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Visit to Gary Levine's palmscape


palmcurry

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Amazing, awesome, incredible! The Ravenea xerophila just blows me away.

Ron

Wellington, Florida

Zone 11 in my mind

Zone 10a 9a in reality

13miles West of the Atlantic in Palm Beach County

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Hi Dave, thanks for bringing up this point.

In my 15 years gardening in Southern California, there has been only one thing that has caused more problems than gophers, Mulch. In all the areas of my garden that are in the shady damp areas or mulched areas, fungus is always infecting a plant or killing one. I lost some of my best palms in mulched areas, but never lost a palm to an infection that was in the open DG areas. I believe it is due to Phytophthora which has wiped out many blocks of avocado trees on my property before I was into palms. You have to remember that in southern california we are subjected to 4 or 5 months of cold wet soils during our long drawn out winter. Palms are subjected to torture during this time and it really helps to be planted in areas without mulch so the surface can dry out and the fungus does not go wild. So the answer to your question Dave is yes, mulch is the best thing for palms and looks great, but where I live it is a disaster. Thanks for having me clarify this, would not want people to give up on the mulching in other climates and locations.

Gary

Nice specimen palms. Thanks for the photos.

I was thinking the same thing. Where's the mulch? " Mulch provides a medium for bacteria and fungus to proliferate" Since when is that a bad thing for plants?

You obviously know what you are doing in growing palms, but mulch would be a little more ornamental and would help the palm stick out better. Plus, less watering requirements and would prevent drying out. Which is what I would think

would be ideal living in a desert climate.

But, I don't garden on a hill with erosion, so excuse my comments if mulch is a maintenance nightmare.

Rock Ridge Ranch

South Escondido

5 miles ENE Rancho Bernardo

33.06N 117W, Elevation 971 Feet

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I guess that would make since if you have poor drainage. I'm unfamiliar with it as I'm on white sand. No flooding where I live!

Avocado really really need good drainage and can't tolerate standing water as it sounds like you know that!

Again, nice palms and photos!

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Mike, I do not mulch except for areas subject to erosion. Mulch provides a medium for bacteria and fungus to proliferate, I prefer the surface to dry out between waterings.

Gary

First of all, you have amazing palms and cycads. Thanks for allowing them to be shared. I was wondering what high and low temps you experience and do you get the dry Santa Ana winds in your area?

Leo

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Yes I get horrible Santa Ana winds. My average high in summer is 87F and 70F in the winter. My average low in the summer is 63F and in the winter it's 42F.

Rock Ridge Ranch

South Escondido

5 miles ENE Rancho Bernardo

33.06N 117W, Elevation 971 Feet

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Hi Dave, thanks for bringing up this point.

In my 15 years gardening in Southern California, there has been only one thing that has caused more problems than gophers, Mulch. In all the areas of my garden that are in the shady damp areas or mulched areas, fungus is always infecting a plant or killing one. I lost some of my best palms in mulched areas, but never lost a palm to an infection that was in the open DG areas. I believe it is due to Phytophthora which has wiped out many blocks of avocado trees on my property before I was into palms. You have to remember that in southern california we are subjected to 4 or 5 months of cold wet soils during our long drawn out winter. Palms are subjected to torture during this time and it really helps to be planted in areas without mulch so the surface can dry out and the fungus does not go wild. So the answer to your question Dave is yes, mulch is the best thing for palms and looks great, but where I live it is a disaster. Thanks for having me clarify this, would not want people to give up on the mulching in other climates and locations.

Gary

Thank you for the tip Gary! I was going to rent a chipper and shred some of the stuff I've raked up but maybe I'll just spread that under the oaks. Oak trees don't have trouble with phytophthora do they?

Incidentally I've already lost a couple of palm seedlings to phytophthora, and I've got an Encephalartos princeps that's not looking too great. How should I treat the E. princeps?

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Thanks Vince for posting these pictures and thanks to Gary for sharing his garden. I am envious! Gary has a wonderland of a garden. I would love to have two or three of those huge boulders on my property. And if I could grow half of those species I would be in heaven. As far as mulch goes, I'm thinking the rocks themselves are pretty good mulch. If you go back and look, a lot of the palms are planted right up against rocks that probably hold a fair amount of moisture under them while allowing the surface soil to dry. I'm surprised you did not mention this Gary as it looks like you planted a lot of palms with this in mind.

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I firmly believe the years of having avocado groves where Gary is at helped his soil for today... years of organic matter falling on that DG has made great stuff... Everytime I go by there I think its like walking on a giant soil "pillow" more or less..

Grow On Gary! :lol:

Zone 10a at best after 2007 AND 2013, on SW facing hill, 1 1/2 miles from coast in Oceanside, CA. 30-98 degrees, and 45-80deg. about 95% of the time.

"The great workman of nature is time."   ,  "Genius is nothing but a great aptitude for patience."

-George-Louis Leclerc de Buffon-

I do some experiments and learning in my garden with palms so you don't have to experience the pain! Look at my old threads to find various observations and tips!

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I think MattyB had a point in another thread saying that he moves the mulch from around the palms in the winter. I have had great success with mulch but our winters hurt bad when the mulch holds too much moisture for too long.

Great garden Gary! Did you buy your property with growing palms in mind? Your winter lows are great for being so far east.

Grateful to have what I have, Les amis de mes amis sont mes amis!

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Here is a pic of the Brahea moorei I forgot to post.

levine3-10-12-42-1.jpg

Thanks for the comments. Originally I came to Gary's place to gawk at his Raveneas and see what they are like in person. They didn't disappoint of course! And then it was just a matter of stumbling around gawking at everything else.

What strikes me is palms like Dypsis leptocheilos and D. lanceolata growing this far inland AND looking good. It's got to be the drainage and the heat. And whatever secretes that DG soil has in it.

I did see natural leaf litter walking around the place. That may not be mulch but it's something. Natural compost I guess.

Vince Bury

Zone 10a San Juan Capistrano, CA - 1.25 miles from coast.

http://www.burrycurry.com/index.html

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Those photos were a treat. It makes me want to drive up from Florida and build an inconspicuous lean-to behind one of those boulders. I could water and pull weeds for free. Tim

Edited by TimHopper

Tim Hopper

St Augustine Florida

timhoppers@gmail.com

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  • 3 months later...

Great photos. Wish I could have visited when I was in CA. The palms are fantastic and so are the boulders, coming from someone who doesn't even have a pebble on my land. Were the boulders strategically placed or you just placed the palms wherever the boulders were, Gary?

C from NC

:)

Bone dry summers, wet winters, 2-3 days ea. winter in low teens.

Siler City, NC

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Amazing Garden gary. I find it incredible how you manage to keep your place weed free. I don't think I saw one weed in any of those pics! What's your secret?

"it's not dead it's sleeping"

Santee ca, zone10a/9b

18 miles from the ocean

avg. winter 68/40.avg summer 88/64.records 113/25

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Round up pro max, works miracles. The big secret is to keep up on the weeds and spray before they go to seeding the whole property.

Rock Ridge Ranch

South Escondido

5 miles ENE Rancho Bernardo

33.06N 117W, Elevation 971 Feet

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Round up pro max, works miracles. The big secret is to keep up on the weeds and spray before they go to seeding the whole property.

DON'T DO AS DAVE DOES

spray, then forget . . .

Let's keep our forum fun and friendly.

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  • 3 years later...

bump... I'm attempting very similar palms but from a small size...15g, 5g and 1g's...Gary, your place is the closest thing I can find to my growing conditions and topography.   I am 11 miles straight line from the ocean, on a hill with full sun exposure, no canopy except for shadows off the house and whatever temporary shade structures I put in.   How long were those palms in the ground and at what size were they planted?  I'm wondering how long it would take me to get palms to the height shown in the pictures. 

LA | NY | OC

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On 12/16/2015, 11:48:16, OverGrown said:

bump... I'm attempting very similar palms but from a small size...15g, 5g and 1g's...Gary, your place is the closest thing I can find to my growing conditions and topography.   I am 11 miles straight line from the ocean, on a hill with full sun exposure, no canopy except for shadows off the house and whatever temporary shade structures I put in.   How long were those palms in the ground and at what size were they planted?  I'm wondering how long it would take me to get palms to the height shown in the pictures. 

Peter, Gary's place is 1000 Ft above seal level in the avocado belt, south facing on a slopping decline with  amazing air drainage. His climate is very special. Notice in the pictures posted his property is all on a semi-steep slope allowing cold air to move on down the hill. Where in LA are you located??

Carlsbad, California Zone 10 B on the hill (402 ft. elevation)

Sunset zone 24

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21 hours ago, Josh-O said:

Peter, Gary's place is 1000 Ft above seal level in the avocado belt, south facing on a slopping decline with  amazing air drainage. His climate is very special. Notice in the pictures posted his property is all on a semi-steep slope allowing cold air to move on down the hill. Where in LA are you located??

Josh, thanks, that changes things...The property I'm inquiring for is at ~164 ft elevation in Coyote Hills / Rolling Hills area of Fullerton, Orange County.  It's on the north side of the hill but the lot gets full sun exposure.  I'm planting out similar species to Gary's and the concern is frying the fronds in Summer... Space is at a premium and I don't want to have to use common canopy palms or trees.

LA | NY | OC

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13 minutes ago, OverGrown said:

Josh, thanks, that changes things...The property I'm inquiring for is at ~164 ft elevation in Coyote Hills / Rolling Hills area of Fullerton, Orange County.  It's on the north side of the hill but the lot gets full sun exposure.  I'm planting out similar species to Gary's and the concern is frying the fronds in Summer... Space is at a premium and I don't want to have to use common canopy palms or trees.

I'm currently planting canopy trees at the Vista garden. I would do some research before just planting any old tree for canopy. 

here a few I have recently put in the ground. 

 

Acacia dealbata- evergreen

schizolobium parahyba. deciduous/semi decidious

acacia baileyana var. purpurea- evergreen

michelia champaca Var. alba- evergreen

brachychiton populneus- evergreen 

eucalyptus deglupta (rainbow euc) - evergreen

acacia tortilis- evergreen

acacia xanthophloea- evergreen

enterolobium- semi decidious

inga feuilleei (ice cream bean tree)- evergreen

 

I hope this info helps?

 

Carlsbad, California Zone 10 B on the hill (402 ft. elevation)

Sunset zone 24

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14 minutes ago, Pando said:

That's a lot of lobium, Josh.

nothing like getting an earpod full :lol:

Carlsbad, California Zone 10 B on the hill (402 ft. elevation)

Sunset zone 24

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1 minute ago, Pando said:

That would be a re-leaf  :lol:

Tell me about it. It all "stems" from getting to a place of comfort :lol:

Carlsbad, California Zone 10 B on the hill (402 ft. elevation)

Sunset zone 24

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3 minutes ago, Pando said:

That idea is definitely taking root...

once your idea takes root it juts may branch out :lol:

Carlsbad, California Zone 10 B on the hill (402 ft. elevation)

Sunset zone 24

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PalmTalks Abbott and Costello? 

Len

Vista, CA (Zone 10a)

Shadowridge Area

"Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are."

-- Alfred Austin

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Just now, Pando said:

Then it willow become a pine in the a**

if that happens just "shoot" me dead

Carlsbad, California Zone 10 B on the hill (402 ft. elevation)

Sunset zone 24

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44 minutes ago, Pando said:

and you'll hit the ground with a tree-mendous force

as long as I don't "splinter" my head open in the process I all "limned" in.:lol:

Carlsbad, California Zone 10 B on the hill (402 ft. elevation)

Sunset zone 24

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11 hours ago, Pando said:

and you'll hit the ground with a tree-mendous force

:lol:

Carlsbad, California Zone 10 B on the hill (402 ft. elevation)

Sunset zone 24

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