Overwatered Roystonea Regia - Advice

[Mrmills023]

Hi All, I'm new to Florida and new to palm tree care. Please no judgement as I'm learning and just want to get better. I had a Roystonea Regia installed in my backyard about a week and half ago, I was told to water every day for a week, and then every 2 days for a week after that. Around day 5, I noticed the leaflets starting to yellow, I assumed just transplant shock. Then the next day it got worse so I assumed over watering and stopped watering. I have a soil moisture meter that reaches about 5 inches deep and have monitored closely and tried to stay between 40-50% during the establishment period.  So for that first week I did not let it get below 35% - I used a water hose on the center shower mode and watered thoroughly each watering in the morning around 7am.  I think what I failed to check was the deeper soil. Which I have now checked and my 12 inch probe is saying "Wet" range all round the perimeter like 12-18 inches from the base.

So I've stopped watering for the last 3 days and my moisture meter is reading 30% now, but when I check with the deep probe its still saying wet. I feel like the leaves are continuing to get worse but idk if its just lag effect. I've read about overwatering, then under watering and then killing the palm. What should I do from here to get things back on track and healthy. Where its planted is kind of a slope point of my yard also so im afraid the water runs to the backside and sits and is also part of the reason the watering has issues. When it was installed they amended the soil slightly with miracle gro cactus/palm mix, some perlite, and some minor palm tone. I'm in South central florida (10a) in a new development community and the soil is somewhat sandy but seems to retain water and is dark colored. Any advice is helpful.

[James B]

Welcome to Palmtalk!

I will say it is impossible to overwater Roystonea Regia unless you live in a long cold winter zone like SoCal and are overwatering in winter. Even still hard to pull off. These palms grow in 6 feet of water in swamps just to give clarity. If it’s turning brown it’s transplant shock which happens to all palms or if it was in shade at the nursery and put directly out into full sun it could be sunburn. Either way in 4 months it will be happily moving along. Hope this helps.

[SeanK]

Hmm. It looks rather small still. Did it arrive in burlap or in a pot? If the latter, perhaps it was shade grown.

[NC_Palms]

1 hour ago, James B said:

Welcome to Palmtalk!

I will say it is impossible to overwater Roystonea Regia unless you live in a long cold winter zone like SoCal and are overwatering in winter. Even still hard to pull off. These palms grow in 6 feet of water in swamps just to give clarity. If it’s turning brown it’s transplant shock which happens to all palms or if it was in shade at the nursery and put directly out into full sun it could be sunburn. Either way in 4 months it will be happily moving along. Hope this helps.

My thoughts exactly. In Florida it is impossible to over them. Almost like majesty palms. 

[Mrmills023]

4 hours ago, James B said:

Welcome to Palmtalk!

I will say it is impossible to overwater Roystonea Regia unless you live in a long cold winter zone like SoCal and are overwatering in winter. Even still hard to pull off. These palms grow in 6 feet of water in swamps just to give clarity. If it’s turning brown it’s transplant shock which happens to all palms or if it was in shade at the nursery and put directly out into full sun it could be sunburn. Either way in 4 months it will be happily moving along. Hope this helps.

Thanks that’s a relief! It was at the nursery in a 25 gallon pot. Not sure if it was in shade or not it was new arrival when I picked it. Should I resume my regular watering or let a dry a bit more to be sure. It seemed happy at first then one day I measured out the amount of water and gave it 6-8 gallons of water and it was all downhill from there so I thought. But could just be a coincidence.

[Mrmills023]

4 hours ago, SeanK said:

Hmm. It looks rather small still. Did it arrive in burlap or in a pot? If the latter, perhaps it was shade grown.

It was in a 25 gallon pot. Pic for reference when it first arrived. And it gets full sun now so hopefully it will adjust

[sonoranfans]

I will add another voice to you cant overwater a royal.  I have (2) over 35' which I have been growing for 15 years.  More water equals a fatter trunk.  One of mine is near a leaky hose bib and its 30" plus thick on the trunk.  A few years ago we had 23 days of rain in a row in august, royals were loving it.   This time of the year the air is low humidity and the wind has been up, do not cut back on water!  The wind can be very drying in spring.  Also no fertilizer for a new planting till about 3 months in ground.   

[Mrmills023]

12 hours ago, sonoranfans said:

I will add another voice to you cant overwater a royal.  I have (2) over 35' which I have been growing for 15 years.  More water equals a fatter trunk.  One of mine is near a leaky hose bib and its 30" plus thick on the trunk.  A few years ago we had 23 days of rain in a row in august, royals were loving it.   This time of the year the air is low humidity and the wind has been up, do not cut back on water!  The wind can be very drying in spring.  Also no fertilizer for a new planting till about 3 months in ground.   

Thanks for the response! I think I've figured out my issue is actually the opposite of what I thought. Despite the edges of the soil being soaked and "wet" when I measure the moisture rootball close to the trunk I measured is actually really dry, so even though the soil around it is overwatered it seems the roots have not been getting any of this water. I think it has to do with it coming from a pot and maybe the water is running off and not getting to the roots. But I noticed it was getting worse since I have not been watering and started to wrinkle (see attached picture of the wrinkle) and its somewhat brown around where an old frond used to be. so I think its actually thirsty. I'm so confused I just want it to do well. I started to make a probe hole angled towards the roots and water that way so it gets directly to the roots without making top soil soggy. If anyone knows any better actions to take please share!

[DoomsDave]

@Mrmills023 good luck! I suspect you have sandy or sandy-ish fast draining soil where you are. Your lawn looks great though. 
 

Don’t be afraid to water that royal; they’re literally swamp things, as previously noted.

[sonoranfans]

I have sandy soil, I mullch around my royals each year and also added turface MVP to the top of the soil a couple years ago.  I still have to water deeply(at least 30 minutes 3-4 times a week in spring until the rains hit.  Its dry and with sandy soil every non palm was looking dry stressed before I turned on the sprinker rain a month ago.  Happens every year, followed by explosive growth in the summer wet season.   I have found that landscapers set the system for grass, 10 minutes of irrigation.  That wont water deeply around the trunk area, more time depending on how much water you put down per minute.  Also sand is a poor mediukm for drippers, go with sprayers or sprinklers for a more ev3en wetting event.  Good growing!  

[ahosey01]

You can plant one of these directly in water if your climate is always hot and warm and they will be fine.  Definitely not too much water.