Pygmy Dates and frost

QuestionHere in central Florida, while gone, we had 22 deg. for several hours. All our pygmy date palms are dark brown, look burned. Same for foxtail palms and ALL our tropical plants, even the St.Augustine grass la

Trimming Main stalk of White Bird of Paradise

QuestionQUESTION: We have some 20 foot white birds. They are getting ragged from wind. We would like to trim the main shoots to lower the trees and start again. How low can you cut the main shoot without damaging i

Freeze protection for Roebelenii Palm

QuestionWhat is the best way to protect this palm from freezing temps. I has some damage already from two nights of cold temps. AnswerHi Mary, depending on its size, the only thing to do is wrap the trunk adj

frost damage carnation tree and pigme palms

QuestionHello I live in North Port and all my tress are 6 years old . the frost turned my carnation tree brown and than in days bare. it turns my pigmy palms brown. last night I covered everything but the carnation

Mature Transplanted Sago Palms

QuestionWe just had several mature Sago Palms transplanted - how do we keep them alive? AnswerHi Cherie, providing they were transplanted properly, they are very easy to maintain; for the first couple of weeks they

Use of golden cane palm mulch

QuestionWe chopped down two large palms and had the tree stumps ground to mulch. Can we use it as mulch on garden beds? AnswerHi Sandie,..It will make a fine underliner to hold down weed development, but I wo

Bannana Palm Tree

QuestionI purchased a Palm tree that is suppose to produce bananas. Ive had it for 2 years and no bananas. I live in Minnesota. I put it on my deck, all sun in the summer and bring it in, in the winter.

Croton

QuestionI bought my Croton last summer and it did beautifully until the Fall. Then it started losing its leaves and has continued to lose leaves all throughout the winter. Have I killed it?? Or w

frost damage on plam that is in a pot

Questioni have a palm that i bought last summer it was growing well but this winter we have had bad frost and snow the leaves have gone dried and brown it looks like it has died have i lost my palm?or will it co

Florida plants that got frost bite

QuestionHow should I treat the: Oleander Bouganvillia Robilini (sp?) and similar plants that got badly bitten by the 19 degree freeze we had in The Villages, Florida? AnswerHi Pat, a common question coming to me a

canary island palms

QuestionI purchased 8 canary island palms last year they are about 5 feet high but due to the severe winter we have had in the UK the palms are now not looking to good most of the spheres are brown allough the centr

How To Repot Pony Tail Plant

QuestionMy plant came in a small saucer like container and small pepple rock that seems to be glued. I see no dirt or sand in the container. It was purchased 4 yrs ago and has grown quite tall and is thr

Mexican Palm is is Dead

QuestionI have a Mexican Palm that is about 10 years old. It went through Hurricane Ike in September. We got about 6 feet of water and it is not producing any green frongs at all how do I know if it is d

Banana Palm leaf/frond discoloration

QuestionHello, I am in Oakland California, and am writing about our banana palm that is starting to look a bit stressed out. There is discoloration/drying on many of the leaves/fronds, starting from the edges and w

Stunted bird of Paradise

QuestionHI, I have been growing a bird of paradise (orange)for about 8 years now and as of late last year to presant the growth seems to be stunted. The leafs now are about half the size and they also are send

poinsettias

QuestionCan I plant poinsettia plants I recieved as Christmas gifts outside? I live in zone 9 - Dade City, FL 33525 AnswerHi Margaret, sure you can!..they will get as big as a bush by next xmas; put them in a locat

mango tree growth

Questionmango tree graft area QUESTION: I have a lot of new growth on my mango tree. I cant tell if it is above the graft. I am hoping it is above the graft since it seems quite hardy, but would appreci

Passion flower -- leaves falling

QuestionQUESTION: Hi there, Im really hoping you could help me. I have a passiflora thats losing its leaves, and I have no idea why. I unfortunately cant tell you what kind of plant it is since Ive only had it for

Hawaiian Schefflera

QuestionHi Nick, I have a large schefflera thats probabley 15 yrs old. Its outside and is much taller than our one story home. The freeze really did the top in and all the leaves and most stems have fallen. How do w

banana palms

QuestionHi,I bought my house(in the NW) just before winter,the owners recommendation was to cut the banana palms back to a stump(approx. 6)before the freeze arrives. Now spring is just around the corner and the tree