Question
If you don't like the weather in Louisiana wait a few and it will change. That is what happened and it caught me not looking. I left my potted ( Small ) palm outside. The trunk looks good but all for a few leaves have fallen off. It is now inside. What should I do? It really looks "sick". Thanks

Answer
Hi Barbara,

How badly your Palm is affected depends on the type of Palm you have, just how cold it got and how long it was exposed to the cold. The foliage is affected by cold the most because it is most unprotected. The roots are mots protected by the soil and pot. If the cold is not too severe, the roots may push up healthy new growth even if most of the fronds are damaged. Unfortunately if the growing tip - to uppermost foliage tip - is damaged, then the Palm is unlikely to recover.

If the growing tip is still okay, then trim off any discolored or damaged fronds as they will not recover. Then, keep your Palm warm, in a sunny location and keep it a bit drier than usual. Do not fertilize or repot or attempt to force recovery. It will or will not recover depending on the damage and it will recover at its own pace regardless of what you do. In this case, doing less is best.

I have written an article on cold damage that I will email for free to you (or anyone else) who sends a request to me at [email protected].


Good luck and please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC