Help with my sulking Pygmy Date

Cali-wanna-b · Post by **Cali-wanna-b** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 9:29 am

I don't know why, but I have the hardest time keeping a pygmy date healthy. I purchased a 3 gal about three months ago and it has never looked very good. The fronds always seem to be drooping even the new ones that emerge drop and don't open fully like a healthy Pygmy. I have it in a Southeast facing window wear it gets 4-5 hours of direct morning sun. i water it about every two weeks making sure that it has a chance to dry out a little between waterings. WHAT AM I DOING WRONG!!!

Barrie · Post by **Barrie** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 11:15 am

The Phoenix roebelinii (Pygmy Date Palm) is native to tropical rainforests of SE Asia. Replicating this indoors is nearly impossible and may be the root of your palms problems.

Cheers, Barrie.

Kansas · Post by **Kansas** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 11:34 am

Cali, of all my indoor Palms, this too is my hardest. From what I have experienced my advice is to keep doing what your doing, but if you get some rain or melted snow, use that water instead of tap water.
Mine droop like your saying, but after about 2 hours after giving it a full soaking of melted snow water, it perks up like noting you have ever seen.
Also what I have noticed is that little waterings like on normal indoor palms doesn't work on these. These seem to really like a HEAVY HEAVY soaking. I know your not supposed to let the tree sit on a pool of water, but with mine, that "pool" is usually gone by morning or afternoon the next day.
Just some advise that I am doing and mine has never looked better.

Post by **Jay-Admin** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 12:02 pm

Mine droops and looks bad every winter. I keep it in my garage and only water it once a month during the winter. As soon as it warms up I place it outside under my covered patio against my house and slowly move it out in the sun. Looks great by June.

Regards,
Jay

Cali-wanna-b · Post by **Cali-wanna-b** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 12:45 pm

Thanks all fo r the advice!!!

I use the water from my dehumidifier to water all my plant so I am pretty sure the water is not the problem. It has been very dry here so more humidity could be a solution.

I was in Atlantic City at the Tropicana Hotel last weekend. Amongst all the fake palms they had in Little Havana were the most beautiful live pygmies I have ever seen. INSIDE, WITH VERY LITTLE LIGHT!!! I was so pissed, they were beautiful!!!!

Kansas · Post by **Kansas** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 7:08 pm

[quote="Cali-wanna-b"]Thanks all fo r the advice!!!

I use the water from my dehumidifier to water all my plant so I am pretty sure the water is not the problem. It has been very dry here so more humidity could be a solution.

Humidifier water is great. But I do have to ask, why would you be running a dehumidifier if it is very dry there? I know here, the main reason Palms do so poorly indoors is because of the dry air from a furnace. Maybe that could be a little of your problem. Turn that dehumidifier off!!!

Knnn · Post by **Knnn** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 2:33 pm

Might be one thing you want to check once it warms up a bit.

Some of these are sold in the nursery pots with drain holes about 2" up the sides with solid bottoms - eventually this does rot out the bottom of the rootball. (Also have seen these pots slipped into a regular container, so if it looks like you have two pots snapped together you might want to check it out...........

Cali-wanna-b · Post by **Cali-wanna-b** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 4:49 pm

Humidifier water is great. But I do have to ask, why would you be running a dehumidifier if it is very dry there? I know here, the main reason Palms do so poorly indoors is because of the dry air from a furnace. Maybe that could be a little of your problem. Turn that dehumidifier off!!!

I should of clarified my dehumidifier statement. The dehumidifier is located in my basement where it is really damp. All of my indoor palms are on my first floor. The pymy is located about 3 feet from a hot air register. I am going to move it and see how it does.

Kansas · Post by **Kansas** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 4:54 pm

Best of luck buddy. These darn trees are the most finicky, tempermental boogers I have. One thing will work for two weeks, then it stops working, then something else works for 2 weeks.....
It IS however the ONLY palm I have had that lived thru a spear pull.

Cali-wanna-b · Post by **Cali-wanna-b** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 4:57 pm

Best of luck buddy. These darn trees are the most finicky, tempermental boogers I have. One thing will work for two weeks, then it stops working, then something else works for 2 weeks.....
It IS however the ONLY palm I have had that lived thru a spear pull.

I hear ya!! I have two confirmed kills with one wounded.

Laaz · Post by **Laaz** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 5:26 pm

There are many in the ground down here. They look great in the hot & humid summer, but get burned to hell every winter. The key to PDP's is heat & humidity...

Cali-wanna-b · Post by **Cali-wanna-b** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 4:49 pm

I will try regular mistings also and let you all know how it goes. Thanks again!

Craig

Kansas · Post by **Kansas** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 6:08 pm

Craig, just to let you know MY experience with misting a PDP is HORRIBLE. No matter how carefull I am not to mist too much, I always seem to loose a spear. Good luck and keep us updated.

Cali-wanna-b · Post by **Cali-wanna-b** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 10:48 am

UPDATE

My sulking pygmy has rebounded nicely!! I moved it away from a forced air vent and placed it in my bedroom with southern exposure. I have been misting it every other day and it has really responded to the extra humidity. Thanks again for the advice!!

Kansas · Post by **Kansas** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 6:51 am

YES!!!! Glad to hear it. Are you putting it outside (pot not planted) in a month or so?

Cali-wanna-b · Post by **Cali-wanna-b** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 9:29 am

YES!!!! Glad to hear it. Are you putting it outside (pot not planted) in a month or so?

Oh yeah!! It will be included in my little tropical oasis this summer on the back deck. I most likely will not put it out full time until the end of May when our nightly lows average out around 45F.

Cali-wanna-b · Post by **Cali-wanna-b** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 5:42 pm

Hey all!

My PDP is doing great after moving it into my bedroom away from the forced air vent. I was wondering what location would be best for this palm outside. It is currently in a south facing window and gets about 6 hours of direct sunlight. I have been told they need high heat and humidity, but would this be in full sun or partial shade?

Kansas · Post by **Kansas** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 6:46 pm

I was wondering what location would be best for this palm outside.

Cali, just to let you know my experience in hot & humid Kansas last summer was that I put a PDP that actually had center pull in a clear shot at the direct Sun from 10:00am to about 8:00pm, and it turned into my most prolific grower by the Fall.
So I would slowly aclumate it to the direct sun, and then put it where it gets LOTS of sun.
Just my 2 cents.

PalmsNorth.com

Help with my sulking Pygmy Date

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