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carsoncitypalms

Washingtonia Robusta (might not make it)

carsoncitypalms
10 years ago

Back in around June or so I was in Valencia, CA at a gas station on the way back to Carson City, Nevada (where I currently live) Anyways while we were at the gas station, there was this dirt lot with a good sized Washingtonia Robusta (Mexican Fan Palm) about 3-4ft with it's fronds. Anyways it was stuck in the dirty pretty hard so I just dug down as far as I could until there were roots and cut it out of the ground with a KBAR. Put it in a McDonalds cup filled with the same dirt that I dug it out of, and drove it back to Carson City, where I put it in a small pot with some Northern Nevada Desert dirt lol. Anways when I brought it back I cut all the fronds off, accept for the heart of course, and over the course of 6 months it has two new beautiful fronds and a third one coming out of the middle. So the reason I'm posting this is because I let my friend take care of it for a few months, and when I wanted it back, she threw a huge fit, and threw the potted palm tree on the cement where the root ball got exposed. However I put the root back in the soil as fast as I could so it was not exposed for to long. After I put what soil I could collect from the mess she caused, I went home and put some more in it. I now have a small layer of bark on the top of the soil, figured it'd be good for drainage. Also wanted to say I just transplanted this palm from a smaller planter to another planter two days before she threw it. I have it in the direct sun light right now and the Temp outside is currently 53F it will be 66F this afternoon, and by sun down I'll bring it inside. out elevation is 4650 ft and humidity is 37% do you think my palm will make it through? From what I've noticed. It seems to be a hardy little guy. I'll post some better pictures as soon as possible.

One last question. Since I just had to basically repot it again, how often should I water it? Because the first time I put it in a pot I watered it everyday for a week. then after that I only watered it about 3-4 times a month.

Thank you for reading!! (:

p.s. The fronds on the pic just look yellowish because of the lighting. I'll post better pics soon

Comments (11)

  • carsoncitypalms
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    here is another picture

  • carsoncitypalms
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    one more. and i'll try getting some better ones later.

  • jimhardy
    10 years ago

    Washy roots die back to the trunk when damaged.

    Do not leave it out in the cooler weather,the sun
    may be good for it but the roots need constant warmth to recover...
    they also do not do well inside so,nurse it through until spring/summer
    warmth and don't over water it,water well (if it drains well)and then let it dry out.

  • carsoncitypalms
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I have been leaving it inside since October when it started getting cooler. Also I must say my palm is doing quite nice in doors, it looks healthier than it did when i pulled it out of the ground in california lol. and the a new frond has been growing quite rapidly ever since i got it in the new planter. As for the watering, I water it once the soil gets dry, by spraying the soil/bark mixture and the fronds with a small water mister with room temp water, every few days, and it is looking blush and green and doing well! I will have a camera soon and will post some more pictures once a some new fronds pops out.

    Also, is spraying the fronds bad for this palm? I don't over do it, just a couple sprays per frond every few days. Doesn't seem to be hurting it.

    This post was edited by carsoncitypalms on Sun, Nov 17, 13 at 11:49

  • jimhardy
    10 years ago

    They don't need the spray-if they can live in Phoenix in the blazing sun
    mist spraying isn't needed (-:

    Sounds like it is recovering-it should take off next year outside,
    the only thing is,they are one palm that likes some room for their roots.

  • carsoncitypalms
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    That is what figured, they are all over the place in Las Vegas and they look fantastic. It is bone dry out there, and hotter than all hell lol. But yah I will stop doing that.
    ill keep you up to date too. thanks for the replys bro (:

  • carsoncitypalms
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Oh and I also have seen around to keep it on the South East part of your house, where it gets sun. So that is what it has defiantly gotten a bit bigger in the past two weeks. I want to get some Trachycarpus palms, there are quite a few that I like. Also some Banana's would be nice too. My only problem is I gotta goto the Sacramento area to get palms, it's the closets place that has them.

  • jimhardy
    10 years ago

    Thats closer than where I go-US mail.

    This post was edited by jimhardy on Wed, Nov 27, 13 at 9:41

  • carsoncitypalms
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    So I just realized a couple of days ago that my Palm trunk was burried about 1in 1/2 under the dirt. The tips were starting to brown, and the new frond emerging was turning yellow/brown. It's only been two days so I don't know if the green will start coming back. But I'm sure hoping so. I know that couldn't have been good for my palm, and I'm sure the new frond probably would have come out by now if the trunk hadn't been burried.

    Sorry the pics aren't very good quality I had to use a webcam.

    http://i.imgur.com/qn7nYvR.jpg
    http://i.imgur.com/BoXE7Ow.jpg

  • jimhardy
    10 years ago

    looks fine

  • carsoncitypalms
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    It's growing extremely slow. Checked for root root, it does not have that. I'm thinking that it is growing slow because it is indoors? I keep lamp on it for most hours of the night, and put it in the window in the south-east part of the house first thing in the morning.

    The reason that I am concerned, is because I cut one of those fronds off very low. I'm hoping that this does not effect the plant.

    My questions are;
    My sister lives in Palm Springs, CA and she said that I should not use soil. However, I came across some soil, should I use it, or should I listen to her? The main question is, Is this palm even still alive? Fronds were cut within the past week.

    Comments: The reason that I am concerned is because at the base of the new frond, it's pretty white/tinted yellow an extremely light green, it looks like it is turning darker green but I guess only time can tell.

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