Cocos nucifera (Coconut) in Malta

[Maltese coconut project 366]

You have warmer daytime temperatures than Malta but cooler night time temperatures.. Mine also became yellowish green in the colder months last winter 

[Maltese coconut project 366]

Update 

[Aleitalyyy 77]

darling your palms are something great ... how do they have that big stalk .... here is my coconut lidl today almost mid-September ... I will be able to leave it out I hope at least until the beginning of October ...

[Aleitalyyy 77]

Hi guys how are you ? here in Liguria still 23 ° of daily temperature ... the coconut is still out ... I have given a lot of salt in the last period to disinfect the earth from molds before putting it in the house ... a greeting

[Maltese coconut project 366]

Will post an update when I arrive home from work 

[Aleitalyyy 77]

Edited October 8, 2021 by Aleitalyyy

[Aleitalyyy 77]

I'm waiting for your update ... dear @GottmitAlex@Stelios how are you and how are your palms ... pre-winter report guys ...

[Maltese coconut project 366]

Before moving to South facing position (from first 10 days of October till 20th May 2022) 

[GottmitAlex 3,953]

16 hours ago, Aleitalyyy said:

I'm waiting for your update ... dear @GottmitAlex@Stelios how are you and how are your palms ... pre-winter report guys ...

They are doing very well:

I'll take a daytime picture tomorrow.

 

[Maltese coconut project 366]

What is the big trunk on the right? 

[Aleitalyyy 77]

45 minutes ago, Maltese coconut project said:

Qual è il grande tronco a destra? 

One mexican palm washingtonia

[Aleitalyyy 77]

those palms if they grow in the open ground in malta and in the future produce nuts, they can be used to give away new plants that will perhaps be genetically more tolerant to the southern Mediterranean climate ..... something fabulous ...

[Aleitalyyy 77]

@GottmitAlex no hard feelings for that mexican palm ... but delete it as soon as you can ...

[Stelios 509]

On 10/8/2021 at 4:06 PM, Aleitalyyy said:

I'm waiting for your update ... dear @GottmitAlex@Stelios how are you and how are your palms ... pre-winter report guys ...

My palm is still doing OK. The days are still around 30C and nights around 19-20C. I should water it more next summer cause in the heat of July and August it was very slow growing. But until then, I hope it will make it through the winter.

[Maltese coconut project 366]

Very similar to our local climate, currently 29 high and 22 low 

[Stelios 509]

32 minutes ago, Maltese coconut project said:

Very similar to our local climate, currently 29 high and 22 low 

Yes. It's very similar. Great job with the cocos in Malta. Hope to see some planted in the ground.

[GottmitAlex 3,953]

6 hours ago, Maltese coconut project said:

What is the big trunk on the right? 

That is an edited Filibusta.

 

[Maltese coconut project 366]

I see, by edited you mean you pruned away the remains of the dead leaves from the base 

[Maltese coconut project 366]

Hopefully will try my luck next summer 

[Aleitalyyy 77]

9 ore fa, il progetto di cocco maltese ha dichiarato:

Spero di poter la fortuna la prossima estate 

Non vedo l'ora.. spero di vederli così

 

@ Stelios your coconut is fine

Edited October 10, 2021 by Aleitalyyy

[GottmitAlex 3,953]

23 hours ago, Maltese coconut project said:

I see, by edited you mean you pruned away the remains of the dead leaves from the base 

Edited= Chopped off its head. The palm is now a tiki.

[Aleitalyyy 77]

the big kid is now at home ... the minimums at night are about 12 ° and the maximum about 21 ° celsius I preferred not to interrupt his growth and put him inside ... let's see how much it grows in winter this year I think to put a light from a few watts to led hydroponic growth for gray days ... to be continues...

[Maltese coconut project 366]

Mine you are outside South facing. Currently these few weeks have been raining and cooler than usual for October.. I will update when weather gets more stable 

[Maltese coconut project 366]

Coconut palms and other plants enjoying their South facing position with temperature variations between 24-35 d(75-95 degrees Fahrenheit) egrees celcius depending on sunny vs cloudy moments. 

[Aleitalyyy 77]

Oh my god did you get some orange qualities?

[Maltese coconut project 366]

I am not sure whether it's because they are orange quality or simply because they haven't seen enough light yet but food coconut are mixed varieties usually.. I have from both colours as young trees and seedlings 

[Maltese coconut project 366]

I don't know whether this specific gravity meter is correct or far from accurate but if it is near than I must say I am astounded by the amount of salinity present in our Maltese tap water. No wonder the coconuts are happy. Supposed pure freshwater is just 0 ppt or 1.00 specific gravity 

[Aleitalyyy 77]

it is quite present from what you see ... I have noticed that since I added some salt from this summer the palm is healthier and more beautiful ... the sprout is always green and I think it is due to the fact that it prevents root rot ... now I almost always add salt .. .and I also put it in the central gem ...

[Maltese coconut project 366]

It's looking really nice.  This salt thing confuses me though. Sources say that when watering it shouldn't exceed 0.6% salinity.. That's just 1/6 of seawater https://www.ehow.com/facts_7623427_can-coconut-trees-sea-water.html

[Maltese coconut project 366]

I think I will end up buying an electronic specific gravity meter 

[Aleitalyyy 77]

surely it is as the article says but referring to plants on the beaches of the tropics ... I think that for us Europeans with palm trees to the limit, the discourse of salt can play in favor due to the fact of lower temperatures to which we subject them .. .Our palms in winters like yours are more prone to root rot and bud rot due to temperatures or cloudy skies ... you can also use anti-mold poison of course ... but I see that mine has a little salt just done that well ... probably your water is just fine seeing how they grow ..

[Aleitalyyy 77]

probably me in your case, I would just put a little salt in the bud and collar in the period December / March of mo that the long rainy days and the lower temperatures do not give problems of mold spores in the buds ... I remember that even stelios in his palm in ciprio had a rot of the bud due to days of continuous rain ... and he had saved it by miracle by eliminating the rot ... but again, you can also use a chemical poison for this specific prevention ..

[Maltese coconut project 366]

But the article in this case is about osmosis and coconut palm being a halophyte.. How much salinity can a coconut palm resist? We're talking about a tree where although it's natural habitat is tropical sandy beaches, rain is frequent especially during monsoon and therefore washes the roots 

[Aleitalyyy 77]

yes .. this is a difficult question ... either you rely on the dedicated articles online or you experiment with a palm ...

[Maltese coconut project 366]

I am truly curious about it. Maybe I shall experiment in summer 2022 and hide a few on local beaches 

[Maltese coconut project 366]

So I decided to get a more accurate device (refractometer) instead of the other one and the result is that actually the tap water is only 1 part per thousand (0.1%) salinity, much less than with the other device which I had the impression of being ( around 8 part per thousand or 0.8%) 

[Aleitalyyy 77]

I imagined that the salinity of the tap water was lower ... also because it would be illegal for people's health ... try to measure the sea water ... if it gives you the percentage as the article says or the exceeds ...

[Maltese coconut project 366]

Suppose the Mediterranean Sea is somewhere between 36 - 37 parts per thousand or 3.6-3.7 %. Yes slightly saltier than tropical sea 

[Aleitalyyy 77]

here is the experiment still in shape at the end of October ... is continuing to push a new leaf ...

[Maltese coconut project 366]

I still disagree with leaving it outside in Liguria's winter though 

Edited October 28, 2021 by Maltese coconut project