Just came home from the beach with 2 6ft. Windmills, 6-8 inches at the base. Hauled home in a U-Haul. Have never planted one in my life. Used chat gp. to help. Any advice will be greatly appreciated. I like things that look like they don’t belong. I’m determined to make them live, everyone thinks I’m crazy, but oh well. I know winter will come, any help you beef them up, and protect them , or any other advise will be greatly appreciated. I’ll have to get a picture of the second one tomorrow. Can I fertilize. Chat GTP says not for a month. I don’t buy it. What kind of fertilizer do palm trees need? In my growing zone here in East Lynn Wv. I’m going to need all the help I can get.

@Coalminer Welcome to PalmTalk! There are a lot of growers here from Ohio, Kentucky, PA, MD, and VA. They can probably give the best advice for your area. Where I'm at, the soil is very different than how it was up in the Appalachians.

Thanks, one is placed decent, the other may take some heavy north winds, I’m going to take precautions, but I didn’t want to plant them on the southeast side of the house where I can’t see them. One is on the northeast side, closer to east, the other is closer to north side. Didn’t want to, but rolling the dice.

Hope I didn’t make a mistake on placement.

Welcome and congrats! Take a look at my youtube and here is my fertilizer guide. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OwRuMSlgPH22p-BiHvdicQ5On0lYe6MZ/view

Here is my Windmill palm Guide as well - https://medium.com/@allensvisions/windmill-palm-care-guide-growing-the-cold-hardiest-trunking-palm-cd529d2c063e

Are some of these T.wagnerianus?

6 hours ago, Coalminer said:

Hope I didn’t make a mistake on placement.

Welcome to PalmTalk!

Generally speaking, it is best to plant palms and other marginal plants along the south-facing side of a house. This allows for maximum warmth for the palm in the winter. North-facing is typically the coldest side of a house due to minimal winter sunshine. If you decide to reposition your palms, do so ASAP. I wish you the best of luck.

Thank you for the info. I had researched and found that out. I know it’s a gamble, but I’m never on that side of the house. I know the wind blows in from the north here generally. But hopefully they live. I may see them off my front porch deck, for how long I don’t know. I was hoping someone had some insight on how to accelerate root growth. I was told not to give them any nutrients for 4-6 weeks. I know there’s rooting hormone, don’t know if they make any that’s water soluble. I know they use hormone to accelerate growth of Atlantic Giant pumpkins, but a palm I’ve never grown.

1st off congratulations on the windmills

They look great.

2nd, welcome to the smarter than mother nature club. You're in the right place. Most everyone in here is zone pushing. All the advice given is true, location and microclimates are key to success. And that being said I have all of my palms planted on the north side of my yard around my pool, you know going for the tropical feel. I'm in zone 6 b so it's half labor of love and the other half idiocy. To be truly successful, which you can do, you are going to have to protect. I mulch,wind a pipe heating cable around the base,then tie up the fronds with jute. Wrap with frost cloth. Next is 200 incandescent mini Xmas lights on a thermocube. Next a cage is built of woven wire and I wrap with several layers of frost cloth. Then I will put some fallen oak leaves into the cylinder and finally put an upside down plastic saucer over the top to keep it dry. It sounds like a lot but I feel it's worth it to have an interesting yard. I'm going on the 3rdsummer for my trachy,and the needle is on year 5. I also have some sabal minor as well.

So long story short plant them where they make you happy just know you're going to have to work a little more for it.

Good luck

N8

Hello, and thank you. I’m pretty outgoing so I will check the boxes on the list you sent. Did you say you cover the crown? And do you put on and take off this stuff as the weather dips in and out during the winter? I heard they needed to breathe, but if they are dead then they probably won’t. Lol

Yes cover the crown, you want to keep moisture out of the spear during the winter. This whole setup breathes between the frost cloth and leaves and mulch. And you could remove layers but since it breathes I generally don't. The palm is kind of hibernating so it does fine for 3 months with little sunlight ( some makes it through the frost cloth) December is when it gets its coat dependent on forecast and March it comes off. Lastly is a picture of my winter setup.

Really nice palms you have there. @Allen is a great source for protection methods for sure. You are on the west side of the Appalachian mountain range from me here outside of Washington, DC in Northern Virginia, so you guys in that region seem to get more severe winter weather. With the right protection, they can do well. But a winter like we had here last winter can really do a number on even the hardiest, like unprotected Needle palms. As yours establish, they’ll become more tolerant of cold. You look to be in a 7a growing zone. I’m in 7b with a back yard south facing growing zone and that is most beneficial for natural protection. I’ve had a Trachy in-ground for 12-years and it’s 13’ tall now and I do give it minimal Christmas light/heat protection at the crown. Still, every winter it suffers frond damage. However, it recovers quickly and I clean out the ugliness toward fall. Hope all goes well and you’ve come to the right place for advise.