Question
QUESTION: Dear experts:
I have 2 Pygmy date palm trees by my pool. They are each about 2 feet tall and are in 65 quart containers. They are multiple trunk plants.
As they mature I'm assuming I'll need to replant the palms into larger containers or planters. Just how wide and deep should a planter be to accommodate a fully grown pygmy date palm?
Thanks for your site and the valuable information.

ANSWER: Hi James, Pygmy Dates will max out at about 8 feet if given ample root space; I kind of shudder when I hear of people attempting to grow Pygmy Dates in a container, for they need room to expand their root systems in order to prosper, and all but the largest of containers are  for this. Your Palms may be doing well now, but eventually the chickens will come home to roost, and they will begin to stress out from the lack of root space. Nick

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for the timely response.
Yes, I agree that containerized planting is probably the least preferred option. Unfortunately, I do not have much of a choice short of getting rid of the palms.
The biggest container I can fabricate would be 3 feet deep by 5 foot by 5 foot. In the long term, would this size of a planter still be too small for the pygmy palm?
Thanks again.

Answer
..I have to be honest with you James, your Palm will exist for awhile, but in the long run, it is destined to failure; it will not fare well at all in such a small container; the best case scenerio will be a stunted Palm with a limited root system, that is destined to eventual failure. Nick