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Digging up “holy grail” palms


Hilo Jason

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As I plan my new garden here in Hawaii, there are a couple palms in my current garden that are still at a small size that I can no longer find to repurchase. So I’m attempting to dig them up, grow them in pots for awhile and slowly acclimate them for the new garden. 
 

I figured I would post about them and update as they hopefully survive and eventually go in the ground again. 
 

First up is Cyphokentia Macrostachya. This was planted out as a 1 gallon plant, maybe 2 years ago. It has grown slow but steady..

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I remembered this area having some solid rock where I planted it so I was worried about digging it and not being able to get a decent root ball. I noticed the brown on the new spear so am treating with peroxide. This is an issue here with some of the slow growing palms because it rains so much (150” annually).  
 

Thankfully, I feel like I got a good root ball on this one. I put it in a 15 gallon pot, back in the exact same spot and positioned the same way as it was in the ground. I then marked the spear so I can watch for growth. I go by the “BS Man 3” rule” so we’ll see how it does. 
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Up next was Marojejya Insignis. This plant has never seemed happy in the ground and while it pushes new leaves, it never grows any larger. Very different than Marojejya Darianii which is an easy grow for me. 
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Unfortunately I am not as confident with the rootball I got on this one. It was very weak rooted when I dug it and just nothing held together. Not sure why. Potted and placed in the same shady area that it was growing in. I don’t have high hopes for this one, but we shall see. 
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will post updates when I have them. Hoping for the best with these! 

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What is the “BS Man 3” rule?

Steve

Born in the Bronx

Raised in Brooklyn

Matured In Wai`anae

I can't be held responsible for anything I say or do....LOL

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9 hours ago, WaianaeCrider said:

What is the “BS Man 3” rule?

Maybe it's the same as my "Rule of 3". I give a palm species 3 chances to grow for me, then it's "out".

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Meg

Palms of Victory I shall wear

Cape Coral (It's Just Paradise)
Florida
Zone 10A on the Isabelle Canal
Elevation: 15 feet

I'd like to be under the sea in an octopus' garden in the shade.

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10 hours ago, WaianaeCrider said:

What is the “BS Man 3” rule?

Years ago, here on Palm talk, Bill Sanford (BSman) stated that if a palm can push the new spear 3” after it has been dug up, then it will live and keep growing. I’ve moved a lot of palms over the years and have always found it to be true. 

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1 hour ago, PalmatierMeg said:

Maybe it's the same as my "Rule of 3". I give a palm species 3 chances to grow for me, then it's "out".

That’s a good one too!

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I think that CM is shipping size. My birthday is coming up :)

look forward to seeing your pad - hopefully in the not to distant future. 

Len

Vista, CA (Zone 10a)

Shadowridge Area

"Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are."

-- Alfred Austin

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3 hours ago, LJG said:

I think that CM is shipping size. My birthday is coming up :)

look forward to seeing your pad - hopefully in the not to distant future. 

Maybe some offspring from this one  for a birthday 20 years down the road :-)

hope you make it out soon 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well, you win some and lose some. Looks like I’m at a 50% success rate. 

The Marojejya insignis began declining instantly and is now dead. I’m not too surprised as this palm has never seemed happy so digging it finally put it out of its misery.
 

Thankfully the cyphokentia didn’t skip a beat and the new spear has pushed 9” of new growth. 

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  • 8 months later...
On 5/29/2022 at 11:55 PM, WaianaeCrider said:

What is the “BS Man 3” rule?

Wow. I really need to get by here more often..lol

Yes, as Jason noted, it's 3" of spear push. 
It started as I noticed countless times friends, palm peeps etc. would dig a palm to transplant or sell and most would mark a spear. Where the observation came from was some large palms that I had seen dug poorly continued to push out a large spear 1-2" and lend to one thinking "it's fine", but over time, I noticed the ones that never made 3" of spear push died. If a palm died after that, it could almost always be traced to something "since" the transplant.

Continue on.... and happy to see the success!!

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Zone 10a at best after 2007 AND 2013, on SW facing hill, 1 1/2 miles from coast in Oceanside, CA. 30-98 degrees, and 45-80deg. about 95% of the time.

"The great workman of nature is time."   ,  "Genius is nothing but a great aptitude for patience."

-George-Louis Leclerc de Buffon-

I do some experiments and learning in my garden with palms so you don't have to experience the pain! Look at my old threads to find various observations and tips!

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On 6/17/2022 at 4:34 AM, Jimhardy said:

I thought you were going to say, plant a palm, wait three years and dig it up.

That's Gary L.  :floor:

Zone 10a at best after 2007 AND 2013, on SW facing hill, 1 1/2 miles from coast in Oceanside, CA. 30-98 degrees, and 45-80deg. about 95% of the time.

"The great workman of nature is time."   ,  "Genius is nothing but a great aptitude for patience."

-George-Louis Leclerc de Buffon-

I do some experiments and learning in my garden with palms so you don't have to experience the pain! Look at my old threads to find various observations and tips!

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