I will tell you all one thing that seemed to help mine alot in summer,Spray-N-Grow.It's a micronutrient spray,I buy a 20 ounce container every year.I sprayed the pindo every saturday from mid april to late augest.I never used a fertilizer,I just think if I used a fertilizer with that spray it might have been twice as big.I bought Carl Pools fertilizer to use this year.I hope useing both of them it helps it come back and look as good as it use to.

Looks like it works really well. I might have to look into that as well as those palm spikes that laura uses. Thanks!

Im not a big fan of those tree spikes,specially in my hard ground.If you think about it,those spikes only release fertilizer where you put them.You can sprinkle a pelletized fertilizer around the tree in a circle.Thats the way the roots spread out from most plants and palms.Not in just one direction or another,unless your plant is up close to a building or your house.Thats my thinking,but if they worked good for someone else,why not try it.Like the Spray-N- Grow.

What you said makes sense, I guess I wont be positive until I try them for myself, but if they dont work, Ill have a back up plan. Im going to give them a really good boot of fertilizer in april to get them rapidly growing and we will see how they respond.

Thanks and good luck!

On that, what type of fertilizer do you use now?Do you give your palms a heavy dose of fertilizer in spring.Does that get them rapidly growing going into summer?Mabey that would help mine that had spear pull,that way it can put on as much growth as possible this summer.

Nice Pindo Butiaman,

Laura's pindo palms in VB are soaring and those spikes are truely worth a try. Its the chemistry plus proximity.Of course I would not use anything in a soaked ground and wait until your Pindo recoves by July.

Hope this advise is OK to say, I would also not trim the fronds back so much like i see in the photo, these plants use the sun to grow.

I remember that Atlanta was in the huge drought for years, so now that that's over, hopefully you'll dry out some.

I trimed it up thinking I could get around it better to cut the grass.I have since found out that no matter how much you trim up the fronds,they still arch over to the ground.I have now what they call pencilling off effect.I wont be doing this anymore.That was my mistake,not knowing about the palm's growing habbit and form.I've learned my lesson,the hard way!!

I am sure it will out grow the pencil effect especially when it returns to that healthy stage again with new growth this summer. How long has yours been planted there?

I have some pindos I bought in FL for a steal. Even though they were only three gallons I did not mind. They blew over in the cold weather apparently and when I asked for more soil for the pots the manager let me have them for $3 each! There was a big one I wanted to buy, but it was $50 and normally I did not mind spending that much but something told me to go for the little ones and they look quite well!

I have them in my green house to give them a head start for this growing season - do you find they grow faster in warm weather. My guess is they must.

Hey Everyone,

Thought I would add my 2 cents...I do use the spikes and yes I have heard that they do have a harder time releasing the nutrients into the ground. But I love what they have done for my Palms... That is why I also use a granular (Palm Tone) as well as Epson Salt several times a year. I have never had to spray anything on my pindos for bugs or for feeding...They really just thrive on their own. Sometimes we give to much attention!!! Believe me I know that's hard...LOL because I would inspect everyday when I would get home from work!!!

I have heard that Pindos don't like anytype of Copper Spray...Once I had to spray the Sabals with oil due to scale (which had copper in it) and the spray that hit the fronds of the Pindos turned brown...It looked like they had the mumps!!! Was to windy when I sprayed...won't make that mistake again!!!

If I were you Butiaman...I would make a garden bed for your large pindo and clear the grass away from your beautiful Pindo...This might help it out a bit!!! Just a thought!!!

Have a great day everyone!!!

Laura in VB

I also wanted to say that when I do add spikes around all of the palms in my yard (4 pindos, 2 windmills and 4 large sabals) it is determined by the diameter of the trunk how many to use. Let's say that my 12 footer probably gets about 10-12 spikes in the spring. I do add them around the tree (in a circle) around the drip line for max. benefit

Happy Spring to all!!! Let's get the growing season started!!!! Yeaaaaa!!!!

Laura in VB

Dear Laura I have never tried those tree spikes on any palms but I have used them on my fringe leaf weaping red Japaneese maple.They came with instructions on how to put them in the ground,and how many to use.My maple did real good that summer but at the end of summer I dug in a spot where I had put one of the spikes.I figured it would be completely gone,to my surprise the spike had just barley started breaking apart.Like I said if you find something that works good for you keep useing it.What works for me might not work for my neighbor.My next door neighbor asked me how do I get my Lantana to grow so big?I told her that I dont water them or fertilize them,even during droughts.I have them planted in beds around the front and west side of my house,around the foundation.The type of lantana is only suppost to get 3ft tall and 3ft wide,mine were 7ft to 8ft tall and one plant had to have a 12ft spread.She tried to do the same thing around her foundation,and all hers died and dident come back,mine come back every year.Greg that pindo has been there 10yrs this summer.I bought it as a 15 gallon,it was bald and burlaped in a pot.To answer your question on if they grow more in summer heat,yes yes and yes.They love heat,In my area they really grow the fastest during July and Augest,90*f or better.Mine seem to keep growing all year,they just slow down alot during winter.Dont hold me to this but I've read that they stop growing at 100*f.They say not to set out anything smaller than a 5 gallon in our area.I plan on setting out three 3 gallon size this spring also,I'll see if S.E.P.S. knows what there talking about.

I can't get Lantana to grow for me either!!! LOL Good Luck with your Pindo!!!

Laura in Vb

The trick is water it untill it gets established,then after you make sure it is,then do nothing to them.For me the more nutrient poor and drier the soil,the better they seem to do.My sister cant grow them either,and she lives around the block from me.Laura did you get your palm spikes from TreeHelp.com,They sell all kinds of spikes.If your palm is suffering from a lack of a certain mineral,they have a spike for that.I might try some of them this spring,is that when you put them around your palms?You said that you also give them other fertilizer with the tree spikes,and epson salt?I was thinking about what you said about that copper fungicide.My biggest pindo and my small ones looked worse after I sprayed them with copper fungicide.All the fronds turned completely brown.I had never used a copper based fungicide before,I use to allways use a systemic before.Everything I have been reading says to use that copper fungicide,If you have cold damage,I think that stuff hurt my palms,instead of helping them.I have never read that,but I think your correct that pindo palms dont like that fungicide.

Butiaman,

I think that they will be alright...all we need right now are warm temps and plenty of sunshine!!! That will be the best medicine for your Pindos. What is the forcast for your area? Like the other advice that Greg,TZ Jim etc...
keep it dry until it can recover from the trama of the copper, rain freezing temps etc. They are really hardy trees and it will probably pull through for you...I will keep my fingers crossed for you.

I use Lutz Palm Tree Fertilizes spikes. They work well for me for the past 10 years. Spring is when I fertilize with the spikes along with a granular (Palm Tone) you can usuallly fine the palm tone in the garden centers where they sell Holly tone etc. It seems that it has become more available within the last several years (signs of more and more people growing palms!!!) Lutz Corp. also sells specilized spikes for certain deficiencies. I use the green maintance spikes and supplement my trees with Epson Salt. It's the magnesium and sulpher which helps the palm to process the fertilizer. I also use ES on all of my different (in ground) palms. As well as my Plumerias...it gives them a boost to green up and be healthy!!! (I give ES about 2-3 times during the summer)

Hope this helps a little...I know how you feel when you try to do the right thing and then something else happens...it happens to all of us!!! That's how we learn from each other!!!

I am really ready for Spring!!

Laura in VB

Dear Laura,Our forcast is for rain again,it has been raining off and on for three days now.Where do you get your Luts Fertilizer?Nobody around here sells anykind of palm fertilizer,not in Douglasville.I cant find that Palm Tone either.What is that palm Tone anyhow,what does it do?I just found out about Epson Salt last summer,I used it on all my palms also.I couldent tell it did much except on my potted plants.It made my potted sago palms dark green.How I used it on them was I put 1 teaspoon in a a gallon of water in a watering pale and watered with it every 2 weeks.On alternate weeks I gave them Mircle Grow.They grew like crazy.See around here they just started selling palms a year ago,atleast at home depot and lowes.There are no nurserys in Douglasville,there use to be but home depot and lowes put them out of business.They both sell cold hardy palms but no kind of palm fertilizer,or anything for palms.The nearest nursery to me that sells palms is about a good hour drive from here.Thats were I got that Carl Pools palm fertilizer,it was $12 dollare for four pounds of it.I bought that big pindo in Daytonna,FLA.we use to go there on vacation.Oh did you get my email? Im ready for summer to and no rain for a while.Thanks again, Randy(aka butia man).

Hey Randy,

I just sent you a email!!! I'm going to get you a bag of Palm Tone for you...Look for a pkg soon!!!

Laura in VB

Wow,thanks so very much Laura.I just got back from lowes and they have spikes for ecergreen trees and for citrus with micro nutrients in them.I couldent find any Holly tone are anykind of tone.I wonder If the spikes for trees with micronutrients would work for palms?I asked the plant specialist they had and he said they cant get any fertilizer for palms.I told him they sell cold hardy palms so you need to sell fertilizer for them.He took my name and number and is suppost to let me know something.Do you know the n.p.k. numbers on your palm spikes?Thanks again laura.

Hey Randy,

I am sending you some of my spikes...try them and see what you think. Here is the break down of ingredients: ( Pindo seeds as well!!! Enjoy!!!)

Total Nitrogen 6%
Nitrate 1.8%
Ammoniacal Nitrate 4.2%
Soluble Potassium 6%
Soluble Manganese 6%
Total Magnesium 6%
Water Soluble Magnesium 6%
Iron 1%
Copper 0.5%
Combined Sulfer 10%

You can always order on line for Palm Fertilizer...so I would probably not use the evergreen spikes. (That just me!)

Check your email!!!

Have a great day everyone!!!

Laura in VB

I've been lurking around this site for quite a while but never had to post because i could usually find it by searching, not this time. I have 2 well established pindo's that have been in the ground for 9 years. I wrap them every winter. This winter they both took a beating but one of them im very worried about, lots of dead fonds. But my biggest concern is that I was able to pull the two bracts that never opened last summer. Is a pulled bract the same as a pulled spear? Is this the beginning of bud rot? Any advice would be a great help.

Hey Laura, I have had really good success with Carl Pools Palm Tree Fert. Rather inexpensive and does the trick.
There are some guys on the Virginia Palm Society message board that has some great "witches brews" that is a really good way to go as well...

http://members7.boardhost.com/VPSB/

ptownfire,I'm no specialist on palms,I just write on what I have seen or had happen to my pindos.The best way I have found to see if you have bud rot is to pull on the fronds that's still comming out.You dont have to pull very hard,if you do have rot,they will pull out with ease and in my case,my spears were wet on the end.Dont and I mean please dont spray with liquid copper fungicide.My pindos dident look that bad till I sprayed them with it,all my fronds are brown.Pindos hate copper fungicide!If you can try to see in the top of the trunk,look to see if you see green just inside.If you do your probley ok.Luck have it my biggest one is still green inside the trunk.I would still water with a systemic fungicide,only on the ground so it can be soaked up by the roots.Dont douse the bud with peroxide unless you have some way to get the excess out once its done its job,a turkey baster works great on small palms.Two of the 3 gallon ones I planted last spring are toast,one might make it,time will tell.I hope this helps some,good luck.

I have 2 pindos. I live in Northeast alabama. I planted mine in the spring of 09. I live at about 1400ft elevation. My pindos are burned bad. The smallest one I was able to pull the spear out easily. A palm man told me last year if this happens to put onyx in the place of where the spear is. He said he does it to all of his and it brings them back. I am just not sure what onyx is and where to get it. Im sure it is a fungicide/nutrient supplement. Do any of you know where I can get this?

I've never heard of it.I would like to find out what it is and how it works also.Mabey you could ask that palm man,and please tell us.I will see what I can find myself.If I find anything I will post it here.

I looked up onyx, and all I can find is that its a type of rock used to make jewlery. Not sure if thats the same thing that you are talking about, but thats all I was able to come up with.

Hope you find out what it is and dont forget to tell us! Whatever it is, it seems useful.

Good luck!

It's a brand name, Onyx Insecticide,if you want to find out more about it just Google Onyx Insecticide.I havent researched it much at this time,but I found no fungicide.I will look more later.

I have one fond that started to sprout but has stopped, I guess cause of the cold, it's brown but it will not pull out. My palms are pretty large, im guessing 36" round and 8 to 9 ' tall. I have fertilized them this week with palm tree spikes. I guess i will wait for warmer and dryer weather and pray. It would probably cost me over a grand to replace a tree it's size.

If it wont pull out,that's a good thing.What we need now is summer.The sun and its heat that gives us and plants life.This past winter temps.and all the rain we still keep getting has done a number on my pindos as well.I am going to wait till the frist of April to fertilize mine.In my neck of the woods,we are never safe till after Easter.For some reason we have a cold spell around easter every year.P.S. I pray for my palms also.

Praying for palms... God encourages us to talk to Him - even regarding our gardens is fine, He likes to hear from us. I wonder how he will direct you.

Praying is good, it will soon be Resurrection Sundy (Easter).

I pray about everything Greg,and give god praise for everything.I'm praying for a Resurrection to happen on my oldest pindo palm.It's not dead,but I pray it will return to its previous glory.Nothing is to hard or impossible for God.He is the maker of everything,so if he made the blind see and the deaf to hear, why cant he heal a simple plant.He's the one who made them in the first place.I found a Palm Food for accelerated growth,I've never tried it but here it is.1/2 cup of epson salt,1/2 can of beer,1/4 cup of ammonia,1 cup of water.Mix ingredients,put into a container,Refrigerate for continued use.Mix one ounce per gallon of water,feed each palm with 1 gallon every two weeks.I'm gonna give it a try and see what happens.Wish me luck.

While not a pindo, my triple pygmy had of the spears pull out. This is nearly 2 months after the serious freeze here in Jax and after I treated it with fungicide.

I poured a few cap fulls of HP into the hole, and hopefully it comes back. Anyone else had experience with a pygmy and this happening, with success?

I also have a triple pygmy palm with spear pull. It was because the pot was too dry though. One survived and 2 died. I didnt do anything for it except keep it extremely well watered, but the dead ones are remaining dead so far.

At least I still have my double 9 foot pygmy palm!

Good luck!

Jaxboro,I have a pygmy date palm also,but mine is in a pot.It loves water,and lots of fertilizer.I water mine everyday,to the point of water running out the bottom.I flood it with water to keep from salts building up in the pot.I give mine MG every Saturday,and epson salt once a month.It's growing like crazy.I only do this in spring and summer.It's about 6ft tall,with a four foot trunk.You would think since they come from dry climates,they would like it dry,but they dont.I'm speaking of one in a pot,at least that's what I have found out about these palms.Good luck.

The pygmy date is from SE Asia and grows by streams and riverbanks, so they love the water.

Butiaman, thanks for the tip. Where did you get it? Is the amonia is deluted enough for the palms? Let me know if it works.

I am a evironmental safety person at work and please mark the container in your refrigerator as "harmful -do not drink" with black or red markers. Sometimes visitors with kids may drink it by accident. Its really important to do that. I almost drank bleach and died when my mom poured bleach in tea cups to remove stain and left it out. It looked like apple juice to me. Thank God I listened to that small voice warning me to ask first.

I found that on www.ehow.com They have all kinds of things on there from how to make homemade fertilizer to the best thing to use to clean up a spill.It even shows you how to make homemade planter pots.It's a cool site,check it out.I like the tricks and tips section,in gardening.If you have a question they can answer it.

You are correct,If you look up phoenix palms in general,even the ones that live in the desert tend to grow near a river or a good water source.I believe there called an oasis.Sometimes you cant see the water,it might be a underground stream.I've studied just about every kind of phoenix palm there is,because I love the look of any of the phoenix palms,when healthy,that's why I wont a phoenix Theophrastii.They are the most cold hardy phoenix palm.They are one of the hardest palms to find on the east coast,I found one good source but there in Texas,and he only has small ones,seedlings basically,I would love to find a 3 gallon one close to me.Dont take what I said the wrong way.Phoenix palms were the frist palms I researched.

my pygmy pulled through in just 2 weeks and is pushing new growth out.

My pygmy is still in its pot,but it has been outside for two weeks now.It's growing very good,considering that it's in a pot.It has 5 new fronds comming out at the same time,there about 3ft long and still getting longer.I love the look of these palms,I wish I could plant it in the ground.If it keeps growing at the rate it's going,it will be to big to bring it in the house next year.I bareley got it in last year,it's not to tall,it's fronds are so long it makes the plant to wide to get through the doorway.

My largest pindo palm that had brown fronds after a spray of copper fingicide is not showing any new growth yet.All the rest of my palms are showing new growth,they were all sprayed with the same fungicide.I've gave it epson salt and lime about two weeks apart,I check it every day and so far no spear pull.I cut all the brown fronds off,and I will give it palm tone today.I think it's still alive(I hope),I did give it those palm spikes,laura sent me about three weeks ago.Should I water it every day,Any suggestions?I have a dpip hose that's made for trees.

i think you should keep it dry. They like to recover after a cold winter with some dry soil especially since temps for the most part are not really hot yet.

Good luck!

Hey Butiaman!!!

Keep it dry....let nature dry it out (or give it a little help to dry out) from the wet weather.

I just came back from vacation and during that time a Pindo from down the street that looked like it had seen it last day is pushing a new frond...so don't give up...and don't over water!!!

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you R...!!!!

In a few days I'll post a pic of that Pindo!!!

Laura in VB

Hey Laura,it's good to hear from you,I wondered what happened to you.Yea I think my biggest pindo is still alive,it just hasent started growing yet.I planted the VB. sabal palmetto seeds and the ones from S.C..I havent seen any growth yet.I also planted 20 pindo seeds that I cracked the nut on and got the seeds out of them.I also planted 17 hole nuts,that I soaked in water for 2 days.Its only been a week since I planted all that.I had to do some other landscaping,that I have put off for a long time.Plus I have been busy looking for a job most days,I got laid off from my job that I worked at for 23yrs.The company is hurting from this economy.I hate that it happened at all but especially now because there was so many things I wanted to do to my yard this spring.Oh well,I will have to put them on the back burners for now.Mabey all those seeds will come up and I will have more palms than I'll know what to do with.Can you believe those seedlings are still alive,I thought they were dead but there starting to show some green now.Well, welcome back and I hope you had a good vacation.

Hope the palm comes back butiaman. Sorry to hear about your job loss. Keep asking Jesus for guidance and help. I know you talk to Him sometimes.

PS. Yes, keep the palm dry for now. Natural rain should be enough water.

Sorry to hear about your job, I hope you find a new one. Times arent easy for a lot of people in this country right now. Also dont worry about your large pindo palm not growing yet because mine is also very slowly if at all growing at the moment. They are probably just slow coming out of winter.

Good luck!

Hey Butiaman,

Thank You. It was nice to get away...but even better to finally get home!!!

I am sorry to hear about your layoff as well...It seems everyone is touched by this economic decline in some way or another. Keep looking around...you will find something!!!

Glad to know that the large Pindo might pull through!!! I think if you give it time and let mother nature play a role in the recipe...you will see great results!!!

So the little Sabal seedlings are still showing improvement?
I really didn't think that they would last, since I pulled them up in Hilton Head (Then back to VB) and then packed up and mailed to you!!! Unbelievable!!! Those seeds will probably take a while..so let me know!! Also, if you think that the seeds won't sprout...don't discard them, just set them aside. Some of the seeds that I forgot about are the ones that did finally pop up!!

Good Luck...

Laura in VB

Thanks all of you for the kind words,and I know God wont keep a good man down,I'll find something to do for a living.My dream is to have a nursery,I dont see gardening as work.I have been working in my yard planting plants and potting up plants all day long,every day this week,mater of fact I just came in and saw what you all wrote.I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.My dream has always been to have a nursery that specialized in cold hardy tropicals,palms,bananas,orchids,etc.My dads saying use to be,if you can find something that you like to do and get paid for doing it,it's like you never have to work again.Gardening is a hobby of mine and I enjoy planting something and seeing it grow,bloom,and thrive.It has for the most part come easy to me,palms have tested me,I will say.Laura,I cant believe those seedlings are showing green now,they were brown for so long,but I kept watering them and fertilizing and now there starting to show green growth.Today I planted two blue Mediterranean fan palms I bought last fall,I'm glad I bought them when I did!I also split up a needle palm into three palms,and planted them.I also put in a new planting bed with two variegated yuccas and one of those blue palms.I will start again at 7am in the morning with something else.I look for a job while eating lunch everyday on my computer.I've got some leads already :)

Keep seeking and a job will open up for you. I hope it OK if I suggest don't spend any money on anything extra and you will be in a better way to pull thru this economic decline. I find spending too much on things I do not need is so easy to do.

I observe the reality of the recession is that is going to be here a while no matter what the "news" says.

Aman on that brother,Georgia has had the highest unemployment rate in the U.S. for 30 months now.That's what the local news just told on the noon news.30 months,that's crazy.If you listen to the world news,they say were comming out of this recession,I cant tell!!!Im just glad that the palms im setting out now,I bought back last fall or last month.I have never spent alot of money on any palm anyhow.The two 3 gallon butia capitatas that I planted the frist of april,I only paid $8 a piece for them back in march.That's good advise greg,Im really gonna have to watch my money now.How's those butia yatays doing?I bet they love this heat,I was just courious :)

Thanks for asking, they are doing well.

The small trunks look sturdier and I have been giving them warm water on chilly mornings to inhance growth. I learned the warm water trick from the Booklyn Botanical Garden. They use it for the Tropical green house. The water is around 80*. I started using that tip and noticed my warm weather plants such as potted palms love it. Our forecast has cooled off the the 50s and 60s for now.

Stay well and you will be the first person I prayed for on the palm forum:)

My weather has been in the low 80s all this week.I have always used warm water this time of year,because even if the air temp.is warm,the water out of the spicket outside is cold.I just figured that cant be good on palms and tropicals(cold water).Thanks for the prayers,you know I believe in prayer.Have a good weekend greg :)