Question: Two weeks ago I purchased 4 Pindo Palms. They were planted properly in an area that has good drainage. They have been maintained per the instructions I was given which was to water them 3 times a week watering them per the tree gallons (ours our 30 gallon trees). I have ensured that the fronds are not watered due to sunburning and turning the fronds brown. I have noticed a few not many fronds on two of my trees turning brown. Should I be worrying?
Answer: Palm tree often experience “transplant shock” because they lose a lot of roots during transplanting and have to rely on few roots to supply them with water until the new root system is developed. I wouldn’t worry at this point. Don’t trim the leaves. Let them naturally die. You can cut them when they are completely dry. Keep watering. It should be find. ~Susan Brian
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Question: Hi. I read your notes on fertilization and I feel certain the tree got fertilizer close to the roots. This winter was bitter cold (Jacksonville, fl) and some of the tips of the fronds got frozen I think, but now all the fronds have crispy brown tips moving toward the middle of the frond. I can’t tell if the new shoots in the middle are brown as well. It has been raining a lot, but its super dry these days. Should we cut the fronds. It may have also been over-fertilized. Is there anything we can do to ameliorate the problem? Thanks!
Answer: It sounds like your palm was damaged by cold and over-fertilized. Over-fertilizing can kill your palm. You need to water it a lot for a few days to wash out the fertilizer. Cold damaged palms is very hard to treat. Fertilizing will not help. It might take palm over 6 months to recover. The only thing you can do is wait. Make sure you have a regular watering schedule and protect it from cold. ~Susan Brian
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Question: Hi. I have 3 Foxtail Palms that are approx. 15 feet tall. They were planted approx. 3 years ago. I live in Florida and as you know we had a long, cold winter. All of the branches were brown, so we trimmed all of them off. There is new green growth coming out of the top. The problem is, the new branches seem very weak. They will come out and then either fall over (hanging against the trunk) or break off about 6-8 inches from the top. Could you suggest anything that I could do to prevent this? Anything that would make the tree branches stronger? Thanks for your help!
Answer: Sorry to hear about your palm trees. There is little you can do. Since there is a new growth, I think your palms will survive. It might take them a full year to recover. Keep watering and protect them from cold during winter. Florida doesn’t get a lot of cold days but those cold snaps can do even more damage than just cold temperatures. When it gradually gets colder every day, palms have enough time to adjust to the winter season and slow down their process. When it is a sudden cold, palms are not prepared and that is why the cold damage can be greater. If you know that a cold snap is coming, spray your palm with Freeze Pruf. This great spray will create a protective layer around your palm. Here is more info on how to protect palm trees from cold.
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Question: I have a Red Latan Palm. Recently, the new shoots are underdeveloped, turning black at the tips and opening early. The recent fronds that have developed more fully have turned black at the base of the stalk. It almost appears to be a magnesium deficiency or a frizzle top problem that you might see in a Queen Palm. Are these susceptible to the same condition? Do you have any advice as to whether I can try something to save this tree? It is just starting to achieve some size and has enjoyed healthy growth for a few years until now. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
Answer: I don’t think it is a frizzle top problem. This sound like a fungal infection. You should prune infected fronds and discard them. Spray the palm with Bonide Products Copper Fungicide. This is a great product that helps to prevent fungal infection from spreading. If this is an indoor palm, keep away from other plants. ~Susan Brian
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Question: I have 2 palms that are 7 years old and about 15 feet tall. They are not producing any leaves so far this year, by this time they would be going crazy. We are in TX and we had a cold winter this year with temps below freezing for 4 days or more. The wind beat all the old dead leaves so this year it started with no dead to draw from. Is it in shock ? Will they start to grow this year or next, or have we lost them? The trunk and the rest of the tree looks good. Can you help?
Answer: I am very sorry to hear about your Windmill Palms. A lot of people lost palm trees due to cold winter. The survival of your palms depends on how sever the cold damage is. If the bud was not damaged, palms should survive. If the bud is badly damaged, they might die. From what you telling me in, your trees should recover. Since they have been damaged by the cold, their immune system might be weak creating an opportunity for fungus and insects to attach. Spray your palm with Bonide Products Copper Fungicide. This should keep the fungal infections away.
Also, make sure to protect your palm from cold. Since your palms are already weak, they don’t need more cold damage. There are few ways you can do it. The quick and easiest way is to spray it with cold protective spray called Freeze Pruf. This spray will increase palm’s cold tolerance by 9F. Here is my article on how to protect palm tree from cold. ~Susan Brian
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A lot of palm trees die from fertilizer root burn and nutritional deficiencies. To avoid these problems, use fertilizer that has continues release formula, which feeds your palm tree for few months, rather than using a cheap fertilizer that will wash away after 2-3 rains.
I personally use 
It is time to protect your palm trees from cold! To avoid the cold damage, I spray my palms with 