. You can see the brown spots and browning stems of fronds. Even the new fronds are turning yellow at the tips. Is this normal or what am I missing?

[Funkthulhu]

Not sure what you've changed lately, but that just looks like my Pygmy in the weeks after it goes outside in the spring. 

It goes from a climate controlled window and weekly watering to direct baking sun and rain water only (unless it's really getting fried, then it'll get a quick drink).  Mine always looks like crap until my birthday (mid-July) and then it decides that sun is good and goes bonkers for the rest of summer.  

[HtownPalms]

My PDP's get spots on the older fronds like that before yellowing and dying. It never spreads to the whole plant and just forms on the older fronds. Im not convinced that it is directly linked to over watering because it rains like crazy here in Houston during the summer and PDP' s are everywhere and look great. Although I will admit I only see the spotting like you have on PDP's in pots and not the ones in the ground. 

[Padraic]

@Kanianic how is your PDP now after two months. Mine was declined fast in the same period of your post. They were outdoor in hot weather 100F +. My problem was root bound from the original pot for a year. So water is lacking even daily watering. That invite mite attack. I spray three to 1 and seem to stop the mite web showing up. I re-pot with new soil and new spears are out. PDP usually recovery nicely from my last experience. I hope for these three coming back soon with the weather going into Fall.