Coco Mail

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

Just now, Danilopez89 said:

I'm no sure what the deal is with our weather. I've only recently have been watching and learning more about the local weather because of this palm hobby. 

The next city to the southeast of Coachella is Thermal. From watching the weather maps on the local news every morning you can see how the cold sinks down into that area. Maybe because Thermal's elevation is lower than me it saves us from much of the freak cold.

Those summer times record lows must be something uncommon. I can't remember any cool summer nights here. Ever. I wish I had cool summer nights... even the normal summer lows seem too low on that graph. 

 

Yeah, Dani, but with your low humidity, a summer night in the upper 70'sF would be like a chilly summer night here in the upper 60'sF,. since we have such high humidity most of the year.  Spend a few July and August nights here, and you will really APPRECIATE your summer nights there.  I am very cold natured and REALLY enjoy warm weather (just like my Coconut Palms do), but I can literally spend 5 minutes outside watering my plants on a summer evening and be soaking wet with sweat!  We have a lot of overnight lows here in July and Aug. around 76F to 78F.

John

[Danilopez89]

On 2/4/2016 7:39:43, Danilopez89 said:

Help me out guys!!! 

What should I do?

Here's my coconut in January 1 2016

Here it is today...

The fronds are closing up. Probably root rot from the DAMN cold.

My coco didn't make it...

 

[Danilopez89]

[Zeeth]

Sorry to hear that

I'd try again if I were you though. Maybe grow the next one in a pot until it fills a 7 gallon pot full of roots, then plant it. It looks like this one was just too young to fend for itself. 

[Cluster]

 Dam that is sad but you need to keep trying, maybe protect them some more in the first years and only put them in the ground when they are more mature?

[Danilopez89]

50 minutes ago, Zeeth said:

Sorry to hear that

I'd try again if I were you though. Maybe grow the next one in a pot until it fills a 7 gallon pot full of roots, then plant it. It looks like this one was just too young to fend for itself. 

 

48 minutes ago, Cluster said:

 Dam that is sad but you need to keep trying, maybe protect them some more in the first years and only put them in the ground when they are more mature?

Yes I think I planted it out too young. But I can't complain about it too much since this was my experiment. I tried to do the same as Greg in La Quinta  and his Hawaiian tall coconut. He brought it as a sprout and just put it in the ground. 

If I would have taken greater measures like putting up a temporary small greenhouse I would have had better results. 

Oh well, live n learn...

I probably should have kept it more dry too, it only had a few long roots that tapped into clay soil that stays moist for a lot longer than the topsoil.

[cm05]

That sucks. Mine suffered the same fate about a month ago. The soil was dry so I put it out in the rain, and slowly but surely the fronds began twisting and then they closed up and shriveled.

[enigma99]

46 minutes ago, Danilopez89 said:

 

Yes I think I planted it out too young. But I can't complain about it too much since this was my experiment. I tried to do the same as Greg in La Quinta  and his Hawaiian tall coconut. He brought it as a sprout and just put it in the ground. 

If I would have taken greater measures like putting up a temporary small greenhouse I would have had better results. 

Oh well, live n learn...

I probably should have kept it more dry too, it only had a few long roots that tapped into clay soil that stays moist for a lot longer than the topsoil.

Put it in really well draining sandy/rocky soil and try again 

[Danilopez89]

8 hours ago, enigma99 said:

Put it in really well draining sandy/rocky soil and try again 

I sure will try again! 

 

[Zeeth]

Looks like you've got the right idea!

[Hammer]

9 hours ago, enigma99 said:

Put it in really well draining sandy/rocky soil and try again 

This is right on.  Wait until it warms up a bit, plant in WELL draining soil, mound plant too.  Cut water to next to nothing in winter.

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

On ‎2‎/‎25‎/‎2016‎ ‎8‎:‎23‎:‎10‎, Danilopez89 said:

I sure will try again! 

 

Sorry you lost your young Coconut Palm, Dani.  It looks like you are sprouting some of your own coconuts like I do with ones I collect off of the beach here at Padre Island, so you have to let us know where you are getting the nuts from.  Inquiring minds want to know!

John

[Danilopez89]

18 minutes ago, Mr. Coconut Palm said:

Sorry you lost your young Coconut Palm, Dani.  It looks like you are sprouting some of your own coconuts like I do with ones I collect off of the beach here at Padre Island, so you have to let us know where you are getting the nuts from.  Inquiring minds want to know!

John

Hi John,

I just pulled this one out the ground today too

The center was mushy. Gross! 

 

I collected  those coconuts from one of my fruiting coconut palms in my backyard. 

I'm kidding! I ordered them from eBay and they came from Orlando Florida.  The sprouted one is growing pretty fast!

They aren't too cheap so I'm buying the ones from supermarkets for now and hopefully they will work.

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

1 minute ago, Danilopez89 said:

Hi John,

I just pulled this one out the ground today too

The center was mushy. Gross! 

 

I collected  those coconuts from one of my fruiting coconut palms in my backyard. 

I'm kidding! I ordered them from eBay and they came from Orlando Florida.  The sprouted one is growing pretty fast!

They aren't too cheap so I'm buying the ones from supermarkets for now and hopefully they will work.

Hey Dani,

If they are from locally grown Orlando palms, then you may really be in luck, as opposed to some South Florida nuts someone in Orlando collected and then sells them on Ebay.  I think there are a few fruiting Coconut Palms in the Orlando area, probably just the ones on the south side of lakes and near downtown in perfect microclimates.  The ones coming from the northernmost limit of where they can produce viable nuts are your best bet, so stick with ones from the Central Florida area as opposed to ordering any from South Florida so they will have a little more cold hardiness.  That Hawaiian Tall you had should have had a chance, but the really dry conditions where you live combined with the cold nights may have done it in.  It might be a better variety for us along the South Texas Coast and for those in Central Florida to try, since sometimes we have chilly damp weather in the winter time as opposed to your dry chilly weather.  I think that variety is known to grow at higher and thus slightly chillier elevations in Hawaii than the typical Golden Variety of Hawaiian Tall that is typically found along the beaches and near the coast.  Since Hawaii gets SO MUCH rainfall and has a high humidity year round the Green Hawaiian Tall would probably be a good choice here and in Central Florida to withstand the chilly damp conditions and higher humidity that we sometimes experience, which is why I want to try one.

With your store bought nuts, if they are in the husk and still green, golden, or yellow, pick only the larger nuts and set them out in the sun for a few weeks to brown up and ripen all the way around before planting them.  I have sprouted a healthy Green Malayan Dwarf coconut that way that I bought from a farmer's market in Bryan, Texas back in 1999, that I eventually planted at my church in South Florida about a year later after moving there in 2000.  Back then, I don't think they were radiating the nuts like I believe Customs or the Dept. of Ag is doing now when they come off the ships.  If you can find any Certified Organic coconuts either in the husk or unhusked, those would probably be your best bet when it comes to sprouting store bought nuts, since the organic produce shouldn't be radiated or gassed before the store receives them.

John

[Danilopez89]

22 minutes ago, Mr. Coconut Palm said:

Hey Dani,

If they are from locally grown Orlando palms, then you may really be in luck, as opposed to some South Florida nuts someone in Orlando collected and then sells them on Ebay.  I think there are a few fruiting Coconut Palms in the Orlando area, probably just the ones on the south side of lakes and near downtown in perfect microclimates.  The ones coming from the northernmost limit of where they can produce viable nuts are your best bet, so stick with ones from the Central Florida area as opposed to ordering any from South Florida so they will have a little more cold hardiness.  That Hawaiian Tall you had should have had a chance, but the really dry conditions where you live combined with the cold nights may have done it in.  It might be a better variety for us along the South Texas Coast and for those in Central Florida to try, since sometimes we have chilly damp weather in the winter time as opposed to your dry chilly weather.  I think that variety is known to grow at higher and thus slightly chillier elevations in Hawaii than the typical Golden Variety of Hawaiian Tall that is typically found along the beaches and near the coast.  Since Hawaii gets SO MUCH rainfall and has a high humidity year round the Green Hawaiian Tall would probably be a good choice here and in Central Florida to withstand the chilly damp conditions and higher humidity that we sometimes experience, which is why I want to try one.

With your store bought nuts, if they are in the husk and still green, golden, or yellow, pick only the larger nuts and set them out in the sun for a few weeks to brown up and ripen all the way around before planting them.  I have sprouted a healthy Green Malayan Dwarf coconut that way that I bought from a farmer's market in Bryan, Texas back in 1999, that I eventually planted at my church in South Florida about a year later after moving there in 2000.  Back then, I don't think they were radiating the nuts like I believe Customs or the Dept. of Ag is doing now when they come off the ships.  If you can find any Certified Organic coconuts either in the husk or unhusked, those would probably be your best bet when it comes to sprouting store bought nuts, since the organic produce shouldn't be radiated or gassed before the store receives them.

John

Here's a link to the one's I bought. ..

http://m.ebay.com/itm/Live-Tropical-Coconut-PALM-Tree-2-3-feet-in-outdoor-plant-Rooted-FREE-SHIPPING-/141909235167?nav=SEARCH

I'm just trying out whatever I can get my hands on and hopefully one will make it.

The Hawaiian tall seemed like it wanted more water. The ends of the fronds would brown or just dry up a bit,  and I couldn't water too often because of my clay soil. I think part of the reason why they are able to grow those coconuts in Palm Desert and La Quinta is because they don't have clay soil.

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

17 hours ago, Danilopez89 said:

Here's a link to the one's I bought. ..

http://m.ebay.com/itm/Live-Tropical-Coconut-PALM-Tree-2-3-feet-in-outdoor-plant-Rooted-FREE-SHIPPING-/141909235167?nav=SEARCH

I'm just trying out whatever I can get my hands on and hopefully one will make it.

The Hawaiian tall seemed like it wanted more water. The ends of the fronds would brown or just dry up a bit,  and I couldn't water too often because of my clay soil. I think part of the reason why they are able to grow those coconuts in Palm Desert and La Quinta is because they don't have clay soil.

Thanks, Dani.  You are probably right if you have a lot of clay soil, then you need to really be careful overwatering when it's chilly.  Too bad you don't have sandy loam or just sandy soil (dark sandy soil like lava sand would be best because plants love it like in Hawaii and it retains some heat in the winter on sunny but chilly days).

[Pando]

I'm just keeping mine as a houseplant, and I'll even keep it indoors in summer. Looks like it's doing very well, so far.

 

 

[Danilopez89]

35 minutes ago, Pando said:

I'm just keeping mine as a houseplant, and I'll even keep it indoors in summer. Looks like it's doing very well, so far.

 

 

Looks fresh out the box.

Did you pick up a new one?

[Pando]

The one I kept outside was gone by mid December.

I picked this one up from Lowes about 2 months ago, new leaf has grown about a foot since then. It sits in a very light, dry mix with 50% perlite in a 20g pot. It's getting a drinking glass full of RO water once a week, nothing more. It's an experiment anyway - if it doesn't make it a year, back it goes. If it makes it, I'm doing something right.

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

Hey, you guys living in California, I am dying of curiosity where your Lowe's and Home Depot's that sell Coconut Palms are getting them from.  Due to the Coconut Palm quarantine in Florida, no sprouted nuts are supposed to be shipped out of Florida, and our Lowe's and Home Depot's here in Texas don't sell them.  I wonder if there is a commercial grower in Southern Cali that gets certified Malayan Dwarf seed nuts shipped to them from Costa Rica and sprouts them?  If so, and you knew where that was, then you would instantly know where the REAL potential "coconut belt" of Southern Cali is.  Try to find out from your Lowe's and HD's where they are getting them from.

Edited February 29, 2016 by Mr. Coconut Palm

[enigma99]

22 hours ago, Danilopez89 said:

Here's a link to the one's I bought. ..

http://m.ebay.com/itm/Live-Tropical-Coconut-PALM-Tree-2-3-feet-in-outdoor-plant-Rooted-FREE-SHIPPING-/141909235167?nav=SEARCH

I'm just trying out whatever I can get my hands on and hopefully one will make it.

The Hawaiian tall seemed like it wanted more water. The ends of the fronds would brown or just dry up a bit,  and I couldn't water too often because of my clay soil. I think part of the reason why they are able to grow those coconuts in Palm Desert and La Quinta is because they don't have clay soil.

Thanks I got the last one  I'm going to try again with some rocky, sandy soil. Killed one off this winter after seeing it grow so much last year

Edited February 29, 2016 by enigma99

[Pando]

16 minutes ago, Mr. Coconut Palm said:

I wonder if there is a commercial grower in Southern Cali that gets certified Malayan Dwarf seed nuts shipped to them from Costa Rica and sprouts them?  If so, and you knew where that was, then you would instantly know where the REAL potential "coconut belt" of Southern Cali is.

Those 3-4 leaf things start showing up in HD and Lowes at the end of the year, which means that the nuts probably sprout in a greenhouse somewhere when the weather gets warmer in spring. If they are sprouted in California, it's unlikely that they have ever seen winter in the greenhouse, much less being outside. There is no "coconut belt" in Cali, only a few plants are surviving in a perfect microclimate and soil conditions around the Salton Sea area.

[Danilopez89]

16 minutes ago, Mr. Coconut Palm said:

Hey, you guys living in California, I am dying of curiosity where your Lowe's and Home Depot's that sell Coconut Palms are getting them from.  Due to the Coconut Palm quarantine in Florida, no sprouted nuts are supposed to be shipped out of Florida, and our Lowe's and Home Depot's here in Texas don't sell them.  I wonder if there is a commercial grower in Southern Cali that gets certified Malayan Dwarf seed nuts shipped to them from Costa Rica and sprouts them?  If so, and you knew where that was, then you would instantly know where the REAL potential "coconut belt" of Southern Cali is.  Try to find out from your Lowe's and HD's where they are getting them from.

I wouldn't doubt that they are sprouting them in a large controlled environment somewhere here in California. 

Who ever is growing them they are doing something right. When the stores get new shipments they just look so healthy and makes you want to take them all home.

A lot of people think they are fake plants  because they look so good. 

[Pando]

Daniel can you check out the property at Salton City to see if those cocos are still alive over there?

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

Maybe they are greenhouse grown, but there are areas around inland Southern Cali that the winters probably stay warm enough for them to be kept out in the 3 gal. pots I assume they are grown in as long as they receive adequate watering when it is hot and dry.  Do the tags name the name of the wholesale grower?  Many of our nurseries here in Texas that sell tropicals and tropical plants that are sold at HEB ( our major grocery chain) have the name of the wholesale grower on the tag, but I don't recall if the tags at Lowe's and HD have the wholesale grower's name since I don't like buying stuff from the Big Box Stores.

[Danilopez89]

On 2/28/2016 9:37:17, Pando said:

Daniel can you check out the property at Salton City to see if those cocos are still alive over there?

Yup. I'm gonna stop by that house and knock on the door again. Hopefully the people who grew them will be there. 

I'm also gonna go visit Greg and his coco palm in La Quinta so I can get some post winter pics. I passed by the other day. Lower fronds looked pretty beat.

And here's a quick update of  my new coco

I'm surprised that they can handle so much sun this young. 

[Cluster]

Looks good Daniel keep us up to date :)

[Danilopez89]

On 2/28/2016 9:43:23, Mr. Coconut Palm said:

Maybe they are greenhouse grown, but there are areas around inland Southern Cali that the winters probably stay warm enough for them to be kept out in the 3 gal. pots I assume they are grown in as long as they receive adequate watering when it is hot and dry.  Do the tags name the name of the wholesale grower?  Many of our nurseries here in Texas that sell tropicals and tropical plants that are sold at HEB ( our major grocery chain) have the name of the wholesale grower on the tag, but I don't recall if the tags at Lowe's and HD have the wholesale grower's name since I don't like buying stuff from the Big Box Stores.

If there ever was a warm winter place like that in Cali it would probably be around the Salton Sea area.

But as protected as some of these nice microclimates might be from frosts or freezes it still doesn't change the fact that Southern California as a whole is just to cool during winter to reliably grow cocos.

This past winter was cold with a few warm days in so cal. It wasn't even warm in the desert areas this year. Bad for cocos

 

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

17 hours ago, Danilopez89 said:

If there ever was a warm winter place like that in Cali it would probably be around the Salton Sea area.

But as protected as some of these nice microclimates might be from frosts or freezes it still doesn't change the fact that Southern California as a whole is just to cool during winter to reliably grow cocos.

This past winter was cold with a few warm days in so cal. It wasn't even warm in the desert areas this year. Bad for cocos

 

Hey Dani,

You are probably right.  I was just thinking there might be a wholesale grower somewhere around Chula Vista or El Centro that sprouts them and sends them to Lowe's or Home Depots in your area.  I am really curios where they are getting the ones from that are sold there.  Certified Malayan Dwarf seed nuts can be obtained from the Costa Rican and Jamaican Coconut Boards and are shipped to the U.S. in containers on container ships.  There is a nursery northeast of Brownsville in Bayview that did this and had about 50 to 60 or more Green Malayan Dwarfs for sale.  I bought a couple from there and planted one at a friend's house in the RGV, and the other I donated to Texas A&M Corpus Christi to plant, which they did, but I think it got overwatered in a chilly damp winter a couple of winters ago and died.

John

P.S.  Someone posted on one of my threads that they have gotten viable nuts from their Coconut Palm in Brownsville.

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

18 hours ago, Danilopez89 said:

Yup. I'm gonna stop by that house and knock on the door again. Hopefully the people who grew them will be there. 

I'm also gonna go visit Greg and his coco palm in La Quinta so I can get some post winter pics. I passed by the other day. Lower fronds looked pretty beat.

And here's a quick update of  my new coco

I'm surprised that they can handle so much sun this young. 

I've always sprouted them in full sun, which is what the info from the Florida Extension Service said to do about 30+ years ago.  However, my Palm Society friend who helps me collect the nuts off the beach here, and Alex (empireo) in Melbourne Beach here on Palmtalk, sprout there's in partial shade and seem to have good results.  Where did you get the nut from?

John

[Danilopez89]

3 hours ago, Mr. Coconut Palm said:

I've always sprouted them in full sun, which is what the info from the Florida Extension Service said to do about 30+ years ago.  However, my Palm Society friend who helps me collect the nuts off the beach here, and Alex (empireo) in Melbourne Beach here on Palmtalk, sprout there's in partial shade and seem to have good results.  Where did you get the nut from?

John

I bought it from a guy on ebay. I also got 3 unsprouted coconuts that I'm waiting to sprout. 

The guy told me to keep them in the shade. Do you think I should move them to half day sun. I knew I shouldn't have bought unsprouted cocos! I dont have the patience to wait and see if they sprout.

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

1 hour ago, Danilopez89 said:

I bought it from a guy on ebay. I also got 3 unsprouted coconuts that I'm waiting to sprout. 

The guy told me to keep them in the shade. Do you think I should move them to half day sun. I knew I shouldn't have bought unsprouted cocos! I dont have the patience to wait and see if they sprout.

Dani,

I would definitely move them to partial shade or half day sun.  Morning sun and afternoon shade would probably be good.

John