Coconut palms 1 year anniversary in the ground San Diego/Tijuana region

[Alicante]

On 4/19/2022 at 7:23 AM, GottmitAlex said:

So good looking Alex, your coconuts will be tall by the end of this decade, remember this! Your winter high temps are very good and the palms are enjoying them, the pics talk by themselves! 

[Maltese coconut project]

I have a query. I wish to ask something to individuals living in areas with cool but non freezing winters similar to the Southern Mediterranean and California. In your experiences and opinions what is the number one killer during winter for coconut palms in those non freezing temperatures? Cool wind or having the soil too wet? What is your best advice when it comes to long cool winter's when it comes to watering? Thank you in advance for answers

[GottmitAlex]

[GottmitAlex]

On 4/21/2022 at 7:37 AM, Maltese coconut project said:

I have a query. I wish to ask something to individuals living in areas with cool but non freezing winters similar to the Southern Mediterranean and California. In your experiences and opinions what is the number one killer during winter for coconut palms in those non freezing temperatures? Cool wind or having the soil too wet? What is your best advice when it comes to long cool winter's when it comes to watering? Thank you in advance for answers

You need heat when it gets below 10C at first. Then 8C.

A 125 w incandescent heat/brood lamp trained/pointed between the base of the palm and soil . Sand (coarse sand.  Not fine sand or it will turn to mud). make your plot at least 1meter x 1 meter x 1 meter. The top layer of medium should be fine lava sand. (black). 1 inch or more.

Give them salt once every other month. A lot of fertilizer.

And pray.

 

[idontknowhatnametuse]

I've viewed this thread for years as a guest, those palms look stunning!

[Cluster]

Looking great Alex, if it is indeed a dwarf flowers will probably come in the next years!

[ego]

You said you used a mirror to direct the sunlight in the winter. From my experience it doesn't work because as the sun moves the reflected light also moves. So I had to move the mirror every 15 min! How do you do it?

[The Palm Nut]

On 4/22/2022 at 12:37 AM, Maltese coconut project said:

I have a query. I wish to ask something to individuals living in areas with cool but non freezing winters similar to the Southern Mediterranean and California. In your experiences and opinions what is the number one killer during winter for coconut palms in those non freezing temperatures? Cool wind or having the soil too wet? What is your best advice when it comes to long cool winter's when it comes to watering? Thank you in advance for answers

My best advice is to plant in a sheltered spot out of the cold wind of winter and the soil dry or close to dry for the winter period. This is my experience and if you can follow this advice your chances of success for at least a period of time will be better than 50/50.  Of course soil condition and drainage is critical, avoid heavy soils and if you have some other plants in same close proximity this aids in protection from some of the coldest nights, and they also help in keeping soil on the dry side during the winter rainy days, water loving plants are good for this. 

Keeping coconut palms in pots with wet feet and no insulation from sudden cold temperature drops is a sure recipe for there death. Get them in the ground as soon as you can with the conditions I described above and you may stand a chance for at least a few years maybe more if the spot is a really good micro-climate. 

Good luck

[Maltese coconut project]

Do you fertilize in winter too? Or do you use slow release during spring and Autumn/fall? 

[GottmitAlex]

5 hours ago, Maltese coconut project said:

Do you fertilize in winter too? Or do you use slow release during spring and Autumn/fall? 

For the soil/medium I use Palmgain every other month.

But here is something that I wanted to mention to everyone:

Since mid February I began to use a product as a foliar application every seven days (right after sunset).  I'm going to try too keep this short and sweet (I am not one for TLDR posts).

A good friend of mine from Corrientes, Argentina (-29 Latitude), a Pharmacist Chemist Biologist Dr. Erwin, who has at least 200 acres of sandy loam land and has a plethora of palm trees recommended "Fetrilon® Combi 2" as as foliar feed for my coconuts ( and all my palms) 

He applies it every, here again, 7 days on his palms. He a member of a Spanish speaking palm forum (He speaks German and Spanish). Hence is apprehensive in contributing here. He in fact asked me to translate many of his posts from that forum and draft them here. I am not a very good translator and his posts are uber detailed (400+ words).

That out of the way,  I had the dickens of a time trying to procure The Fetrilon combi 2 fertilizer.  I called the US rep in FL, but he refused to sell due to the limited quantity I was looking for. This product is for industrial use (Acres upon Acres)

I went out of my way and reached out to a nursery in Guadalajara, Mexico and they helped me purchase 5 bags of the stuff through the distributor in Mexico City.

The bags are 1KG each.  You're suppose to use only 5mg for every 12 liters of water. (So roughly 1 teaspoon)

 

I do not apply this stuff on the soil, only as a foliar feed. The bag recommendation does mention "Do not apply when there is dew, or direct sunlight".

This product of from Deutschland, so I know our European friends will have an easier time acquiring it. 

One last thing: I sent the Dr. the ingredients of the bags I acquired and he said there was one difference from the ones he acquires in South America: The lack of cobalt (Vitamin B12). He asked me to buy b12 (He says it's expensive. Which I haven't yet) and add it to the foliar feed. Apparently B12 is essential for palms.  He mentioned 100 grams of Cobalt/B12 is about 42 euros + shipping. I guess that will be my next purchase.  But the foliar feed with Fetrilon Combi 2 has helped with the leaves staying green.  Don't get me wrong, if the leaflets have brown tips /burned, this will not restore them back to green. However, if the leaflets are yellowing, this will bring them back.

Here again, this product (just a bag lol) is designed to feed a hectare of plants/palms/trees.  I really don't remember the cost for the five bags, but I think it was about (exchange rate) @ $15 USD a bag.

https://agnova.com.au/content/custom/products/files/Fetrilon-Combi-label.pdf

 

I'll upload front and back pics from one of my bags (Mexico Version) once I get to the garden.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GottmitAlex]

My friend said that there are folks who purchase B12 pills and bury them by their palms. A very expensive thing to do. 

 

[Cuckoo for coconuts]

I may get crucified for admitting this, but I use miraclegro on my coco's and don't do much of anything at all for them over the winter.  I have three and they're in various states of health, with the fully exposed one not having grown much at all, the middle one pretty good, and the one in the shadow of the papaya doing extremely well.  Over winter I put up rain barriers to keep them from getting any water at all, just the little I add.  A few years ago I'd dump a 5 gallon bucket of ocean water on them every now and then but haven't done that in a while, but need to soon.  Once the weather warms up, around march or so, I start watering them regularly, often times with a miracle gro sprayer.  They were planted in a hole about three feet deep of mostly building supply house plaster sand, with some native dirt.  The first few years I had them enclosed in a green house of sorts but when they got over three feet tall that became problematic so I removed that a while ago.  I forgot when they went in but I'm guessing five years, maybe six years ago.  

All that being said, I really should take the advice of the folks here who've had good experience with growing them.  I did put some special palm fertilizer on them, but it was the Home dump junk for palms, nothing special.  

How I've treated the coco's is by no means the way a pro or avid palm grower would do things but it's kept them alive.  Probably the smartest thing I've done is to keep the water off them over the winter so the roots don't rot away.  

Edited May 3, 2022 by Cuckoo for coconuts
missed word

[GottmitAlex]

10 minutes ago, Cuckoo for coconuts said:

I may get crucified for admitting this, but I use miraclegro on my coco's and don't do much of anything at all for them over the winter.  I have three and they're in various states of health, with the fully exposed one not having grown much at all, the middle one pretty good, and the one in the shadow of the papaya doing extremely well.  

Pics???

[GottmitAlex]

[GottmitAlex]

For Commiefornia standards that's top article, top shelf. 

 

[Cuckoo for coconuts]

All three of these were planted in October of 2017 and are Malayan coco palms.  The smallest one gets the most exposure and has always lagged well behind the other two.  The one if front is impressive as it's more visible, but the one in the shadow of the papaya is doing the best.  I've had to prune them to make way to walk by as the fronds get really long and droopy, but you can see the one that goes through the papaya to get an idea of its size. I figure I'll miraclegro it tomorrow.

The pictures don't seem to be loading so if someone can tel me what I did wrong.  they look like they can only be downloaded.  thank you

IMG_6926.heic IMG_6927.heic IMG_6928.heic IMG_6929.heic IMG_6930.heic

Edited May 3, 2022 by Cuckoo for coconuts
picture help

[GottmitAlex]

To the tune of "nothing is gonna stop us" by Starship

[Jadd Correia]

Wow. This is truly impressive and I have been enjoying going back through this thread to watch all the progress. I love the idea of zone pushing and you have done a great job. I know my location is considered less than 'ideal' for growing tropical plants (east bay CA), but I feel with proper microclimates and some protection while young, incredible plants can be grown here in California just like you have shown with your cocos and Beccario's. I hope to have cocos in the ground some day in my garden, and I will be sure to utilize all your knowledge an experience to give myself the best shot. 

FYI- I have had great success with bananas here, including my second fruiting variety on my small lot (Blue Java + Apple Banana). I feel if I am able to get these to grow along with other cold sensitives such as Carota Maxima and Urens I hope to have some success with cocos in the future. Thanks for the updates. 

Jadd

[GottmitAlex]

I always tell myself when watching a new spear/leaf arise from the fibers (but when all leaflets have not yet emerged) : "It's still not out of the factory Alex". I refer to the fibers as the "factory". LoL.

 

 

[GottmitAlex]

[Cuckoo for coconuts]

Do you think that beetle eating and killing all of the giant palms all over San Diego will eventually go after our coco's?  What are they gonna eat when they finish off all the big palms?  Your palms look really nice.

[GottmitAlex]

[GottmitAlex]

On 5/31/2022 at 10:46 PM, Cuckoo for coconuts said:

Do you think that beetle eating and killing all of the giant palms all over San Diego will eventually go after our coco's?  What are they gonna eat when they finish off all the big palms?  Your palms look really nice.

From what I have seen is that they target CIDP's. Washies go unnoticed.

[GottmitAlex]

[GottmitAlex]

99c store in San Diego.  Dehusked coco (Product of Jal,Mex): turned out to be a pacific golden tall. It is growing at a much faster rate than all the others. And it is 2 years younger than the others.

 

[GottmitAlex]

Here's a closer look at the young pacific golden tall:

 

[GottmitAlex]

[Plantking165]

On 6/11/2022 at 2:49 AM, GottmitAlex said:

Looking good how are they now were almost in September I assume they have got some good growth this summer?

[GottmitAlex]

On 8/28/2022 at 10:25 PM, Plantking165 said:

Looking good how are they now were almost in September I assume they have got some good growth this summer?

Here ya go!

 

[Plantking165]

Looking good that one on the right is getting a fat trunk.

[Plantking165]

Also looks like your dragon fruit has buds ever got any fruit off it? Mine flowered for the first time this year these fruits are ripening up should harvest in a week or so.

[GottmitAlex]

On 9/13/2022 at 8:05 PM, Plantking165 said:

Also looks like your dragon fruit has buds ever got any fruit off it? Mine flowered for the first time this year these fruits are ripening up should harvest in a week or so.

 

Oh yes! I typically get a 20 fruit harvest of American beauty and 30 of Orejonas. 

Twice a year. 

[Plantking165]

14 minutes ago, GottmitAlex said:

Oh yes! I typically get a 20 fruit harvest of American beauty and 30 of Orejonas. 

Twice a year. 

Nice my first ones should be ripe this weekend or beginning of next. Mine are sugar dragon American beauty and connie mayer.

[GottmitAlex]

[jgi27]

Looking good! I love how you even put heat lamps firing at the ground. What part of CA? 

I will be subscribing to this thread to follow your progress. 👍

[GottmitAlex]

6 hours ago, jgi27 said:

Looking good! I love how you even put heat lamps firing at the ground. What part of CA? 

I will be subscribing to this thread to follow your progress. 👍

Thanks! 2 miles south of San Diego. In Tijuana.  Right at the border. 

 

 

[GottmitAlex]

[Walt]

2 hours ago, GottmitAlex said:

I haven't checked you post in some time -- and I can see a discernable difference in the growth of your coconut palms. They look good! I wish you/them continued success.

[ZPalms]

4 hours ago, GottmitAlex said:

Looks awesome, Which one do you think is most cool tolerant?

[GottmitAlex]

On 10/22/2022 at 7:10 PM, ZPalms said:

Looks awesome, Which one do you think is most cool tolerant?

The greens. However, the Golden Pacific TALL is doing it's best against all odds. Growing (slimmer) but taller then the first golden malayan dwarf which is on the extreme right.