Cocos nucifera on Madeira Island

[Maltese coconut project]

Cocos nucifera have the advantage of being halophyte and tolerating salt spray and therefore it's easier for them to handle the foliar spray without getting leaf burn.. I use organic foliar spray 

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

18 hours ago, Maltese coconut project said:

Cocos nucifera have the advantage of being halophyte and tolerating salt spray and therefore it's easier for them to handle the foliar spray without getting leaf burn.. I use organic foliar spray 

That's good.  I only use all organic slow release granular fertilizer for the root zone, and only all organic foliar spray fertilizer for the leaves.

John

P.S.  Yes, Coconut Palms are probably not only the most salt tolerant palms, but the most salt tolerant of all trees along with Sea Grapes, with the exception of Mangrove Trees themselves, which are the only trees that actually grow in seawater.

[Maltese coconut project]

I am experimenting using the foliar organic frequently, slow release pellets just two times per year (spring and Autumn/fall) and dilute liquid version in small quantities frequently (less than the recommended dose but more frequent, that way risk of overdose is minimised). Also I reduce Nitrogen in late Autumn/fall - something I started this year) and increase potassium,  Magnesium,  silicon, molybdenum,  manganese and zinc in Autumn/fall to increase cold resistance. Hopefully it will work out 

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

18 minutes ago, Maltese coconut project said:

I am experimenting using the foliar organic frequently, slow release pellets just two times per year (spring and Autumn/fall) and dilute liquid version in small quantities frequently (less than the recommended dose but more frequent, that way risk of overdose is minimised). Also I reduce Nitrogen in late Autumn/fall - something I started this year) and increase potassium,  Magnesium,  silicon, molybdenum,  manganese and zinc in Autumn/fall to increase cold resistance. Hopefully it will work out 

Definitely let us all know how it works out.  I use the granular slow release fertilizer 4 times per year (mid February, mid May, mid August, and mid November), and this really seems to help my Coconut Palms, Christmas Palms, and other cold sensitive tropicals out.  It appears to strengthen them up for winter with the November fertilization, and helps them recover from winter better/faster with the February fertilization.  And as stated earlier, I do my foliar spray fertilizations at various times throughout the year.

John

[Maltese coconut project]

I forgot to mention that also in spring and autumn/fall I used also a product named biosynergy which has beneficial bacteria for the soil biome and a small pack which feeds them (humic acids). The beneficial bacteria help raise soil temperature slightly as well. Definitely I will keep updating. Hopefully we can learn if the coconut chill damage comes from malnutrition due to decreased root absorption and whether it can be bypassed via correct combination of foliar and soil fertiliser techniques 

Edited December 10, 2022 by Maltese coconut project

[Maltese coconut project]

I use different products in different seasons. These are the current fertilisers I use on alkaline fertiliser day (near weekend). NPK 3-11-38 + 4 to reduce excess Nitrogen during which leaf growth slows down to prevent it from softening the leaves.  Potassium nitrate since Potassium wins for hardening leaves vs Nitrogen. Calcium oxide gel also helps strengthen the cell walls.  During warmer season I use Calcium nitrate granules. Micronutrients to ensure there aren't deficiencies. Magnesium sulfate because both magnesium and sulphur help winter hardening. Molybdenum also helps winter resistance. 

[Maltese coconut project]

These are mostly acid preferring fertilisers (more bioavailable in acidic environment) . MC cream is a marine algae product rich in Manganese and Zinc. Orsilik is a silicon product. Control DMP reduces PH (I test it with PH meter and bring it to 5.5). Then chelated iron. They help with winter hardiness as well. I use these during mid week) 

Edited December 10, 2022 by Maltese coconut project

[Maltese coconut project]

These are organic fertilisers, Plantafol is a low Nitrogen NPK and Brexil multi with micronutrients. Hopefully they will play a crucial role in bioavailability through leaves (due to the reduced macronutrients and micronutrients absorption through roots in winter) 

[Maltese coconut project]

These are the slow release fertiliser combination I use.. I use half doses of both because together they have complementary micronutrients.. I use them in April and October 

[Maltese coconut project]

This is calcium nitrate I use during warmer months (I exchange with calcium oxide in November to reduce on Nitrogen 

[Maltese coconut project]

This is NPK 22 12 12 I use during warmer season. I use it from May and stop it by end of Summer. Micronutrients I use all year round 

[Maltese coconut project]

These products I use in October and April to improve soil biome 

[Maltese coconut project]

Today warm and humid for a December with South Western wind, light rain, maximum temperature 23 degrees celcius /73 degrees Fahrenheit 

[gurugu]

On 12/8/2022 at 12:17 PM, Stelios said:

I found this website from a nursery in Holland. They seem to sell big palms including cocos. I can't see the price so I think you need to contact them.

https://www.nieuwkoop-europe.com/en/plants/palm-trees?limit=30

Does anyone know how much those tall potted coconuts cost?

[Foxpalms]

23 hours ago, gurugu said:

Does anyone know how much those tall potted coconuts cost?

There is a company that imports them into the UK and is selling them and is selling them for £2,600 for a 400cm one.

[GottmitAlex]

1 hour ago, Foxpalms said:

There is a company that imports them into the UK and is selling them and is selling them for £2,600 for a 400cm one.

No way!

[Foxpalms]

50 minutes ago, GottmitAlex said:

No way!

Palm tree are very over priced here, small Coconuts you can 80-100cm tall you can buy for £15-30 but a large trunking one is in the thousands.  Since we left the EU it's been very hard to buy palms trees here with not much choice to the point I'm considering on possibly trying to import a few. I think floridabunda might do international orders over $400 but I'm not sure if they can meet the UK phytosanitary certificate requirements because they are funny unlike other countries, where the palms need be grown in a protected green house and also be pest free or they need a 2 year quarantine. Sometimes you can find cheap palms here though, I've seen some trunking archontophoenix for sale before for only £30. A 12ft queen palm will cost about £300 in the UK and a 26ft one around £900. 

[Aleitalyyy]

@Mr. Coconut PalmI don't understand the corona california coconut then...

one has high maxima but also has prolonged cold temperatures in winter...

[Aleitalyyy]

@Mr. Coconut PalmI don't understand the corona california coconut then...

one has high maxima but also has prolonged cold temperatures in winter...

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

On 12/12/2022 at 1:01 PM, Foxpalms said:

There is a company that imports them into the UK and is selling them and is selling them for £2,600 for a 400cm one.

WOW!!!  That seems EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE!!!  Based on the online conversion I just did from Pounds to Dollars, that comes out to be $3,221.92, which is OUTRAGEOUSLY EXPENSIVE for any Coconut Palm of any height in the U.S.!!!

John

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

8 hours ago, Aleitalyyy said:

@Mr. Coconut PalmI don't understand the corona california coconut then...

one has high maxima but also has prolonged cold temperatures in winter...

 

I think the explanation is that it gets warm enough in the daytime to offset the normally chilly nights there.  But if you remember the pics of it, it had leaf bases clinging to the trunk for some distance up and down the trunk.  I think this may be for two reasons:  1. as moisture retention to help retain moisture in the trunk in the desert climate, and 2. maybe as an insulation adaptation in winter to help with insulating the bud on cold winter nights.  I have seen similar things with my Coconut Palms here on the east side of Corpus Christi, Texas, in a marginal climate for them, with somewhat less overall leaf base retention here, due to our higher rainfall, but still more leaf base retention than what you would find on Coconut Palm in South Florida, the Caribbean Islands, and the Yucatan.

By the way, I have seen photos of mature Coconut Palms with some nuts growing on them in the Lake Chapala region of inland Mexico near Guadalajara, where they can have chilly night time lows (normally too chilly for good Coconut Palm growth) in the wintertime, but high enough afternoon high temps to offset the chilly nighttime temps there in the winter.

John

[GottmitAlex]

1 hour ago, Mr. Coconut Palm said:

I think the explanation is that it gets warm enough in the daytime to offset the normally chilly nights there.  But if you remember the pics of it, it had leaf bases clinging to the trunk for some distance up and down the trunk.  I think this may be for two reasons:  1. as moisture retention to help retain moisture in the trunk in the desert climate, and 2. maybe as an insulation adaptation in winter to help with insulating the bud on cold winter nights.  I have seen similar things with my Coconut Palms here on the east side of Corpus Christi, Texas, in a marginal climate for them, with somewhat less overall leaf base retention here, due to our higher rainfall, but still more leaf base retention than what you would find on Coconut Palm in South Florida, the Caribbean Islands, and the Yucatan.

By the way, I have seen photos of mature Coconut Palms with some nuts growing on them in the Lake Chapala region of inland Mexico near Guadalajara, where they can have chilly night time lows (normally too chilly for good Coconut Palm growth) in the wintertime, but high enough afternoon high temps to offset the chilly nighttime temps there in the winter.

John

All this is true.

Just to add, the mature and fruiting coconuts in the northern side of Lake Chapala do not have any leaf bases attached. 

Thanks for the info John. 

 

 

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

11 hours ago, GottmitAlex said:

All this is true.

Just to add, the mature and fruiting coconuts in the northern side of Lake Chapala do not have any leaf bases attached. 

Thanks for the info John. 

 

 

You are welcome, Alex.  They probably lose their leaf bases there due to adequate rainfall, hence no need to retain them for more moisture retention, as in drier climates.

John