Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design Re: palms 21Feb 15, 2011 9:59 pm Not to mention they are not self cleaning, dead fonds hanging off them a lot of the time. Re: palms 22Feb 15, 2011 10:40 pm Eager I'm going against the grain here. I think Cocos palms are quite attractive, although I have never grown one to the seed stage. If they seed, chop them off, what's the problem? Cocos palms are not attractive as the dead fronds do not break off they have to be cut off and then its only the frond stem that gets cut off, the section around the truck takes for ever (so to speak) to breakaway. So unless someone actually trims a Cocos then they are always messy. I assume you mean chop the seed pods off? The ones I had in my yard were from 6 to 9 metres tall in trunk lenght (not including the front crown). Cutting off the seed pods at this height is near impossible without cherry picker type equipment. I had to do mine lots of times but going up a 6m extension ladder (fully extended) with a prunning saw attached to a 2.4m long pole trying to cut the seed pods off, very risky. Also the shell of the seed pod is a very dangerous bit of gear in that it has about a 100mm point at its bottom end, when these shells break off, which they eventually do due to the growing and expansion of the humungus amount of seeds/fruit, they spear down to stand upright into the soil below. If you mean chop down a 6 to 9 metre tree? its not a simple operation particulary in a house yard with a house and shed etc close by. Re: palms 23Feb 16, 2011 9:37 am You need to remove the flowers to stop the seed pods from forming. Once they've formed, it's too late. Just like agapanthus, you're unlikely to catch them all on time. That, and frond removal if you want a 'neat' tree, are just some of the difficult tasks you need to undertake when owning a Cocos Palm. As with most large palms, even some medium ones, they're not suitable for a small garden. Wouldn't want my kids playing under one when it dropped a seed pod either! Best left in their native habitat I think. Don't know about dogs getting drunk on them.... Maybe that's just from one of Fu's wild dreams...? Re: palms 24Feb 16, 2011 5:44 pm Kerry thanks for all the info on Palms. Sounds like your’e a palm enthusiast. I have been one for awhile now here in Perth and have collected over the years many types and varieties. I’ve experimented with many failures and successes. What I have found being on the coastal plain in Perth where the soils are very much alkaline and the weather being temperate, windy (both dry easterleys from inland and from the coast) is that you have to find a variety that can withstand all these elements and still do well in winter. The palms I have collected and planted have been in the ground for about 15 years now. Some were from a 25-10L pots in the beginning. As its always windy where I am I decided back then to look for Palms that had stronger leatherley type fronds rather than the paper-like fronds (Bungalows and Alexandras). My choice would definitely be of the Howeas, both Kentia and the Belmoreana. The later is harder to find and more delicate than the other one but is very pretty. It’s a good idea to plant the Bels as an understorey palm. Spindles, Bottles, Hurricanes and a whole host of Chamaedorea palms as understorey. I also have the Triangle and Bismarckia palms. I find that palms with the bluish coloured fronds do best in our soils, even without any soild ammendments. If I was to start over, I would definitely ammend the soil first using Fu’s tips (Bentonite, Zeolite, Spongolite). His advise on green loppers mulch and molasses seems to be effective on my palm groves thus far. I haven’t had the need to feed them as much and found that they are certainly growing better. My tip is to keep the soil moist in Summer and give them a good drink at the end of the week. If your’e starting out try to get palms that are already sun-hardened so that they have a good chance to start off. If they have been growing underneath a shadehouse in a nursery then they will struggle in the first year or two when you plant them out. Kentias “browns” out like this but persist with them as they eventually get used to it and come good. All the palms I mentioned are slow growers as well as well as self cleaning. You don’t want them to grow too fast as you want to enjoy them growing slowly in varying heights. By the way I don’t have any Cocos nor cotton palms… The following were taken from my backyard sanctury where it was once beach sand, limestone rocks and rubble. The choice of the Palmetto turf was a good one as you can’t go wrong with it. R Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: palms 26Feb 17, 2011 9:45 am Excellent Razza - sounds like you've cracked it I love the pics and especially like that you've got palms and kids. Too many people worry about the thorns when it comes to child friendly gardens. In my experience, kids avoid things with spines... Palms are also a great way to create shade in a garden, especially for play areas, and thick plantings of palms and jungle growth plants (sorry Fu!) are a good way to create microclimates in your garden that are cooler than the surrounding air. Perfect around patio and al fresco areas. You just need to do it right and condition the soil before hand as Fu is always telling us. I have learnt so much from him in that respect |