Question
Newly Transplanted Pal
Transplanted palm SICK. Dug hole 2X bigger then root ball. Mixed dirt & bag of miracle grow planting mix, set & packed it in then heavy water. Day2 added tsp B-1 when watering. Day3&4 heavy watering. Day6 it looked terrible, branches all drooped, yellow & dry Up. Nursery advice "wrong soil, over watered, cut dead branches". So I cut & dug out around & under root ball about a 1/4 of the soil & replaced with "SuperSoil brand" Palm & Cactus Mix. Keeping top of root ball exposed as it was when we dug it up. Next few days trickled water for 5-7 min twice a Day! Day12 Palm looking better! but still has sick look!
QUESTIONS??....What do I do? When replacing soil it was bone dry except for top layer, Where did all the water go? How should I water? Please Help!!!
Thank you for your Time Beverly
AnswerHi Beverly, You shouldn't mix anything in the soil except for some sidedressing with compost; the roots need to acclimate to the indigenous soil base and some transplant shock is inevitable. I am assuming it was planted at the same level that it was in the nursery container and that you watered it at least every other day for the 2 weeks, for a new Palm needs to be irrigated frequently for a Month (this time of year), so the root ball doesn't dry out, but it must be in a well drained soil base, so the roots don't sit in water. Go to Home Depot and pick up a product called "chelated Palm nutritional spray" and mix it per directions and spray on in the morning, when the fronds are moist with dew, the pores are open and will take in the nutrients directly into the system thus giving it a boost. You can do this once a week for the next Month and it will give the Palm a boost. Nick
