Sylvester Palm

[bd1946]

My palm was fine when I went north for the summer in May. Upon my return in September, I found that last years fronds had died off about half of their length. New fronds look okay. Now I am noticing yellowing on the bottom third fronds. I have had this palm for 6 tears without issue. I fertilize as usual. I have noticed similar issues with others in the neighborhood, Charlotte. The overall shape looks like a pear. Any thoughts???

[vintageogauge]

My palm was fine when I went north for the summer in May. Upon my return in September, I found that last years fronds had died off about half of their length. New fronds look okay. Now I am noticing yellowing on the bottom third fronds. I have had this palm for 6 tears without issue. I fertilize as usual. I have noticed similar issues with others in the neighborhood, Charlotte. The overall shape looks like a pear. Any thoughts???

How do you properly fertilize if you are gone from may through September? I do mine every 90 days and have them pruned once a year. In the spring I place a full bag of cow manure around the base and cover it with small bark mulch. They look great. We had some very hot dry weather and also some very wet weather. Was anyone checking your irrigation? I had Tree Frog come in two years ago to educate me on how to maintain these and I follow his instructions as noted above.

[bd1946]

I fertilize when I leave at the end of May and upon my return in September about 100days, along with treatments throughout the rest of the year. Never had a problem before'

[karostay]

I add about 2 lbs Epsom salt when I fertilize provides extra magnesium

[Ozzello]

Beware of pure Magnesium, you need manganese in the same amount, and can cause a deficiency by only supplementing Epsom salt.

The problem is this... the roots have entered your existing soil (at a 7.2 pH) . That is too alkaline for the palm to utilize the Magnesium, iron and manganese that is likely there to be used. Used coffee grounds in similar amounts to the fertilizer you use on a monthly basis while you are here for the next couple years will not only unlock the tree's ability to utilize the fertilizer already there and that you apply later, but also adds a small amount of all those nutrients in addition to the tannic acid that will bring your pH down to a more comfortable 6.5 for your palm. AND , it's free.

[Ozzello]

In addition to what I KNOW, is a problem for your palm ( alkaline soil), sylvesters LOVE water. Make sure you have a bubbler on the tree and that it is working properly, and that you are getting PLENTY of water on the palm. I had a problem with Massey turning off bubblers on sylvesters in Osceola a couple years ago, and they will decline into supporting fewer and fewer nice green fronds very quickly and steadily when this happens. A good slow trickle with the hose once a week will show you if this is part of your issue within a month or 2.

[big guy]

Canary Island Date Palms don't get enough magnesium or potassium in our soil/sand. For that you need to fertilize your palm March, June, and September with Lesco Palm Fertilizer 8-2-12 + 4. The "4" is magnesium. This fertilizer can be used on your lawn and shrubs but lawn fertilizer should not be used on your palms.

[John_W]

Last summer I noticed my 8 year old Sylvester Palm was looking strange, the base of the trunk was getting a lot of new growth but not the rest of the tree trunk. I stopped by KB Nursery on CR 462 with some photos of the tree. They gave me website address for the University of Florida Sumter County Extension in Bushnell. I emailed the photos to the attention of Jim Davis and within a couple of days he replied with a response. The tree was fine, and just needed trimming, but the growth was normal.

Here's their website, use the contact email attn: Jim Davis

Sumter County - UF/IFAS Extension (https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/sumter/)

[Bay Kid]

Mine died last year. My fault for bad caring.