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kansaspalmguy

Windmill Palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) questions

kansaspalmguy
10 years ago

Hello. I am new to the forum, and I thought I would ask for some advice on my recently purchased windmill palm. I live right outside Wichita, KS, right on the line between zone 6/7. I purchased a windmill palm that is about 4 feet tall. Currently, it is in a pot in my house. I am waiting to plant it in the ground until spring. I have several questions about this plant. Kansas is known for its clay, and my yard is no exception. How should I plant the palm to allow it to drain? Also, how often should it be watered, especially during our hot, dry summers? And come next winter, what is the best way to protect this palm, as temperatures can and sometimes do stay in the single digits for prolonged periods of time...thank you all in advance for your advice!

Comments (4)

  • User
    10 years ago

    I would add some rich organic matter such as humus to the soil and maybe some source sand and gypsum to the area. Your soil does, drain after a rain, I hope. Standing watering is a definite problem with most palms and well lead to rotting.
    These palms tend to resent both great heat and cold, so your summer conditions are important as well. I would suggest planting it somewhere where it gets some shelter from the winds AND the strongest sun. Have anyplace near the house to plant? --Palm roots are not invasive and will not harm a foundation, but will add potentially up to one gardening zone for cold hardiness. These palms tend to grow best in moderate temps so high summer may cause them to sulk some. They also prefer it moist, but obvious well-draining. They are terrific palms though. Maybe the only trunking species that I can grow here without excessive protection. ( During "the Polar Vortex", I just covered the smaller ones with garbage cans and threw some Christmas lights and insulating fabric over the taller ones. And then remove it. ) You will definitely have to protect more thoroughly and longer. Will let some with more experience here, describe their techniques. Good luck.

  • garyfla_gw
    10 years ago

    hi
    I grew up in Hutchinson but never tried to grow palms .
    Had enough trouble with apples lol know anyone locally trying to grow them ?? They'd be your best source of info .
    Funny story My daughter moved back there near Inman
    I wanted to visit her so waited until May to avoid the cold
    was snowing on the day we arrived lol It's going to be tough. How about some wheat or sunflowers ?? lol good luck gary

  • jfacendola
    10 years ago

    I don't have any experience with protecting it from the zone 6/7 cold, but I can tell you what not to do when planting in clay. You definitely don't want to amend the planting hole with any sand or organic material. When I first moved to my current house growing anything in clay soil was totally new to me, I learned the hard way with a nice 5 gallon size windmill (among about a dozen other things I killed) about how not to plant in clay. My initial inexperienced response to planting in clay was to dig a giant planting hole and amend the nasty clay with sand and compost until it was beautiful soil. However I soon learned, If you dig a hole into the clay and change the drainage of the soil in that hole (by amending with anything) you will create a small bog. I have anywhere from 2-12 inches of topsoil before I hit the really dense clay beneath. If I can't buy a plant that will be upset with wet feet in heavy clay, in a size with small enough root ball where I can fit it entirely within the layer of topsoil I have to work with, I will plant it raised. Dig a planting hole the width required for the pot size, but only to the depth of the surface of the clay. Then backfill with the soil you removed, and extra soil if you need to, and mound it up around the root ball (you can use amended soil here if you want) so you have planted into a small hill then mulch. Basically you have made a very localized raised bed.

  • patbatzu
    10 years ago

    Between me and you I would keep it in the pot they can survive low temps for a short time, prolonged cold like single digits is bad the palm will die and if it cant drain it will rot and die. Kansas can see temps to -20 I would not plant it outside, Keep it in a pot and in the summer move it outside and it will do great! Avoid temps below 25 they are hardy to 10 but I wouldn't expose it to that. I wrap my coconut tree that is 25 feet in my front yard when temps go below 40F

    I can't grow a windmill palm here in Florida they die during the summer. mine lasted about 9 months then I had to dig it up. Too hot and too wet. South central Florida is not an ideal place they like a cool but not cold coastal climate. There is only one type of palm that I can think of that likes standing water the lipstick palm love HIGH HEAT and HIGH WATER. Standing water at high temps