When to stop watering palms?

[MSX]

Hello, when is it okay to stop watering palms in the open in the fall before the first frosts? Windmills, Washies, CIDP and Meds. We usually don't have decent amounts of rain during the fall-winter season so the clayish soil becomes dry to touch quite fast under the sun even it doesn't climb that high in the sky anymore and dry air. Share your experience guys please, when you stop watering your palms. Thanks

Edited October 7, 2022 by MSX

[5am]

This may sound like sacrilege to some but when I lived in north central Texas (DFW 8a) I kept my potted palms on the dry side. In winter I would completely avoid watering during periods when a freeze was expected, sometimes more than 2 weeks straight. I don't know if that's the best thing for them but I kept several palms alive for years that way. I lost a washy I grew from seed in a 1 gallon nursery pot which probably froze in the shade and I once had to do surgery on a butia. The others in 3-15 gal pots in sunny locations always made it through.  

The others: 2 med fans, 1 more butia (wrapped with burlap), several Sabal minors, and a needle. 

Edited October 7, 2022 by 5am

[jwitt]

I stop watering mine from October to late February in my climate.(filifera, trachy, med).  That being said, I know of some local palms sitting in a place that has a water table of less than 5', meaning the roots are in water, an area that had back to back nights of -11f. 

But they do not show any growth in my winters here, so I do not water.  My soil is sand.  I begin watering in spring when the spears begin moving.

 

 

[jwitt]

1 hour ago, jwitt said:

I stop watering mine from October to late February in my climate.(filifera, trachy, med).  That being said, I know of some local palms sitting in a place that has a water table of less than 5', meaning the roots are in water, an area that had back to back nights of -11f. 

But they do not show any growth in my winters here, so I do not water.  My soil is sand.  I begin watering in spring when the spears begin moving.

 

 

I should add a couple things.

We do get winter rainstorms and snow where the ground is very wet for sometime(weeks).  This does not seem to affect my palms.

I was taught not to water palms in winter here(and most other plants). It wastes water, a precious resource in my parts.

My ultimate belief is by cutting off watering in fall helps put the palm into what I like to call a "hibernation" state.

As does the lowering temperatures heading into winter.  

I think the constriction on palm trunks caused by low temperatures are showing damage on palms that are more actively growing.   San Antonio constriction rings on robusta at about low teens, and no constriction rings on same species at -5f both happening in Feb2011) .  The locale with the higher temperature had one of their mildest winters on record heading into the 2021 freeze. Coincidence?

Constrictions on CIDP show in El Paso from 2011. But that palm has shown to bloom in January in same locale.  Just my thoughts.

 

Edited October 8, 2022 by jwitt

[SailorBold]

1 hour ago, jwitt said:

I should add a couple things.

We do get winter rainstorms and snow where the ground is very wet for sometime(weeks).  This does not seem to affect my palms.

I was taught not to water palms in winter here(and most other plants). It wastes water, a precious resource in my parts.

My ultimate belief is by cutting off watering in fall helps put the palm into what I like to call a "hibernation" state.

As does the lowering temperatures heading into winter.  

I think the constriction on palm trunks caused by low temperatures are showing damage on palms that are more actively growing.   San Antonio constriction rings on robusta at about low teens, and no constriction rings on same species at -5f both happening in Feb2011) .  The locale with the higher temperature had one of their mildest winters on record heading into the 2021 freeze. Coincidence?

Constrictions on CIDP show in El Paso from 2011. But that palm has shown to bloom in January in same locale.  Just my thoughts.

 

Ditto what Jwitt stated.. I water a little later than what he does but i taper off until I shut off my drip irrigation system end of November.  I start up March 1st.  I will lightly water on nice days if dry.

[Collectorpalms]

It is best drought stress your outdoor palms for winter, so I would stop now. 
 

Potted palms I would keep watered in the warm weather and just protect them during freezing weather. 
 

However, this “California summer” Aka Mediterranean like weather in Texas, my JubaeaxS and BXPT seem to be enjoying. Also both my Canaries are flowering, but alas they are both females. 

[ZPalms]

Is it ok to water with cold water? my hose water is soo cold and my potted washie and cham is showing drought stress but I'm scared to use that really cold well water and I'd love to water them today

Edited October 10, 2022 by ZPalms

[EJPalm05]

33 minutes ago, ZPalms said:

Is it ok to water with cold water? my hose water is soo cold and my potted washie and cham is showing drought stress but I'm scared to use that really cold well water and I'd love to water them today

You can water them with cold water just not around freezing point!

[ZPalms]

4 minutes ago, EJ NJ said:

You can water them with cold water just not around freezing point!

Oh so as long as the water isn't going to freeze it's ok? I've always been scared to water my palms even when the water is really really cold

[RJ]

1 hour ago, ZPalms said:

Is it ok to water with cold water? my hose water is soo cold and my potted washie and cham is showing drought stress but I'm scared to use that really cold well water and I'd love to water them today

Your ground water should be around 60* from a well. My well is 200ft deep and stays around 60-65 year round. 
 

https://www.bradleycorp.com/sizing-tankless-water-heaters/united-states-groundwater-temperatures

[ZPalms]

3 minutes ago, RJ said:

Your ground water should be around 60* from a well. My well is 200ft deep and stays around 60-65 year round. 
 

https://www.bradleycorp.com/sizing-tankless-water-heaters/united-states-groundwater-temperatures

the summer it seems warmer but since it's starting to get cold it seems colder than how it was when it was hot outside, so is it safe to water my palms? I just wasn't sure if it being chilly outside and watering my palms with cold water would put them through shock because I wouldnt swim in the water I give them with it being as cold as it is

[WSimpson]

I have some palms under the eave of the house that I wanted to water in August but never got around to it . Areas ,  within those palms' root zone ,  further from the house , get rain water so I'm not worried about the palms under the eave  getting too dry , but I plan on watering them well one more time  in the next week ,  mainly under the eave areas . 

Every thing else won't get extra watering till warm weather , probably after I fertilize a lot of plants in April -May  . 

Will

Edited October 10, 2022 by Will Simpson

[RJ]

8 hours ago, ZPalms said:

the summer it seems warmer but since it's starting to get cold it seems colder than how it was when it was hot outside, so is it safe to water my palms? I just wasn't sure if it being chilly outside and watering my palms with cold water would put them through shock because I wouldnt swim in the water I give them with it being as cold as it is

Probably because your well bladder tank is outside… the cooler nights are cooling the water off. My bladder tank is in my basement, but I have a tap at the well as it’s code rule in  SC, not sure about NC. 
 

but yes, water away. 

Edited October 10, 2022 by RJ