I should add to this that all of my windmills that have spear pull are of a different variety from the only one that dosent have spear pull.Are certain windmills more hardy than others.The windmill without the spear pull has fronds that are more droopy and the ones with spear pull they are more upright and kinda split fronds.

Apply fungicide/bactericide. Spear pull is usually caused by these two after the cold weakens the plant and causes some damage.

How long have your "windmills" been in the ground?

You could also pour hydrogen peroxide into the crown cavities. It will essentially do the same as a fungicide, but is supposedly safer, and very cheap and easy to find. My windmill had spear pull last March, and I applied peroxide, and it fully recovered by early June.

Thats awesome Islandbreeze. I've heard of using peroxide before but never realized they recovered so fast from spear pull. Good to know.

Wine and Lobos. That blows. I hope they recover fast. I'm sure you did but I plan on keeping mine dry dry dry. Covered up. At least when it rains or snows. You live and you learn. Good luck.

P.S. I'm having some wine as we speak. Its the perfect day for that here in PA. Isn't everyday the perfect day for wine? Damn. Everytime you post now your going to make me drink. LOL!

I had one pull on me yesterday, which really sucks because it was its second winter; now, I'll just have to cross my fingers and toes. The other three seem fine, so far. About three more weeks and they should be completely out of the woods.

Jay, my family room is beginning to look kind of like yours. Only with rows of empty pots of canna rhizomes inside. This year I want to get a jump on them. EEs as well.

ps that wine sounds really good, but I've been clean for 3 years now - I had a bit of a problem, ok, more than a bit.

Alan

Not to worry.

Once Trachies get to about 3-gal size, they'll lose a spear for 2, maybe 3 years. Afterwards they'll be fine. Although they're hardy into single digits ºF, young ones suffer at about 20º.

Give them until July 4th. They should all recover.

Would someone mind describing what a spear pull actually is.
I have an idea. But want horticulture terms.

Spear pull is caused by the crown staying to wet. Is the ground draining good ?

I had all my leaves close up and then dry out on a good sized fortunei indoors!The leaf petiole next to the spear pulled out kinda reminds me of baby teeth pulling out when your a little kid its kind of cool in a way but not!I think I over fertilized it and build up of salt damaged roots so far the spear is still intact I ran a bunch of water through it to try and run out salts any other suggestions anybody?

its wine time-

anyways I hope the ground is draining good,but I dont know,I had wrapped burlap around the trunk and then into the crown to protect it but somehow I guess its collecting moisture and they are in their first year,they were planted last summer.I just dont understand why the 3 windmills of another variety all have the spear pull but the other dosent.Im just not sure what the scientific name is for the two.I will try the peroxide tomorrow,thanks for the tips.

Help, I bought and planted this Mediterranean Palm in August 2007. I am curious if it's now dead. Yesterday, I pulled one of the leaves out of the spear and it came easily. I didn't pull any others yet as I wanted to post this message to get some help! Is it dead? The bottom part of the tree has good healthy leaves growing. It's about 6 feet tall and the main trunk part that I care about the most is sick.

Can I save my plant? If so, what do I need to do? Do I need to pull all of the leaves out of the top of the crown and pour peroxide inside? Should I also fertilize the tree?

Click these links to see my tree!

Thanks!!

I would give it some time the other fronds on it look healthy. you are from zone 7 so my guess is it's cold damaged or over watered and sulking right now just wait i bet you,ll see some green coming out real soon.

cactusfreak - If your still watching this thread. "Spear pull" is basically otherwise known as "rot". Its when too much water gets in the growing bud or the part of the plant where the stems of the fronds first stick out of the trunk and it freezes then thaws out. Or it stays wet and cold for way too long. When it rots down inside the bud it turns to mush and when you tug on the partially emerged spear it pulls out. Hence the term for lack of better words "spear pull".

Yea my "spear" pulled on the above mentioned trachy,I treated it with fungicide now time to wait,bummage

So does it hurt if I go ahead and put some peroxide in the crown? Is this safer as opposed to not putting any in?? What is the safest path for me?

"Spear pull" is what happens when the tender growing point at the base of an emerging leaf or "spear" is damaged. Several things can cause this but in marginal zones spear pull is usually caused by cold temperatures.

I'm assuming these palms were planted just last year? Spear pull is not uncommon for windmills after their first couple of winters in marginal climates and they will usually recover quite well with no particular attention. If the palms are otherwise healthy, you don't need to do anything at all except make sure they get good care this growing season. I had a T. fortunei's spear pull 3 winters in a row, and the last time it also suffered massive damage to the foliage (after a cold winter with a low of 7 degrees), and it still put out new growth by early summer without fungicide or any other special treatment.

Windmills get hardier with age--in part because the growing stem diameter helps to insulate the growing point inside--so in zone 7b I wouldn't worry too much about it, now or in the future. In fact I'm not sure they need protection at all in 7b--in warmer climates it's unnecessary and may do more harm than good. I'm a bit surprised that you had spear pull at all--what are your typical winter lows, and how cold did it get last winter?

I have had several spear pulls (just recently) on an areca palm. The plant suffered one day in January when temps dropped below normal...I think we got around 31, but super windy. The plant is still alive, but some trunks all the leaves died and so did the new growth. Many trunk are still fine so I know its not a total loss. The trunks where the spear pulled is still green, they are probably 5 ft tall...the trunk....do you think the whole trunk will die or can I keep praying it sends another spear up.

I put peroxide, 3% grade, into the hole where one of the trunks on my triple pygmy pulled out, so will this help?