So... since I lost my Sabal x texensis 'Brazoria' this spring due to toooooo dry conditions, although I was watering like mad,
I thought I would check just how wet the root ball of my Sabal minor was. >.>.
I dug beside it parallel hole down. Clay. Dry. Deep cracking crevices... Ta-da! There is my rootball. I was worried I would damage some of the roots that have grown out from the plant. But as I get closer.... NO roots have grown outwards from the rootball. In fact soil from around it has shrunken away due to the clay sucking away moisture from far away.

I chose to pull out the plant.
After two months in the ground, this is what I found:
Sabal minor dug up to reveal potbound roots, leess than 5% root dieback in 2 months, maybe 3 to 5 % new root growth

<a href=" http://www.flickr.com/photos/seedscanada/7511619594/" title="Lincoln-20120705-00893 by seedscanada, on Flickr"><img src=" " width="480" height="640" alt="Lincoln-20120705-00893"></a>

and Sabal minor close up of potbound roots

<a href=" http://www.flickr.com/photos/seedscanada/7511621616/" title="Lincoln-20120705-00894 by seedscanada, on Flickr"><img src=" " width="480" height="640" alt="Lincoln-20120705-00894"></a>

Sabal minor showing some growth in past month, I ammended the soil heavily with peat, perlite, garden soil and sand mix.. make it more at home and less affected by the surrounding clay... also created a drainage ditch so there will be no "clay bowl" scenario. I also removed any dead or decayed root material... as well as lightly touseled the exterior roots to allow them to reach out. I believe 100% the plant was just too dry and tooo potbound. Lets wait and see!

Better luck this time! Wish me luck!

<a href=" http://www.flickr.com/photos/seedscanada/7511615028/" title="Lincoln-20120705-00895 by seedscanada, on Flickr"><img src=" " width="480" height="640" alt="Lincoln-20120705-00895"></a>

Talking about pot-bound palms you may want to read the following article: http://www.raingardens.com/psst/articles/palmpot.htm
It was written a few years ago by several Palm Society high ranking members. I have not gotten up the nerve to try it yet!

Really shows how slow palms can be to establish!

do Sabal minors like a high pH soil? I recall Carl using crushed seashells around some Sabals........our pH is like 5.0 so perhaps I need to raise my pH??

Here in S.C. they grow naturally in alkaline soils in the low country and more acidic soils in the upstate. The ones in my yard (Central S.C.) grow in about 6.5. I don't amend in any way and mine are very large.

Thanks for the pH info.
Good to have that important aspect brought up.

My palm potting soil is 6.2 (I emailed them), and my native soil here is 7.2.

Barb

Each of my marked fronds have grown over half an inch in only five days since replanting. I bashed the soil against the potbound roots to make them continue to feel restricted. I have watered to nearly soggy every third day. The fronds have reopened and don't appear "closed up" any more. I feel good about this now.

Oh thank goodness Adam that you caught it in time.
Those photos show there was basically no soil remaining.

I don`t know if Sabals like to be root pruned, but there comes a point (in a pot) where the soil is gone and roots circle forever.
I might have made some vertical cuts with a kitchen knife about 2 or 3 inches long here and there.
And hoped the roots would branch and grow straight.

I`ve had the same thing happen, but with my CIDP, just a mass of roots and apparently I should`ve pruned roots hard.

Sometimes root pruning occurs by accident when a tractor drops the palm upside down...ahem.
<a href=" http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/1519489660/" title="DSC00452 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src=" " width="640" height="480" alt="DSC00452"></a>

I think it`s imperative that we do SOME root pruning every time we pot up.
Or else roots never straighten out again.

<a href=" http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/1519509800/" title="DSC00457 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src=" " width="640" height="480" alt="DSC00457"></a>

<a href=" http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/1519497644/" title="DSC00454 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src=" " width="640" height="480" alt="DSC00454"></a>

gpenny, yes we had an interesting discussion somewhere here a couple years ago about pot planting.
Seems some people take the instructions too literally 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😳

<a href=" http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/6801360666/" title="001 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src=" " width="480" height="640" alt="001"></a>

Keep us updated Adam on its continued recovery.

Barb

A week ago

<a href=" http://www.flickr.com/photos/seedscanada/7511615028/" title="Lincoln-20120705-00895 by seedscanada, on Flickr"><img src=" " width="480" height="640" alt="Lincoln-20120705-00895"></a>

pics from today recovered growth after touseling roots and replanting, 7 days later

<a href=" http://www.flickr.com/photos/seedscanada/7555548460/" title="Growth indicated in difference between the lines by seedscanada, on Flickr"><img src=" " width="640" height="359" alt="Growth indicated in difference between the lines"></a>

and this newest frond had no growth after 5 weeks, see here the growth after 7 days

<a href=" http://www.flickr.com/photos/seedscanada/7555548452/" title="Als week ago this youngest grond showed no growth in previous five weeks by seedscanada, on Flickr"><img src=" " width="640" height="359" alt="Als week ago this youngest grond showed no growth in previous five weeks"></a>

leaves reopened

<a href=" http://www.flickr.com/photos/seedscanada/7555548464/" title="Sabal minor aan week after toedeling the roots and replanting in tightly packed mud by seedscanada, on Flickr"><img src=" " width="640" height="359" alt="Sabal minor aan week after toedeling the roots and replanting in tightly packed mud"></a>

gpenny, yes we had an interesting discussion somewhere here a couple years ago about pot planting.
Seems some people take the instructions too literally 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😳

<a href=" http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/6801360666/" title="001 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src=" " width="480" height="640" alt="001"></a>

Keep us updated Adam on its continued recovery.

Barb

\\

Good one!

Adam, excellent news!

So...watering the hell out of it is probably going to be normal operating procedure.

Glad to see spears moving and leaves reopened.

Barb

Sabal minor improved its rate of growth and overall appearance
<a href=" http://www.flickr.com/photos/seedscanada/7884952566/" title="Lincoln-20120826-01032 by seedscanada, on Flickr"><img src=" " width="480" height="640" alt="Lincoln-20120826-01032"></a>

Almost 4 inches of new growth in less than 2 months
<a href=" http://www.flickr.com/photos/seedscanada/7884954546/" title="Lincoln-20120826-01031 by seedscanada, on Flickr"><img src=" " width="480" height="640" alt="Lincoln-20120826-01031"></a>

So it is much happier, I have better drainage now and I water even deeper. It is planted roots packed in the ground so tight, I bet it thinks it is still in the pot.
Two months ago, here's Adam punching and kicking the soil up against the potbound rootball, "don't die, don't die!"

Adam.... glad to see you have progress with your Sabal. Just one word of warning with the Minor.... they don't like wind. In heavy winds the fan leaf gets twisted on the petiole. Mine arrived from a nursery in a bad state from wind damage

Hmmmmm.... Have to say it looked in better condition then back in January than it does now 😯

You have found the secret of growing sabal minor. Congrats!
I have sandy soil which I added a bunch of compost to. I water mind frequently and I don't get really hot here.
Maybe 80 to 85 as a high most of the summer but I do get really good growth on my sabal minors.
I have one in full bloom right now so I will have lots of seeds.
When I see fronds like yours were it usually means two things, under watering or soil that is not retaining the moisture or signs of cold weather. It obviously is not the second so I believe it was your clay soil.
Glad to see it looking so healthy.