Make sure to dig the holes deep so the roots can reach as deep into the ground as possible, below the frost line if you have one. Also, REALLY soak the roots to get rid of any air pockets. I just did the same thing with a trachy 2 weeks ago, as I didn't have a choice. If you normally wouldn't protect it, do so this year. Burlap and christmas lights. Sounds like you really scored with those nice palms.

I will have to get some sort of winter protection plan put together for them. Ususally I only protect really small palms thier first year in the ground (a bucket and burlap over them on really cold nights, or a pile of pine straw). I will have to come up with some sort of larger scale option. I am scared about watering them too much, as I have really heavy soil with a layer of hard clay about 18 inches down.

Very nice. Definitely worth the risk and effort. I would only water really heavily a couple of times, just to get the air pockets out and to get the soil inside the rootball again. I have the same issue with heavy clay here. I don't use the clay to backfill, I use either top soil or garden soil. I tried sand mixtures, but the Trachys don't seem to care for it.

I wouldn't fertilize but I would hit it with some Superthrive if you have it. It will help with any shock. I'd also use some Wilt-Pruf on it as well. Very nice find, I hope it takes.

The plant obviously loved it's prior conditions. I would try to mimick what it is used to right down to the sandy soil. Add sand if you must.

I like the Wilt-Pruf idea for them. Should I be careful to not get it on the newest growth, or hit the spears with it as well? When I first started planting in my heavy clay soil, I had made the mistake of digging huge holes and amending the heck out of the clay with compost and sand. I thought I was improving the drainage around the things I was planting. It turns out, I was just creating a wet bog pit. I had to kill a few things to figure out if I alter the backfill soil too much it just creates a porous area around the plant that stays filled with water. The only way I can help with drainage is to plant things a few inches above grade, and slope the backfiil away from the stem/trunk. I hope since these palms are on the bigger side and have spent a couple winters in this area, they won't suffer as much damage as a small palm from a big box store fresh from a Florida farm.

As long as you protect and as long as the roots weren't exposed too long, you should be fine.