Slow growths above 100°F

[MarcusH]

This is my second summer here in San Antonio, TX  and this one is worst than last year.  We're in the low/mid 100s for nearly 50 days with an occasional heat index in the mid 110s . Our yard looks pretty much dried up I lost the fight to keep the grass green in August .  We have 5 palms in the ground,  two in the front which gets the largest amount of sunshine a day and 3 in the back.  I'm going to point out 3 of them , my Wash.Robusta and my 2 Wash.Filibusta. My Robusta( planted March 2022)  seems to be fine still growing but slowed down on the other side my Filibustas that I planted in October 2022 and February 2023 nearly came to a stop . I know they grow slower than a Robusta but could be the hot temperatures play a role in it ? I water them about 2 to 3 times a week for about 2 minutes each . I keep the soil moist.  Any explanation about the slow growth rate ? 

[Jeff zone 8 N.C.]

Probably need more water. San Antonia is HOT and sucks the water right out of anything. Are you sure the soil is moist down a foot or so?

[jwitt]

Let that hose dribble on each palm base for 1-2 days. Water deep.  Your palms are still growing roots and settling. 

Repeat every week during the heat of summer. 

 

Edited August 17, 2023 by jwitt
Added pic

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

30 minutes ago, jwitt said:

dribble on each palm base for 1-2 days

This is spot on , my BxLytoWedd is absolutely loving this weather and has doubled if not tripped in size this growing season. 

T J 

[Xenon]

My highs have been in 101-107F range since mid July (106F today again ugh) and "full sun" stuff like Sabal spp. and queen palm are still growing. The Sabal just lap up the heat and might actually be growing faster?! The queen gets water every other day while a Sabal casuarium and S. guatemalensis out front in full 100% blasting sun get water once a week. 

OTOH, the tropical stuff in shade is CRISPY. The Chamebyronia was looking fine a month ago and is now 70% crispy crispy, Cyphophoenix 50% burn.....this heat is ridiculous. Please rain! 

[MarcusH]

Well I just checked the soil and it's kind of dry down there.  I couldn't get my meter all the way down but when I pulled it out there was no soil on the metal stick either that explains it all.  I would  assume I don't water long enough . I'm going to deep water more . Our backyard also gets more sun now, grass is all drying up. One of my Filibusta shows some yellowing on the leafs I already cut down 2 fronds and I assumed it came from the sprinkler when the water came down on the palm from above.  That yellowing stopped.  Maybe just old fronds?  The other one gets less sun at the moment and looks perfectly fine.  Sunburn ? I just don't want to overwater it and cause of root rot . I'm not an expert that's why I ask for advice . I can only assume what I do wrong when researching but am I assuming right ? How long do you guys deep water your palms and what method do you use ? When i put my hose down at the base it only gets a quarter of the area wet .

[MarcusH]

2 minutes ago, MarcusH said:

Well I just checked the soil and it's kind of dry down there.  I couldn't get my meter all the way down but when I pulled it out there was no soil on the metal stick either that explains it all.  I would  assume I don't water long enough . I'm going to deep water more . Our backyard also gets more sun now, grass is all drying up. One of my Filibusta shows some yellowing on the leafs I already cut down 2 fronds and I assumed it came from the sprinkler when the water came down on the palm from above.  That yellowing stopped.  Maybe just old fronds?  The other one gets less sun at the moment and looks perfectly fine.  Sunburn ? I just don't want to overwater it and cause of root rot . I'm not an expert that's why I ask for advice . I can only assume what I do wrong when researching but am I assuming right ? How long do you guys deep water your palms and what method do you use ? When i put my hose down at the base it only gets a quarter of the area wet .

 

[MarcusH]

1 hour ago, Xenon said:

My highs have been in 101-107F range since mid July (106F today again ugh) and "full sun" stuff like Sabal spp. and queen palm are still growing. The Sabal just lap up the heat and might actually be growing faster?! The queen gets water every other day while a Sabal casuarium and S. guatemalensis out front in full 100% blasting sun get water once a week. 

OTOH, the tropical stuff in shade is CRISPY. The Chamebyronia was looking fine a month ago and is now 70% crispy crispy, Cyphophoenix 50% burn.....this heat is ridiculous. Please rain! 

My carna lilies and musa basjoo are all crisp . Barely surviving but I can't keep up with the watering it's too much . 

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

2 hours ago, Xenon said:

Please rain!

Yes fortunately I'm on well water so I can water without breaking the bank. @MarcusH Alot of the time I'll slow drip the hose and wait for the water to run off knowing that the whole root ball has gotten water. Sometimes I don't have the time and try to guesstimate what 1 to 2g of water looks like. The longer you get to know your palms and there needs you won't even need the soil meter. I worry more about root rot in the winter months like Jan-Feb those months I never supplement watering. 

T J 

[MarcusH]

5 minutes ago, OC2Texaspalmlvr said:

Yes fortunately I'm on well water so I can water without breaking the bank. @MarcusH Alot of the time I'll slow drip the hose and wait for the water to run off knowing that the whole root ball has gotten water. Sometimes I don't have the time and try to guesstimate what 1 to 2g of water looks like. The longer you get to know your palms and there needs you won't even need the soil meter. I worry more about root rot in the winter months like Jan-Feb those months I never supplement watering. 

T J 

What kind of drip system do you recommend ? 

[MattInRaleigh]

1 hour ago, MarcusH said:

My carna lilies and musa basjoo are all crisp . Barely surviving but I can't keep up with the watering it's too much . 

If your palms are all in a particular area, you could consider adding drip irrigation with a timer connected to your hose bib. This would have a similar effect to the hose trickling but more efficient and have better water distribution.

 

In NC, drip irrigation has been working well for me with both young potted palms and those planted last year, though we haven’t had a high above 100F yet.

[Xenon]

31 minutes ago, OC2Texaspalmlvr said:

Yes fortunately I'm on well water so I can water without breaking the bank.

And for more sensitive stuff, well water (or even worse, city water) will drive up the pH and cause all sorts of issues like nutrient lockout, salt burn, hydrophobic surface crust from the minerals, etc. I'm out of stored rain water, can't apply anymore sulfur, and can't use acidifying fertilizer in this heat 😭. Currently on life support lol 

[MarcusH]

9 minutes ago, Xenon said:

And for more sensitive stuff, well water (or even worse, city water) will drive up the pH and cause all sorts of issues like nutrient lockout, salt burn, hydrophobic surface crust from the minerals, etc. I'm out of stored rain water, can't apply anymore sulfur, and can't use acidifying fertilizer in this heat 😭. Currently on life support lol 

We only have city water.  It stopped raining in May I haven't seen much rain since then . I think it downpoured twice during that time but that's it . We're in a stage 3 to 4 drought again and the lack of clouds aren't really helping. The vegetation is praying for a cold frond that brings in some rain. Our rivers are drying up in some cases zero flow at certain areas . Supposed to be 107°F in the afternoon.  At least your humidity level in Houston is higher than ours . San Antonio looks brown all over the place only native trees seem to be fine.  

[Xenon]

4 minutes ago, MarcusH said:

The vegetation is praying for a cold frond that brings in some rain. Our rivers are drying up in some cases zero flow at certain areas . 

A tropical wave is coming next week..honestly wouldn't mind a minor storm either. Cold front? no no no, leave that for winter! Tropical inflow and afternoon thunderstorms is classic summer pattern here (usually). I get a lot hotter than Houston being this far west and actually average more annual rainfall than Tampa (was there a few weeks ago) but seems like neither there or here is getting much rain. 

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

1 hour ago, MarcusH said:

What kind of drip system do you recommend ? 

BB store brand with a 5gph dripper , currently 5 of my palms are on it and it's basically for convenience. If you want run your water hose at a trickle and let it soak in for an hour per palm. Any kind of run off and you know your palm is saturated. 

 

33 minutes ago, Xenon said:

And for more sensitive stuff, well water

I'm glad you brought that up cause my water is so alkaline im starting to worry the negative effects of it. I'll keep that for another thread haha 

T J 

[MarcusH]

41 minutes ago, Xenon said:

A tropical wave is coming next week..honestly wouldn't mind a minor storm either. Cold front? no no no, leave that for winter! Tropical inflow and afternoon thunderstorms is classic summer pattern here (usually). I get a lot hotter than Houston being this far west and actually average more annual rainfall than Tampa (was there a few weeks ago) but seems like neither there or here is getting much rain. 

Speaking of colder weather some experts already predicting a colder than average winter . I hope not another big freeze with ice and snow.  

[Tom in Tucson]

11 hours ago, MarcusH said:

 

I grow 2 pure W. filifera. I water them well with utility water 2 to 3 times a week. They are in full sun all day long. Because we had the hottest and driest July on record, my true desert palms have some scorched and yellow leaves. It's hard to believe. There are 2 Sabal uresana on either side of them that receive the same amount of sun and water, and they don't look real happy, but their doing fine. I have to also add, that the Washys are several years younger, so it's probably not a fair comparison.  

Hi 109˚, Lo 75˚

[ChicagoPalma]

8 hours ago, MarcusH said:

Speaking of colder weather some experts already predicting a colder than average winter . I hope not another big freeze with ice and snow.  

you guys will get some nice needed rain showers as tropical storms are becoming more prominent

[MarcusH]

15 hours ago, ChicagoPalma said:

you guys will get some nice needed rain showers as tropical storms are becoming more prominent

They will all pass by San Antonio we just don't get lucky.  

[MarcusH]

15 hours ago, Tom in Tucson said:

I grow 2 pure W. filifera. I water them well with utility water 2 to 3 times a week. They are in full sun all day long. Because we had the hottest and driest July on record, my true desert palms have some scorched and yellow leaves. It's hard to believe. There are 2 Sabal uresana on either side of them that receive the same amount of sun and water, and they don't look real happy, but their doing fine. I have to also add, that the Washys are several years younger, so it's probably not a fair comparison.  

Hi 109˚, Lo 75˚

Yesterday temps went up to 108° with clear blue sky . I think my Filibustas aren't fully established yet makes them less tough .  I deep watered all my palms yesterday so let's see what happens . I'm not worried some people just plant palms and don't take care of them and they still manage to survive in this climate .