Need help with a disease, nutrient deficiency?

[CityofPalms]

Hi everyone.

It's been raining like mad over the last few months, and 3 of my small Queens have developed something that is beginning to frighten me. I don't know if it's a nutrient deficiency or a disease, fungus, etc. But thought you guys might be able to help with ID. Trees have been in ground 2 years, have been fed RiteGreen w/micronutrients on schedule. But their start in life was bad, husband brought them to us a couple of years ago because he got a 'great bargain,' but I could clearly see lack of care and neglect. Since then we have tried to reverse that.

Here is photo. Thanks to any and all who might be able to help.

edit: Regardless, the entire group was treated with Banrot this very morning. But if anyone can tell me if I'm fighting a fungus, a bacteria, or just a nutrient deficiency, I'd be relieved.

Edited September 12, 2013 by CityofPalms

[sonoranfans]

Welcome to the board Jacki !
Is this happening to the newest leaves only? If so, would suspect manganese deficiency. Mn deficiency causes frizzle top in queen palms. I also don't know what green rite is, is that a palm food. If not get a fertilizer specificially formulated for palms, other fertilizers frequently do not have the micronutrients necessary for healthy palms. I had frizzle top on one queen in Arizona. Manganese deficiency is treated with MnS04(manganese sulfate, not to be confused with Epsom salts, MgS04, magnesium sulfate).

Edited September 12, 2013 by sonoranfans

[CityofPalms]

Yes it is Tom. (new leaves) Thank you so much! We have been treating them with the GreenRite for palms. It also said it has manganese. I will get some manganese sulfate tomorrow,

to boost it up. And Thanks for the welcome too. Lots of great info here

Jacki

[Dypsisdean]

Did you spray anything at all on those palms - insecticide, fertilizer - or any chance it got some overspray from weed killer? It looks like something got on the new young tender leaves that it didn't like. Maybe even just some water on a really hot sunny day. That can soemtimes burn some ultra tender leaves. Or did you remove some shade from above and expose the new leaves to more sun than they were accustomed to?

[_Keith]

Did you spray anything at all on those palms - insecticide, fertilizer - or any chance it got some overspray from weed killer? It looks like something got on the new young tender leaves that it didn't like. Maybe even just some water on a really hot sunny day. That can soemtimes burn some ultra tender leaves. Or did you remove some shade from above and expose the new leaves to more sun than they were accustomed to?

Ooh, that is ugly. I am with Dean's train of thought here. I would even ask did you let them dry out, not water them enough.

[Jeff Searle]

I'm going with Tom on this, looks like frizzle top. BUT........round up spray for weeds is certainly a possibility if it was done recently.

[sonoranfans]

Yes it is Tom. (new leaves) Thank you so much! We have been treating them with the GreenRite for palms. It also said it has manganese. I will get some manganese sulfate tomorrow,

to boost it up. And Thanks for the welcome too. Lots of great info here

Jacki

Jacki,

If it is frizzle top, Mn deficiency, it can be caused by alkaline soil pH even if you are adding Mn in your fertilizer. Mn is increasingly not bioavailable from pH=7.5 and up. That is, the bioavavailbility starts dropping at about 7.5 and by 8 its pretty much not available to the plant. Queens are heavy Mn feeders, your soil may be fine for some other palms. Mn S04 will cause local drop in pH, but if your soil is alkaline(above7.5) you may need to make an adjustment with sulfur pellets. I did this in on my queens in phoenix and it worked very well. The short term treatment is adding MnS04, but for the longer term you may need to start adding sulfur pellets around those palms. the sulfur will take 3 months of warm weather to break down(by microbes) to sulfates, so now would be a good time to add the sulfur. And you do not have to worry about sudden pH changes with sulfur, it will act slowly to shift the pH of the soil. If you have not used roundup or another herbicide around the palms, I would recommend sulfur and MnS04 now and in the spring when warming happens. After you see new green spears opening discontinue the MnS04 but continue adding sulfur pellets 3x a year for about 3-4 years.

[LilikoiLee]

Very helpful posts. It may solve some of the problems we're having. Lee

[CityofPalms]

Thank You everyone! Wow, a wealth of information.

No, No sprays used Dean. I hate Roundup, (I also butterfly garden). But I will say this summer has been extremely wet,

and there is a big possibility that the leaves were burned during an afternoon sunshower. It is happening to

3 of about 20 palms though, so also like Tom's advice. Our 'soil' is naturally a higher PH than those up north.

I will be getting a test kit tomorrow morning and follow the sulfur pellet and manganese advice if it turns out this way.

Thank you again, everyone. My husband really is dedicated to rescuing these once neglected palms. So am I,

they are beautiful when mature, I love to hear them when the wind blows through their fronds.

[_Keith]

You live in an area rich in horticultural history and rich in fellow palm gardeners.

[Walt]

Thank You everyone! Wow, a wealth of information.

No, No sprays used Dean. I hate Roundup, (I also butterfly garden). But I will say this summer has been extremely wet,

and there is a big possibility that the leaves were burned during an afternoon sunshower. It is happening to

3 of about 20 palms though, so also like Tom's advice. Our 'soil' is naturally a higher PH than those up north.

I will be getting a test kit tomorrow morning and follow the sulfur pellet and manganese advice if it turns out this way.

Thank you again, everyone. My husband really is dedicated to rescuing these once neglected palms. So am I,

they are beautiful when mature, I love to hear them when the wind blows through their fronds.

Absolutely establish what your soil's pH is. Living closer to the Gulf coast I would suspect your soil is more to the alkaline side.

In deep inland where I live our soil is very acidic (no limestone and shell). I would recommend you take a composite soil sample to your county extension office and have them check the pH for you. I would dig down about 4-6 inches in several places in your yard and mix the soil together. Or, get several separate samples (sandwich baggy size) and have all three checked for pH.

The extension office, based on the pH readings (and what you are trying to grow) will tell you if you need (lime or sulphur, and how much) to adjust your soil.

Below is a link to the Lee County Extension office with contact information, address, etc.

http://lee.ifas.ufl.edu/

Good luck.

[CityofPalms]

Thank you for the link and advice Walt. Will do, great idea.