Palm Trees are brown at the edges

[FredJacobs]

I have 3 Palms in my front yard. On each of them, the tips of all of the leaves are brown and hanging down. Now, I might expect this on a single frond as it dies but not on every frond.

Do I have a sick tree?

Any recommendations on who to call?

[Ozzello]

Need pics, too many factors attribute to this, type of palm, when planted, amount of brown, color of the rest of the fronds...

[big guy]

I have 3 Palms in my front yard. On each of them, the tips of all of the leaves are brown and hanging down. Now, I might expect this on a single frond as it dies but not on every frond.

Do I have a sick tree?

Any recommendations on who to call?

Take a frond and pictures (close up) of effected palms to Master Gardener plant clinic at the government annex on corner of 466 and Morse Blvd (sheriff's station) on Mondays 9 am to 3 pm. I don't think there is a clinic next Monday because of the holiday week.

[The20Percent]

I have been told that as long as the growth/fronds coming out of the middle section of the palm are green, then the palm is not endanger of dying.

[KittyKat]

You must not be fertilizing them with Lesco fertilizer.

[Bonanza]

Anyone's first thought would be too much fertilizer or not enough fertilizer and/or not the proper type of fertilizer.

Only you can be the judge of that.

[jimbo2012]

Take a frond and pictures (close up) of effected palms to Master Gardener plant clinic at the government annex on corner of 466 and Morse Blvd (sheriff's station) on Mondays 9 am to 3 pm. I don't think there is a clinic next Monday because of the holiday week.

They will give you the info, just go there, simple.

[bluedog103]

I have 3 Palms in my front yard. On each of them, the tips of all of the leaves are brown and hanging down. Now, I might expect this on a single frond as it dies but not on every frond.

Do I have a sick tree?

Any recommendations on who to call?
I had similar symptoms with my Sylvester. When I called the county agent's office their first question was "what fertilizer are you using". I had to go to the garage to check the numbers on the "palm fertilizer" I'd purchased at Ace. I had the wrong stuff. They gave me the info for the correct fertilizer and told me to buy it at the John Deere store, which used to be located on Rt. 301. I fertilized as they directed and the tree came back beautifully. The John Deere store has since relocated to Thomas Ave. in Leesburg.

[KittyKat]

You can now buy Lesco fertilizer at Fertilizer Direct, a TOTV sponsor. They deliver.

[kittygilchrist]

Take a frond and pictures (close up) of effected palms to Master Gardener plant clinic at the government annex on corner of 466 and Morse Blvd (sheriff's station) on Mondays 9 am to 3 pm. I don't think there is a clinic next Monday because of the holiday week.

Yep. The research based answers come only from U F trained people. my first response to wilt is to water, as it has been dry recently...but please follow thru with seeking advice from Master Gardeners.

[Ozzello]

Pictures might be ok if the problem is a simple nutrient deficiency and the palm is otherwise healthy and established. But brown tips throughout the tree sounds more likely :

If recently planted, could be an air pocket under the root ball. Possible to have this effect the tree for the life of tree, or slowly kill it.

If recently planted, and the palm was B&B (dug from the ground and replanted) fertilizer can cause this problem (or even kill the palm) if applied before the roots have regrown. 6 months to a year on average.

The palm planted at the proper depth? Too deep or too shallow are both bad.

Did the landscaper 'mound' around the tree? Causes water to flow away from the root ball where it is needed. Add weedmat and stones around the tree 'mound' and it is almost impossible to get the tree enough water.

[Ozzello]

Yep. The research based answers come only from U F trained people. my first response to wilt is to water, as it has been dry recently...but please follow thru with seeking advice from Master Gardeners.

Nothing against UF, heck I bleed orange and blue, but a horticulture degree can be obtained from most any college in FL or the US, and the Master Gardener's program though fun and informative, is far from a degree in horticulture and very light in the palm information category.

My suggestion is find someone with extensive palm tree experience and a true higher education, and have them look at the tree. Not ask a person with a couple dozen hours learning about a wide variety of horticulture subjects and 40 hours of volunteer service.

Palm trees are expensive, the wrong diagnosis could cost you the tree.

[PJUCTH]

I have only had palm trees for eight years. But, in the is I've been here they always look worse in the winter. May have nothing to do with the season but I'm just saying.

[JBarracks]

John Deere Landscapes on Thomas Ave in Leesburg sells Lesco 8-2-12 palm fertilizer only in 50 lb. bags. I only have two palms to fertilize and want to purchase a smaller amount. Does anyone know where I can find Lesco 8-2-12 in smaller amounts?

[Ozzello]

John Deere Landscapes on Thomas Ave in Leesburg sells Lesco 8-2-12 palm fertilizer only in 50 lb. bags. I only have two palms to fertilize and want to purchase a smaller amount. Does anyone know where I can find Lesco 8-2-12 in smaller amounts?

The brand is not important, what is in the bag is. There is nothing wrong with Lesco, but if you really break it down, different palm trees would have a different optimum mixture of nutrients, just like any other plant.
As long as there is a trace of boron, at least 2-3% Magnesium AND Manganese, a bit of iron and other micros, 10ish-2ish-10ish with the macros...your palm tree doesn't care who's label is on the bag, or how much you paid for it.

[kittygilchrist]

Nothing against UF, heck I bleed orange and blue, but a horticulture degree can be obtained from most any college in FL or the US, and the Master Gardener's program though fun and informative, is far from a degree in horticulture and very light in the palm information category.

My suggestion is find someone with extensive palm tree experience and a true higher education, and have them look at the tree. Not ask a person with a couple dozen hours learning about a wide variety of horticulture subjects and 40 hours of volunteer service.

Palm trees are expensive, the wrong diagnosis could cost you the tree.


This is the annual report of the statewide master gardener program.

You appear to belittle the best research-based answer machine in the state.
Not sure why you offer yourself as an expert, but I do know UF trainees are under tight oversight in extension agent Jim Davis, who is usually present with the volunteers while questions are answered and is himself extremely, utterly knowledgable.

http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/mastergardener/pdfs/news/2013_report.pdf

[Ozzello]

This is the annual report of the statewide master gardener program.

You appear to belittle the best research-based answer machine in the state.
Not sure why you offer yourself as an expert, but I do know UF trainees are under tight oversight in extension agent Jim Davis, who is usually present with the volunteers while questions are answered and is himself extremely, utterly knowledgable.

http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/mastergardener/pdfs/news/2013_report.pdf

You misunderstand me. I think the MG program is great as well as the UF Agriculture and Horticultural programs. You said the poster should ask a Master Gardener, not Jim Davis. Jim's credentials are degrees, not certifications.

My opinion is that if Master Gardener's cert. is the highest degree the person holds on the subject of palm trees, the requirements to hold this certifications provides only a base of general knowledge about palms, not expertise.

In no way have I or do I belittle the Master Gardener's program, it does a lot of good for UF , their sponsors, and those in the program. But I stand by my statement....someone with a problem with an expensive palm tree, should ask an expert, and MG cert. alone, does not make a person a palm tree expert.

Could you clarify what you mean by "utter" knowledge? Not extreme knowledge, I understand that meaning.

[kittygilchrist]

You misunderstand me. I think the MG program is great as well as the UF Agriculture and Horticultural programs. You said the poster should ask a Master Gardener, not Jim Davis. Jim's credentials are degrees, not certifications.

My opinion is that if Master Gardener's cert. is the highest degree the person holds on the subject of palm trees, the requirements to hold this certifications provides only a base of general knowledge about palms, not expertise.

In no way have I or do I belittle the Master Gardener's program, it does a lot of good for UF , their sponsors, and those in the program. But I stand by my statement....someone with a problem with an expensive palm tree, should ask an expert, and MG cert. alone, does not make a person a palm tree expert.

Could you clarify what you mean by "utter" knowledge? Not extreme knowledge, I understand that meaning.

Yes, I will clarify utter knowledge. One who would likely be accepted in the judicial system as an expert witness, meaning the person is credentialed with the best available and most extensive education in the field, is recognized as a professional of high standing by recognized institutions, has multiple years of experience in the exact subject of study, and can show evidence of continually updating knowledge from an appropriate program of researched study.

That would be Jim Davis, who trains, oversees and continally updates knowledge of MGs.
I am quite confident that an MG will not give an answer that will kill your palm tree, as you imply.

[Ozzello]

Yes, I will clarify utter knowledge. One who would likely be accepted in the judicial system as an expert witness, meaning the person is credentialed with the best available and most extensive education in the field, is recognized as a professional of high standing by recognized institutions, has multiple years of experience in the exact subject of study, and can show evidence of continually updating knowledge from an appropriate program of researched study.

That would be Jim Davis, who trains, oversees and continally updates knowledge of MGs.
I am quite confident that an MG will not give an answer that will kill your palm tree, as you imply.

I agree that Jim is an expert. "Utter" implies absolute, perfect, complete. I know Jim's good, but is he actually all knowing in all realms of palm information ? Heck, I still learn, experiment, question conventional dogma
Had the expert's never been questioned, we would still be draining blood from people to "get the sickness out".

The only thing I am trying to get across to the OP, was that showing a picture may not give the expert all the information needed for a correct diagnosis. And though I am sure no MG would intentionally give an answer that would kill the tree, there are solutions to some issues, that could kill a palm with some common issues.
I stand by my suggestion, that the OP should have an expert look at the palm, in real life, if all the fronds on the tree have brown tips, and not just the lower fronds.