The drawback of shallow containers

[Sabal Steve]

Often, I hear that a certain palm will need a deep container; like Bismarckia for example.  But, I've grown Bismarkia, or other palms where deep containers were recommended, and the palms did just fine in the shallow containers.

Is the seedling more likely to spiral, and grow inverted, throwing the first leaves downward or to the side?

What is the benefit of the deeper container?

[rprimbs]

It takes longer before the roots grow out the bottom?

[Hamal]

I believe that is only true for the germination period when Bismarckia, Borassus etc first develop a long radicle. If the cotyledonary sheath is built at the bottom of the container, the palm will have trouble developing into a healthy plant. Once established, the deep containers are no longer needed, unless you want to plant the palm in your garden. In that case, a deeper root system will provide a better hold in the substrate when the palm is planted.

[DoomsDave]

I think Hamal is correct.

To explain further, some palms, like Bismarckia, develop a long "sinker" that goes deep into the ground from which the leaves and roots emerge. This is different from, say Archontophoenix where the roots and leaves arise from the seed, or at least right near the seed.

Sprouting seeds of these "remote germinators" is best in deep pots, since it makes it less likely the sinker will pop out a drainage hole and develop there, worst of all, by rooting into the ground. It also makes it easier to separate more than one seedling in a community pot, where all the sinkers grow straight down, instead of hitting the bottom of the pot and becoming a tangled mass impossible to separate without fatally breaking them.

 

[hbernstein]

Deep containers drain much better and lower the level of the perched water table. Plants in shallow containers tend to sit in water (not a good thing for most palms). Although you might want the potting medium to retain some moisture, staying very wet usually causes big problems.  Additionally, deeper containers allow for longer, more natural root development.

[Pete in Paradise Hills]

I have had very good results with deeper containers. Planted a 1g sabal bermudana in a 15 gallon container. I could have kept it there but once it reached 5 gallon size I decided to plant it out and now it's taking off in the ground (the hole it went in was huge as it replaced a 25g beccariophoenix fenestralis...

[LJG]

3 hours ago, hbernstein said:

Deep containers drain much better and lower the level of the perched water table. Plants in shallow containers tend to sit in water (not a good thing for most palms). Although you might want the potting medium to retain some moisture, staying very wet usually causes big problems.  Additionally, deeper containers allow for longer, more natural root development.

These are the two main reasons I use deep pots. The saturation zone is further down in deep pots and it better for root development and helps prevent rot. I have run test in my GH and every time palms grown in my Stuewe tree pots will out grow those in standard nursery pots. 

[Sabal Steve]

As a follow up question; Are there instances where a shallow container would be advantageous?

 

Thanks for all the replies.

[Phoenikakias]

4 hours ago, Sabal Steve said:

As a follow up question; Are there instances where a shallow container would be advantageous?

 

Thanks for all the replies.

I crosses my mind one possible such case; the Guihaia...

[Pal Meir]

If you want to grow up some palm spp as ornamental bonsai you should use shallow containers, e.g. for Chamaerops humilis, Cocos nucifera (cf. also http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/48440-palm-in-pot-for-ornamental-plant/), Trachycarpus wagnerianus, etc.