Pindo that have been in pots for two years

[VonKluver]

Sorry about my post I'm old and can't iPhone well

We bought container Pindos two seasons ago to hide the neighbors 

now 3/4 they are looking sad 

what do we do 

larger pots? 

they  are 6 foot tall now from 3-4 foot 

 

cheers ...- Von

[JacoPalmsCo]

I’m questioning if the pots have good drainage. It also looks like it might not be getting the right amount of water. Besides that I don’t know about pindos anyways, sorry.

Edited September 10 by JacoPalmsCo

[Silas_Sancona]

5 hours ago, VonKluver said:

Sorry about my post I'm old and can't iPhone well

We bought container Pindos two seasons ago to hide the neighbors 

now 3/4 they are looking sad 

what do we do 

larger pots? 

they  are 6 foot tall now from 3-4 foot 

 

cheers ...- Von

Those look like 24" boxes.. If you want to keep them potted, you'll have to step them up to -at least- 40 / 50 sized gal containers, which likely would require a small fork lift to move, or a lot of man power, lol.   Still won't look as good as putting them in the ground. 

Even in the ground, after X number of years, their crowns will rise higher than the fence line and not be as great at providing a screen between you and your neighbors.  In pots?, they'll never really fill out enough to provide the kind of screening you're trying to achieve.

[VonKluver]

Thanks the screen is now okay with the fence actually 

as to water - too much ? Too little ? 
yes I think Pindo was a mistake as they get very big I tho k I may want to sell these to someone that wants to ground them 

the boxes drain well

[Silas_Sancona]

15 minutes ago, VonKluver said:

Thanks the screen is now okay with the fence actually 

as to water - too much ? Too little ? 
yes I think Pindo was a mistake as they get very big I tho k I may want to sell these to someone that wants to ground them 

the boxes drain well

Pindos are actually a nice choice.. Yea, they'll get bigger ..in time..  but aren't fast growers like the tall, skinny Mexican fan palms ( Washingtonia robusta ) you see all over the Bay area ( grew up in San Jose myself )  so, if you kept a couple, you'd have numerous years to enjoy them as they grow.. Fruit is edible as well.

Since he is located close to where you are at, @Ben in Norcal should have additional thoughts to share regarding these, as well as other options you could consider, if you were interested in adding some palms -besides these- to your property.  He has a pretty impressive palm collection as well. Might be worth talking with when / if he chimes in.

@Jim in Los Altos is another excellent " Bay Area " palm collector to exchange info with.

I will add, Mule Palms, a cross between Pindo and Queen palms,  are a really nice palm option for where you're located ( really the entire Bay Area, inland areas esp ).. Faster than Pindos, and much nicer ..more Coconut-y -looking- than Queens ..Tougher than Queens as well.  Some interesting crosses another palm grower located out there has done as well..

Again, that is if you have a desire for planting any palms..

As for watering, these do look a touch on the dry side.. To my eye at least,  If watering just once a week, maybe up the watering to a 2X a week slow, deep soak, just to be sure the root balls are getting irrigated. With larger-sized plants in containers, sometimes you can have a situation where the root mass has completely filled the pots and when you water, even if you're providing a good soaking, most of the water can run down the sides of the root ball, rather than soaking through it.

Obviously, more water will be more important when it is warmer ( faster evaporation rates ) .. Come winter, you may not need to water much ..if at all,  esp.  if it rains like it did out there last year / stays cool.

As far as any fertilizing, whether you keep them,  a couple, or decide to sell all of them,  either Ben or Jim will be able to provide the best thoughts regarding a feeding schedule / an ideal fert. ratio to use. 

Hope this helps and welcome to the forum..
 

[VonKluver]

Fantastic! Thanks 

this one here is 90' tall and I love it 

dad planted it at 4-6' in 1974 !

[SeanK]

Put them in the ground. Why wait?

[Jim in Los Altos]

Pindo palms are well known for their ability to grow very large in relatively small pots but daily watering in the summer is a must and feeding with a palm specific fertilizer three times per year is exceptionally beneficial. Any reason why they haven’t been planted in the ground? In the ground and their growth speed will pick up once established. That’s what I would do. 

[Palmfarmer]

Pot up. But why not put a few in the ground? 

They love water. I had some wood based soil mix for mine in a pot. It would flood every other day in the rain season and I would have standing water in the pot in the morning.

Got worried of root rot however it just grew extremly fast that summer. Then the mix decomposed further and it drained fine. 

[VonKluver]

21 hours ago, JacoPalmsCo said:

I’m questioning if the pots have good drainage. It also looks like it might not be getting the right amount of water. Besides that I don’t know about pindos anyways, sorry.

 

15 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Pindos are actually a nice choice.. Yea, they'll get bigger ..in time..  but aren't fast growers like the tall, skinny Mexican fan palms ( Washingtonia robusta ) you see all over the Bay area ( grew up in San Jose myself )  so, if you kept a couple, you'd have numerous years to enjoy them as they grow.. Fruit is edible as well.

Since he is located close to where you are at, @Ben in Norcal should have additional thoughts to share regarding these, as well as other options you could consider, if you were interested in adding some palms -besides these- to your property.  He has a pretty impressive palm collection as well. Might be worth talking with when / if he chimes in.

@Jim in Los Altos is another excellent " Bay Area " palm collector to exchange info with.

I will add, Mule Palms, a cross between Pindo and Queen palms,  are a really nice palm option for where you're located ( really the entire Bay Area, inland areas esp ).. Faster than Pindos, and much nicer ..more Coconut-y -looking- than Queens ..Tougher than Queens as well.  Some interesting crosses another palm grower located out there has done as well..

Again, that is if you have a desire for planting any palms..

As for watering, these do look a touch on the dry side.. To my eye at least,  If watering just once a week, maybe up the watering to a 2X a week slow, deep soak, just to be sure the root balls are getting irrigated. With larger-sized plants in containers, sometimes you can have a situation where the root mass has completely filled the pots and when you water, even if you're providing a good soaking, most of the water can run down the sides of the root ball, rather than soaking through it.

Obviously, more water will be more important when it is warmer ( faster evaporation rates ) .. Come winter, you may not need to water much ..if at all,  esp.  if it rains like it did out there last year / stays cool.

As far as any fertilizing, whether you keep them,  a couple, or decide to sell all of them,  either Ben or Jim will be able to provide the best thoughts regarding a feeding schedule / an ideal fert. ratio to use. 

Hope this helps and welcome to the forum..
 

 

8 hours ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

Pindo palms are well known for their ability to grow very large in relatively small pots but daily watering in the summer is a must and feeding with a palm specific fertilizer three times per year is exceptionally beneficial. Any reason why they haven’t been planted in the ground? In the ground and their growth speed will pick up once established. That’s what I would do. 

Thank you !