How to Grow Trachycarpus Fortunei Palm Trees in Pots & Containers
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- Опубликовано: 23 июл 2024
- In this video I look at whether you can grow Trachycarpus Fortunei palm trees in pots and containers and a few different planting and care tips for how to keep them growing as well as possible while potted (good compost, watering and feeding advice etc.) This advice may also be applicable to other palms you can grow in the UK. As mentioned in the video, please find links to the large tubs and some of the fertlisers I use below (these are on Amazon but they are available elsewhere):
Palm Focus Fertiliser (Not the cheapest but I use this over Summer for some of my potted palms): amzn.to/3l2932r
6x Chicken Manure Pellets 20kg Sack (I use these all over the garden!): amzn.to/3t1Fhhh
Blood Fish & Bone Fertiliser 25kg Sack (again, very helpful for use all over the garden): amzn.to/2N2aH7M
Heavy Duty Plastic Pots 50lt: amzn.to/3t5830y
Heavy Duty Plastic Pots up to 125 / 130lt: amzn.to/3eq0Fsr
If you've enjoyed my content and would like to say thanks for the price of a coffee then please head over to my Ko-fi, any kind donations would be appreciated and put towards creating more exciting content (or treats for Max if you wish!): ko-fi.com/georgesjunglegarden
Thanks,
George 
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Another good tip is to really thoroughly water the pot 3-4 times in a row once or twice a year to avoid calcium buildup (if you don’t use rainwater) great video
Thanks Martin, that’s a great tip, I’ll pin your post to the top of the comments 👍
Yeah but re-feed afterwards 'cos you just washed all the feed out..
@@tedscott1478 You can do, I’d probably do it as a back end of the year thing then it’s not too critical 👍
I keep fish ,two six ft by two ft by two ft tropical fish tanks and two fish ponds one metre deep and two metres by two metres each side of my garden and when I do any water changes ,I put the water on my palms ,I add some seaweed fertilizer with it and my plants growth is crazy ! ! !
@@leemaharg3788 I bet they absolutely love it, a great source of nutrients!
Thanks George. I am a very late comer to this party but your work is really helpful to me and I am sure many others.
Due to circumstances I won't relate I have needed to totally reboot my garden and think again. You are an inspiration and even in a very shady damp plot I am determined to make a tropical garden. Including palms of course
Hi Douglas and thank you for your kind words, apologies for my delayed reply. I've actually got another garden tour coming up this weekend from a small shady garden which has lots of lovely planting ideas you'll hopefully find helpful!
Awesome content George, appreciate all the time and effort you're putting into this series :)
Thanks Jon, that's great to hear! I wasn't sure if the ones with just me talking would be interesting enough but the original slideshow ones took FOREVER to put together so with these I've got more time to plan topics out and improve other aspects of the videos. I appreciate the feedback!
@@GeorgesJungleGarden Mate these videos are awesome. When cutting to still and keeping audio seamless over the top, you got skills!! Really like the style and information, perfect.
I got 2x trachycarpus palms from Nigel today, absolutely love them. Might get a few more but he's run out of stock!
Keep up the awesome videos, you're inspiring me with my garden this year.
@@jonmold6574 Thanks Jon, that’s amazing! I appreciate it. Great news on your Trachys, they’re always good plants from there! Im sure they’ll be getting more stock in soon but it’ll probably sell out quickly. As for the editing, there’s a mixer function which lets you put images over videos so it’s not as complex as you might expect, it takes me long enough though as I’m still learning it 😂 I bet you’re looking forward to spring as much as me now!
Very informative. So many good tips that can be applicable to pot culture in general.
Thank you! That’s true! I make a more general video on pot culture but decided to do one of Trachycarpus as I see them asked about a lot specifically and obviously they have different fertiliser requirements to say a banana plant.
Thanks George for another great video. Super helpful as always.
Thank you very much, I appreciate it!
Really enjoying the video's and all the information that goes with them. Excellent.
Thanks again, it's awesome to hear they're appreciated big guy!
Wow! Mine has been in the same pot for two decades !!! Tomorrow, I'll smash the (beautiful) pot and put the plant in the ground.
Completely up to you Brian but I guarantee if you've got the right spot for it the growth will be like nothing it's done before!
@@GeorgesJungleGarden Well, I owe you a debt of gratitude. I love bulbous pots but once the plant is established, it ain't coming out easily. A 3lb lump hammer did the trick. Wow! The roots, unsurprisingly, did more laps than an F1 car at Silverstone, but worse, an enormous ants nest dominated the entire system. Had I not discovered this, the tree was on borrowed time. Two hours with a hose, and innumerable bites as I loosened the roots, but she's now interred in well rotted farmyard manure. Thank you so much.
@@brianfreeman8290 Excellent Brian and whilst it may have seemed destructive I’m sure you did the right thing at the right time! Give it time to settle in but I’m sure it’ll grow so much better for you now!
Great video with tons of information. love your enthuisiasm
Thanks Ann, that’s kind of you to say 😃
Very helpful for a newbie like me. Super informative n well explained!
Thanks Ammara, that’s great! I hope 2021 is a great gardening year for you!
Great information! I have several Trachycarpus in pots, and I can verify all this information as absolutely correct!
Thank you very much, I’m pleased you think so! 😃 Happy growing this year!
Excellent excellent info here. Covering both potted and in ground trachy care is very helpful to a broad audience. Well done 👍🏼 🌴
Thanks, that’s appreciated! 😃
Thank you so much for your tips and for taking the time to share!
Thanks again! Do you have any in containers?
@@GeorgesJungleGarden yes I have all potted ones, have 4 in varying sizes and I am gobsmacked to admit after watching your fab video that by some miracle they are thriving (well still alive.... 😂😂😂) after many years on my total neglect! I will remedy this though with feed, extra watering and some top up soil this spring. Thanks for putting me right 😀
@@emmagunston446 Haha don’t worry, it’s not black and white! I do mention in other videos that they are very tough plants and the truth is they can survive a lot of neglect (/occasional love!). I just wanted to put a guide together based on how I’d ideally look after them, but the steps you’ve mentioned will certainly get them looking healthier in spring!
Ordered a batch of Trach Fortunei seeds, got 5 Washie Robusta seeds in soil, thanks for the great advice 👍⭐
Nice one, thanks, they both germinate very easily!
Great info, thanks.
Thank you very much, I'm pleased you got something from it.
Excellent information many thanks..
Thank you very much Iain!
Thanks again for another informative video great for a newbie like myself to get perspective on what’s possible. Really look forward to your feed🤩
Thanks, that’s great to hear! Are there any subjects that you haven’t found a video on or would like to see covered? 😃
@@GeorgesJungleGarden it’s hard to say as a newbie, I’m keen on anything about increasing my plants either cuttings/seed/division and good choices for beginners, you may have covered some of these but still watching your back catalogue 😃
@@Bee-io3id No worries, thanks for the ideas! I won’t be sowing that many seeds this spring but I’ll hopefully have a greenhouse in place by next spring and loads more options!
@@GeorgesJungleGarden That’s great hopefully I’ll be in the same position and will also have a greenhouse👏
@@Bee-io3id Amazing, fingers crossed 🤞😃
lots of useful information so thank you.We have one in our garden which I bought about 15 years ago which is amazing. I bought about 30 2 leaf ones last year and another 30 this year online just to see if I could bring them on ok. So far not too bad but I know it's going to take a few years;,.
Great work and I hope they do well for you! I find they take around 3 years to start looking palm like but they'll soon get there!
Yes - great timing 👍🏻👌🏼
Awesome, have you just picked a new one up? I'm living through other people's plant purchases currently haha!
@@GeorgesJungleGarden I just bought a new pot as my red star cordyline seems to be gaining quite a little trunk to it, so I’m due to repot for spring. Also got a little trachy nova that I recently potted. I do have a fear that if I put most in the ground, if I move in 10 years I’ll want to dig them out 😂🥲
@@ARW.7 Nice one, yes, definitely worth repotting the cordyline. Some plants will handle the potential move well, others not, so probably best to keep them potted if that's the plan! 10 years is a long time though!
@@GeorgesJungleGarden
Yeah. Tricky bit is my garden isn’t exactly massive and I like palms in pots on the deck. But agreed, most will have to go in the ground sooner rather than later. Can always dig them up right? 🤔😐🥴
Thank you so much for your advice.
Thank you very much for watching Karen!
Hi George
I planted this Palm about 3 months ago and it's not going well! It's in a large pot but I think I underwatered it as the tips went brown and the summer in Spain was very hot. I increased the waterering to 2/3 a week with alot of water and I fed it with an a fertilizer for palms. After a couple of weeks the leaves went browner, new leaves didn't have stems, and afids appeared. So I have got rid of the afids, and cut back on the water to 1 a week and it has cooled down temperature wise.
I am confused as to how much water I should give and how often. Also what should I do to the new leaves that don't have a stem. I really don't think it is dying but just struggling. Please help. I can send photos if needed! thank you!
@@karenmoore7568 Hi Karen, it sounds like a plant that's recovering from shock, that could be the result of previous underwatering like you say. The stunted leaves and presence of aphids point towards this BUT all is not lost and I'm sure the palm will do better now it's cooler. As long as you have drainage holes and the plant isn't sat in water, it's honestly hard to overwater Trachycarpus, especially from April to October. It's hard to say for definite but a few times a week sounds about right as a general guide, you don't want them to completely dry out. I'd personally up the watering and give it more time to recover.
@@GeorgesJungleGarden Thank you, I will make sure it doesn't dry out for sure. Yes it has plenty of drainage holes so not sat in water.
I hate to see it struggling and hopefully it will recover 🙂
Thanks super informative.
Thanks Alex, that’s great to hear 😃
I've bought a few big palms, Fortuneii, Waggie etc. because I'm too old to wait for them to grow and I like to see tall palms, I didn't want to plant them in the ground and lose the height of the pot from the overall palm. So what I did was to buy some very big attractive pots of ironstone and terracotta and cut the bottoms out with an angle grinder. I potted the palms up in these, this way I get the overall height and the palm can get its roots in the ground quickly. They look quite good too.
That’s a great idea then, I’ve seen it done before. I’ve not got anything against people buying bigger plants and I know that a lot of the time having instant impact is important. Essentially you’ve created a small raised bed and the plants should be happier for a lot longer than those fully contained in pots 👍
One option ive used before is to bury your pot .saves it getting cooked in the summer and frozen in the winter .also helps them from getting blown over.😀
That’s a good shout, as long as you have the ground space and they don’t root through the holes!
Yours look really good, I’m going to plant mine in a similar way to block out a neighbor
Thanks, they'll look cool I'm sure!
Great video, very informative. Could you do a video on canary palms been planted in pots? Thanks
Thank you! I'll get that on the list thanks! (Although between you and me the advice would mainly be the same but with more emphasis on winter protection...)
Decent video thumbs up from me👍🏻
Thank you very much Gary, I appreciate it!
Perfect timing, I have a half whiskey barrel I’m intending on putting a trachycarpus in 😳
Nice one Harold, yes it’ll be fine and look great in there for a good few years!
@@GeorgesJungleGarden and thanks to you will have john innes loam and not asda multi haha
@@haroldbetterson1877 It’s heavier but loads better!
Great video as always. What are your thoughts on adding polystyrene to the bottom of pots to help with 1: using less soil, 2: making them lighter to move and 3: helping with drainage?
Heard a few people mention in the past how it’s a great hack to reduce those points above RE weight or amount of soil used? I’ve done it in the past but I should imagine it’s not great reducing the amount of soil/nutrients for the roots..
Cheers! I've seen it done before but to be honest for palms etc I probably wouldn't, I'd just get a smaller pot, look at a plastic pot instead of clay and use coir as when it dries out, it's loads lighter than soil. There is the other reason you mentioned plus the mess when it comes to repotting and also, a more top heavy plant wouldn't be ideal in the wind if the pot is already on the small size for the plant. I suppose you could add perlite to the soil mix? Personally I've never had any issues with drainage for Trachycarpus and anything that improves drainage means more watering in summer ; )
Hi mate nice video love the garden! Just wondering why the young trachy you shown had the floppy leaves. I have some small trachys and one with a foot of trunk and the leaves stick out firm. Im new to growing things and want to avoid getting floppy leaves. I thought it only happened on large leaves but i have seen a few young trachys with floppy leaves now
Hi and thank you very much! This plant isn’t the most healthy but I don’t think floppy leaves on Trachycarpus - fortunei especially - means that there’s something wrong with them as such, it can indicate they’re in more exposed locations. It’s perfectly natural for the plant to appear to have stiffer leaves as they first come out or on younger plants but appear to be more floppy as they become more horizontal. It sounds like you’ve got some healthy plants, keep doing what you’re doing. In all honesty fortunei leaves rarely look ‘perfect’ but a healthy plant is still a spectacular sight. Trachycarpus wagnerianus is the one I’d recommend if having firm and wind resistant leaves, you’ll see some examples on other videos on my channel.
Have you got any videos on heat mats and heated propagators? Have some tropical seeds that need higher temps for germinating but having a hard time choosing a cost effective heated propagator or heat mat. Thanks.
Hi Shane, unfortunately not as I don’t own enough different ones to give a balanced overview. I use a Vitopod but they aren’t a budget option. Heating mats are definitely costs effective and I’ve heard of people making their own propagators for them out of clear plastic boxes. The Vitipod goes up to 30 degrees, I think jungle seeds sell one that goes to 40 if it’s the real high temperatures you need.
Very informative video - thank you. I bought a new house that is being built. Suppose to be done early spring, but looking more like late spring/early summer now. I am in the Pacific Northwest which although it is famous for it's rain, it gets VERY dry in the summer. In fact, we are classified as a Csb climate according to the Koppen classification system which basically means, it is a hybrid of oceanic climates (like the UK) and Mediterranean climates. Would you recommend planting them that late? (Just water them like crazy) OR, given that winters are relatively mild, would you wait until September? OR keep them in pots for another year and plant them early spring the following year?
Thanks Daniel! Interesting... Personally I’d get it planted as soon as you can, it won’t enjoy being in a pot if it’s hot and dry so the sooner you can get it in the better (assuming it’s potted now and not going to be dug up). Like you say, plenty of water is key and you’ll find as the weather cools down the growth might pick up.
Thanks - any tips for winter? I have been told to put cling film around mine is this right?
Hi, it depends where you are but in the majority of the UK these are completely hardy without protection in the majority of winters. Wrapping is something you only want to do for the duration of extreme cold and horticultural fleece is best, I definitely wouldn't use cling film as it isn't breathable. I've done some winter care vids and a couple showing the garden during cold spells but the blogs on Hardy Palms are worth a read too, helpful palm care info.
Great video George. Excellent info as always mate. They definitely love plenty of water don't they? If you haven't already check out Banana Joes "trachycarpus swampsoneii " where he's named a clump of trachycarpus seedlings literally living and thriving in a swamp on Salt Spring Island. It's amazing how robust these seedlings are👍. Cheers
I've Dm you the links on insta to the swampsoneii 👍
@@vincenzecalzone8666 Cheers! Thanks for the suggestion, I'll have a look now. They are certainly tough plants and Joe is mega enthusiastic!
Fantastic stuff George love your vids do you recommend root pruning trachycarpus fortunei and cordyline from pot to ground?
Thanks Nick! No, I’d definitely avoid disturbing the roots. Trachycarpus are quite forgiving when it comes to root disturbance, cordylines not as much but even if you get away with it I don’t think it would have any real practical benefits 99% of the time (in terms of plant health).
Thanks for the advice george keep up the good work stay safe
@@NR19770 No worries and thanks, you too!
Great video and Super informative! Have just picked up a canary date palm to go next to my wildlife pond (has gone in the ground) and am looking at the windmill palm to go the other side of the pond, any recommendations on where to get a deccent size specimen for a reasonable price?
Thanks
Aaron
Hi Aaron and thank you very much! I know a lot of people picked up the £150 Trachycarpus from B&M stores (yes really!) this spring but I usually recommend Hardy Palms here in the UK. If it's somewhere you're planning on living long-term I'd genuinely go for a smaller pot-grown plant though, they settle in loads faster and will catch up with healthier growth sooner than you'd expect!
@@GeorgesJungleGarden spot on cheers for the advice George!
I ended up picking up a small tree from B&Q for around £35, hopefully it does well!
I just found my grandma had an abandoned one in her greenhouse today. She hasn't done anything to it in God knows how long so my first Trachycarpus fortunei is going to be a rescue mission. I can't plant it in the ground yet so it'll have to be in a pot for a few years. Should i still wait til may for feeding it or could i give it some to kickstart it?
Ps. Just found you channel and my goodness is it amazing.
Thank you very much! As long as it’s still ideally green or maybe a bit yellow / green it’s definitely rescuable, they’re very tough and forgiving plants. The main thing is to not let potted plants dry out completely, especially as it gets warmer. If it looks like it needs repotting, I’d do that in spring but I wouldn’t feed it until April ish. Palms don’t really grow much when the average temperatures are less than 10 degrees and any forced growth due to fertiliser is never going to be as strong as it needs to be at this time of year - there isn’t enough light. Some liquid seaweed or a palm specific fertiliser in spring should see it perk up nicely though. Thanks for watching my vids and good luck with it! Any questions, just leave a comment 😃
Hi George love the channel just subscribed aswell, I have a question what would you recommend with Cordyline Australis, I have them in pots but this is the 3rd year now and I was debating weather I should plant in the ground.
Ps on a side note I have seen the difference in 2 tracycarpus I bought at the same time, 1 is potted, the other in the ground and it is clear to see the difference. I have another tracycarpus which I got in 2006, its a beast now and I love it.
Thank you! Cordylines don’t really tolerate being dug up and moved but if you’ve got a permanent spot for them then definitely get them in - mine have thickened up more in the last 6 months in the ground than the previous 3 years in pots! With a lot of these plants you can only really keep them ticking over in pots, the growth rate is hugely different if you planted them out.
@@GeorgesJungleGarden Cheers dude
Could you please do a video on growing a Chilean Wine Palm in a pot, that’s large enough to enable the Palm to grow to a fairly large size.
Great video’s, always enjoy them.
Cheers Paul! In all honesty a lot of the advice would be transferable but I’d probably be tempted to use some coir in the planting mix to make it lighter and water it a bit less in winter. If you look back at my feather palms video, the Jubaea I look at second to last has been in that 160lt pot for around 5 years and it may be featuring in a planting out video very soon...
The jubaea do ok in just garden soil, that's what they are grown in in Chile in oil drums/ half oil drums and even pots. All chilean imports are just soil grown. Not really any difference in growth speed, alot less watering and when you plant it, it's dense soil, so doesn't act like a sump, especially if it's a deep hole.
Only downside, it's heavy!
@@henrywaterhouse6291
Many thanks for your reply. Yes the downside is, being able to move such large pots 160lt around.
@@henrywaterhouse6291 That’s very true, my 160lt potted one is in soil and it’s both grown very well and massively heavy! So much better than a cheap multipurpose compost!
Really enjoying these videos! I think chamaerops palms tend to manage better in pots than trachycarpus do - perhaps that's another option for longer term pot growers.
Thanks, that's great to hear! I wasn't sure if the ones with just me talking would be interesting enough with quite a bare garden at this time of year but I'm trying to make them as informative and concise as possible!
The Chamaerops is a great suggestion too, they're slower growing and 'tougher' in some senses so that's a top idea! Cerifera and Vulcano are my favourite varieties!
@@GeorgesJungleGarden Don't worry about that - they are very interesting. I envy your bare garden (as I have a much smaller one) - but then I'm down in Devon (although I used to live up in the East Midlands in the past) so you probably will envy my climate!
@@GeorgesJungleGarden Vulcano is a great palm - and there is room in every garden for it - no matter how small.
@@pinball3034 Definitely! I really like the compact and tightly packed leaves, they’re a cool looking plant.
How about johnins and compost at 1:1 ratio for trachycarpus. I live in a dry climate with very little rainfall.
Sounds good to me. A good ratio of grittiness to goodness and as long as you keep on top of the watering and use a decent compost it should do well.
Love the video mate, ive got mine in the ground admittedly I don't maintain it as much as I should but its still healthy and growing, I noticed its now got 5 shoots growing from the base about 40mm diameter with leaves growing out of them, what should I do about them?
Thanks Jordan, is there a chance it could be a Chamaerops Humilis? Give it a Google as Trachycarpus don’t usually grow shoots from the base…
@@GeorgesJungleGarden thanks for the reply, looking at some pictures I think your right mate, do you leave them shooting or cut them back?
Thank you so much for this video. I have this species of palm in a 20 inch pot as I live in an apartment and cannot put it in the ground. It’s been living in this pot for about a year now and is turning yellow and is very slow growing. It’s likely a nutrient deficiency as you mention in your video.
I’m thinking of purchasing some Miracle Gro Succulent and Palm mix and compost and switching out the existing soil. Would you recommend just placing the compost on top of the soil or should it be physically mixed in with the palm/succulent soil?
Also, my patio is south facing and receives all day sun. I understand these palms do not like a lot of direct sun. Is this a big deal?
Thanks again for your videos.
Hi Riley and apologies for the delayed reply. I'd personally scrape off a bit of the compost at the top and dress it with a layer of soil conditioner / rich compost if repotting isn't possible. Established plants don't generally like all the soil being removed but at least this way it'll be refreshed. It's always going to be slower growing in a pot but with something like a Palm Focus feed it'll grow a bit faster and should hopefully green up too. Being potted and in full sun isn't ideal but hopefully with regular feeding from May to August and maybe upping the watering it'll grow as well as it can do. I'd generally go with a Chamaerops for a potted palm in those conditions as they're naturally slower growing and more drought tolerant but Trachycarpus should cope for a number of years.
This is all gold dust, thank you George. I've got a roof terrace on the 12th floor that I'm trying to turn into a jungle so containers are my only option and a 5ft trachycarpus is my first large purchase. One question - once it fills its pot with roots, what's best to do then, if going to a larger pot isn't an option? Cut off some of the roots so it isn't root bound any more??
Hi and apologies for my delayed reply. In all honesty, they're not the ideal plant for long term pot culture and whilst they are very tough and adaptable, there's also a risk that root pruning could set them back. Personally, I'd pot the plant up slowly and progressively, keep it well watered and fed then once it's at the largest manageable size and at the point of being rootbound, sell it on and start smaller again. You should get a lot of years out of it if you pot up slowly.
Hi George. Do you know where I can get Trachycarpus seeds. I am after seeds for the Princeps, Takil and Nani Tal
Hi Jimmy, have you tried Rare Palm Seeds, or the European Palm Society forum?
In Grand Canary, I have seen coconuts in permanent large containers (sometimes two coconuts in one container) that look around 450 liters, fruiting. For someone that wants to plant in a "permanent" large container, say 300+ liters, what could we to avoid having the soil sinking over the years?
Hi Pedro, nice one, I bet they're a sight! Container culture doesn't suit many plants long term but I guess with the right climate (so damp soil in winter isn't an issue) and a big eventual pot you're getting the healthiest plants for as long as possible. Regarding the sinking, any substrate is going to settle but personally I'd look at getting the right mix for your plant and avoid cheaper multipurpose composts. Something soil based could work well, alternatively something like a coir-based mix. I'd personally add a mulch of soil conditioner every year or two, that'll help balance out any sinking and also have benefits in terms of nutrition and the water retention of the soil.
Hi, Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us! I really enjoy your videos.
I've wondered if you experienced any problems with bud rot in your palms? I would like to buy a big Trachycarpus Fortunei or Wagnerianus, but afraid of it as a few of my palms have shown dark brown on young leaves in the centre. I need to keep my palm tree potted as I plan to move in the future. I live in a coastal area (Southport). Please advise me accordingly.
Hi Monika and thank you very much! It’s not something I’ve experienced in all honesty, is it something that the leaves grow out of as they get bigger?
@@GeorgesJungleGarden Thanks for the reply.
No, the leaves grow with dark spots on them. I sprayed my palms a few times with copper fungicide, and these are looking much better this year. But the growth is stunted on Trachycarpus Fortunei. The Phoenix Canariensis has some dry spots on crosiers in the centre. During wintertime, I keep them under the roof on the patio. This time I plan to buy 8-10 feet high Trachycarpus, which would be kept the whole year in a 130-litre pot without the rain cover. Did you protect the pots with palms during winter?
@@monikaj5462 I’ve had Chamaerops and Butia with the spots on them and I suppose the fungicide should be a way ahead for that. I imagine the Phoenix could be displaying some cold damage, particularly if it’s a small plant or it’s first winter outside but it should grow through it pretty quickly. Unfortunately Trachycarpus just don’t grow well in pots long term, they struggle to get enough of a rootball and water to support healthy growth. If you’re getting the larger one to eventually plant out though it should be fine for a year or two in the pot with some TLC, it won’t need the rain cover though, you’re right. I didn’t protect most of mine but kept the more borderline hardy ones closer to the house, it really depends on your conditions and the winter though.
Hi george, how much palm focus do you recommend i give to palm in a pot. Instruction are unclear as it only says to mix 5ml of feed per litre of water? Dont want to over feed it. Do you also recommend grow sure slow release all purpose plant food? Cheers!
Hi Joe, if you don't have many palms in pots then I'd generally go for palm specific feed so it's not too high in nitrogen and has the right amounts of trace elements but then I'm more flexible on the ones in the ground. Yeah, the palm focus instructions are a bit vague but if you use it every 2-3 weeks from May to the end of August you should be fine.
So we have bought 2 of these. I have a couple of questions for ours which are potted in massive pots. Dow we need to change the composte over time and how do we do this do we just top it up when needed ?. I am paranoid about over watering so have bought a moisture monitor. We got 4ft ones including the pots. Our watering can is 6.5 litres. Would you recommend one of these full with some palm focus to get the best results ? 😃😃
Nice one Jason! They will last a few years in large pots without repotting, I suppose you could always 'mulch' the pot with some soil conditioner in early spring to add some more nutrients too. I've got a video on feeding and what I use hopefully coming up tomorrow but yes, Palm Focus is great. A watering can 3 or 4x over the summer months will do nicely. Don't worry about overwatering during the summer months at all, once it's warm, so from now until early autumn, as long as they're not sat in water you'll really struggle to overwater them! They're actually from cooler and wetter areas generally so prefer more water than more arid style palms like Chamaerops etc.
How big of an area of soil do I need to grow a Trachycarpus to full size? I have a "pocket" of soil that is 100x100cm and roughly 100cm deep. Is it big enough?
Hi, it's hard to give a definitive answer but if that's an area of ground then I'd say it's good enough to give one a go. Wider would be better but it's still a lot better than a container.
Great video as I am new to Trahycarpus Fortunei. They have just arrived and are only 60cm high. My question is as its Autumn, can I plant each into a large external square terracotta pots now or should I wait until spring and just move them to larger pots inside for protection now? Thank you.
Thank you very much. I’d pot them up now, they’ll settle in nicely and the larger pots will give them a bit more insulation from any deeper cold too 👍
@@GeorgesJungleGarden So good of you to reply. I have planted them now but I'm worried about watering them too much and causing the plants to rot. Would a soil moisture gauge help during the winter months to get the right moisture content? Thank you.
Hi, great video, just bought one of these and its around 5/6ft, can i ask will it be ok in the pot it came in until early spring then i will get it in the ground, many thanks
Hi and thanks! Nice one and it'll be just fine, I'd just keep it somewhere sheltered close to the house and barring any properly extreme weather you should have no problem at all. Don't let it completely dry out if there's a dry spell but that hasn't been a problem so far this winter!
thank you for your reply most apreciated. can i ask one more thing, i will be planting it outside soon and its going into a raised patio so it will have around the size of a slab 2ft x 2ft with brick built sides going down to earth level, i was worried about root ball radious for the first 18'' going down, after this no problem as were at soil level, many thanks for your time @@GeorgesJungleGarden
Hi and sorry I missed this comment. I'm sure the palm will be just fine in what is essentially a small raised bed - it may even suit it especially well if your ground is particularly wet. I'd just make sure you keep it well watered during the first couple of summers and during any extended drier spells to really help it settle in well.
Hi I bought a large one a few months ago and it cost alot... Unfortunately I didn't repot it and its now October, its doing OK but I'm worried about it over winter, will it be OK to pot it into a bigger one now ready for winter?
Hi, it won’t grow significantly over winter anyway so I guess the only benefits of repotting it at this time of year are that a larger pot is less likely to freeze through and also it’ll be set up ready to grow in spring. Personally I wouldn’t worry too much if you’re looking to plant it out in spring anyway.
I planted a trachycarpus about two years ago , it’s doing really well , trunk4 ft with green palms to match . However I now realise it’s been planted way too far back and will be pushed up against the back hedge as it grows . Will it survive being dug up and repositioned ? Also when do you recommend the best time to do this ? Thanks 😊
Great video , missed Max !
Thanks, Max will be back soon enough 😂 Is it a case that it’ll grow past the hedge and then be fine? If so I’d be tempted to leave it? If you’re dead set on moving it you could do it now, or leave it until Autumn, either is better than the middle of summer when it will dry out quicker. If you do it now then try to get as much root out as possible and keep it well watered through spring 👍
@@GeorgesJungleGarden No I don’t think it will grow far enough above hedge / connifer trees 🙄. If I do it now should we wait till frost gone or should we just get on with it so it can re establish this summer ? Thanks for replying 😊
Hi George clueless when it comes to gardening, but parents have bought me a Trachycarpus which guess is maybe 4 year old plant. Had hoped to put in some containers/beds which are 4x3 by 1 foot deep but guessing the soil isnt deep enough. Would it be better in a deeper pot and any tropical plants that would suit the containers I have and that pretty much look after themselves? Im in NW UK, cheers
Hi Martin, sorry it’s taken a while to reply. That soil isn’t deep enough for long term Trachycarpus growing unless the plants can root into soil beneath it. Could you arrange potted plants within the raised beds or are they already in place and full of soil?
@@GeorgesJungleGarden Thanks for the reply. Beds already in place, could put the plant elsewhere. Are they any low maintenance tropical plants that do suit shallow soil?
@@martinmkw8453 Maybe Phormiums, Yucca Gloriosa Variegata, a small Chamaerops Humilis, Aloe Striatula - it all depends on the conditions, watering and look you’re wanting to create.
@@GeorgesJungleGarden Thanks will google those 4 plants. Im hoping for the stick in ground forget about it look/impossible to kill off haha.
@@martinmkw8453 In that case, those should be pretty solid choices!
Iv got three in a big pot what's the best way two split them up will it damage them or plant them all in one go
Hi Steve, it depends on the size they are and if you really want them to be split up! If they’re trunking then I’d probably leave them to develop as they are. Personally I like palms a bit more spread out but I will be trying a close group to see what happens!
@@GeorgesJungleGarden They is 2 if them 5 foot tall and there is a small one about 2 foot tall .
In that case I’d be tempted to leave them as a group, they’ll look awesome in 5 years or so!
Hi George , I'm struggling to Identify a fan palm that grew from seed in my garden. I live in the heat of southern Spain where the streets are surrounded in palm trees of multiple types so not sure where my seed came from . characteristics are : single trunk, flat fan leaves , quick growth (13 leaves and about 3 feet tall in 18months) ,spikes on stems, approx 30 thick leathery leaflets per leaf each with fibrous hairy edges , bright green on both sides - any Ideas ??? Gracias
Hi and apologies for the delayed reply! This is just a guess but could it be a Washingtonia, likely robusta?
many thanks George , much appreciated🙂
Hi i have got question could you please help i bought trachycarpus fortunie chamaerops excel 60% grown one and we shifted it from the pot to the ground the temperature on pot says -15 but its been staying indoor at the shop for a very long time my question is do i need to cover it with the fleece as it has been inside for a long time and now its been shifted outdoor in the ground
Hi, of course! When did you plant it out? And how do you mean 60% grown?
@@GeorgesJungleGarden hi we bought it from this garden shop its already about 6 feet grown. And we planted it 3 days ago i been wrapping it with a fleece in the night as the shop keeper said its been indoor for few years.
@@relaxchill9114 Sorry about my late reply. Wrapping it in fleece for the past week won't have been a bad thing as the subzero temperatures would certainly have been a shock - the sun might have been too. It's quite an unusual situation with a Trachycarpus being kept inside and with any other more tender palm I'd have said fleece it for the nights with a hard frost for definite. Trachycarpus are very tough so I've got a feeling it may have been fine anyway and the leaves it grows this year should be able to take a lot of cold next winter. It sounds like a lovely plant.
Hi George thanks for sharing your knowledge as i have trachy's and fortunei in the garden and in pots, trachy only in pots now as i dug 7 up of them up as they are just brown and dry with no green are they dead??? must have planted in wrong area ??? as i have about 25 in total and the others are fine however some are green and some are yellow???..... i have 2 fotunei in the garden 1 was already here and i planted 1 myself and they are doing fine, i'm not sure where to plant the one in a pot. thumbs up from me as always x PS our trachys range from from 1 foot to 3 foot. I bought them from a man in Derby i paid about £75 each about three years ago, he had a garden full.
Hi Yvette, they’re generally quite easy going plants when established. It’s quite normal for them to look a little bit yellow at this time of year, it’s been a bit cold to take up nutrients and they should green up as it warms up a bit. As for the brown and dry ones, that doesn’t sound good, they’re usually tough when they’re planted in the ground. Are they somewhere that’s too dry?
@@GeorgesJungleGarden funny you should say that as those 7 were in full sun also on a fully graveled path area, iv'e potted them now but they don't look like they have any life now sadly.
Hi George forgot to say iv'e never fed them however i will check all my feeding tubs and boxes and follow your guidance to feed.
@@yvetteclayton3773 I hope they pull through! Although they’re a palm, they’re not a plant that tolerates drought conditions very well.
@@yvetteclayton3773 That should green up yellow leaves for sure!
i Line A Large Pot With A Carrier Bag And Put It Next To A Small Palm Or Banana , Then Tip Two Watering Cans Of Water Straight In, The Carrier Bag Only Allows The Water To Drip Out ( Takes about Two Hours To Drain ) This Means The Water Is There For The Plant Over A Long Period Rather Than Draining Away In Two Minutes. My Bananas Are Growing Well so i Think It Works !
Nice one Ron, that’s a good idea, I guess it gives the compost time to actually absorb the water rather than it just run through. If it’s working for you then keep it up!
@@GeorgesJungleGarden I Stand The Pot Next To Plants Which Are Planted In The Ground, a Kind Of Low Tech Watering System !
@@ronking9683 Good stuff, it all helps to keep them happy!
Mine had yellow leaves and a low count of them because my wall is too white and reflective, too much intense light, nearby trees still in winter mode and no leaves to steal light.. I'm getting a green tarp for the wall, employed a shade cloth for now. Leaves all the way up the trunk looks like it happens in trachys planted in forest like conditions.
Yes, leaves all the way up the trunk can be best in forest type conditions but they generally must have either self seeded or been planted small and grow somewhere sheltered with good soil and adequate moisture I believe. I’d be surprised if the yellow leaves are entirely down to the bright light as the plants shooing be able to handle sun, I’d personally guess it’s more likely to be a watering or nutrient issue (possibly as the cold temperatures mean it can’t take up as much over winter). Is it in the ground?
@@GeorgesJungleGarden i have a unique environment. I had white tarps on buried fig trees this spring which amplified the light. The fig trees in summer seem to help by attracting light to them, but i noticed a yellow tint to the palm, and losing lower leaves in november with fig canopy dying off for the season. Also on lake St clair here.. and the reflecting wood wall added to it. So I think my experiment also shows these palms arent the best for a beach or super reflective spots. Im remedying the wall and wont do the white tarp anymore. Thermocubes made winter a breeze, im adding more LED xmas lights next year to get more optimal photosynthesis. The light is so intense on my black protection, that it would heat up to 20 degrees in there on a 0 degree day. It actually looked healthier at spring reopening than november closing up.
@@amanzella6508 It’s hard to give an exact diagnosis given the environment but all I would add is that whilst Trachycarpus are generally from cooler, wetter areas, they do grow them for export in Spain so they can take a lot of sun. It’s natural for the lower leaves to yellow a bit but if it’s widespread then I’d still probably go with it being a water or nutrient issue. Try giving it a good dose of liquid seaweed every fortnight from the back end of this month and that may help. It could also be a deficiency of a certain mineral like magnesium etc. or the other way, it’s sat in waterlogged soil but I don’t think that’s the case.
@@GeorgesJungleGarden Thanks, I used palm fert and a little epsom salt. Black Magic, some miracle gro same as ive used in other gardens. I guess my lake, and elevation of my garden just makes a tough spot. I scorched queen pineapples(while being gradual), San pedro cactus, fargesia nitida, so far. Shade cloth has definitely improved the color, it's visible from leaves that are half covered. Ill replace it with my P theophrasti next year, moving the trachy to the side with no lake. The theophrasti Im dealing with sun shock, but had no yellowing issues last year all summer and fall.
@@amanzella6508 Oh right, probably a daft question but surely there’s some other Trachycarpus style palms you can grow that enjoy more sun? They’re only really popular in the UK as they’re tough, easy and one of the few palms we can reliably grow...
I currently have a very small version of this in a little pot. If I stuck it straight into my border would it be okay?
It should be absolutely fine in most places, they’re tough plants and will grow from seed in gardens here in the UK!
@@GeorgesJungleGarden Thanks for the reply, another question I had was about the size of it. Weve recently renovated our garden and bought a bunch of plants, on the label it says this grows to 80-100cm which doesnt seem to be right by all the videos ive watched. If I plant this in the ground will it grow enormous and be uncontrollable ?
@@Knapper94 You are correct, it will grow taller than that for sure. Once settled in after a few years, maybe a foot of trunk a year. You can’t prune palm trees but the growth will be mostly upright and predictable. If you haven’t got the room for a tall plant it probably isn’t the right one for that spot.
@@GeorgesJungleGarden Took your advice, went out today and bought a dwarf fan palm, whch im told should only grow about 2-2.5m maximum. Im gonna keep the original one in a pot which should hopefully limit the maximum growth?
@@Knapper94 The Trachycarpus will slow down in a pot, yes. The Chamaerops will get bigger than that eventually but it’ll take 20+ years so I wouldn’t worry!
how deep should you dig down when planting a Fortunei?
If your soil is fairly decent then no need to dig deep, just go down enough to allow the top of the pot or rootball to be level with the surrounding ground then rough the bottom of the hole up a bit.
5:10 ? It looks really healthy to me
It’s not too bad but definitely isn’t as dark a green as some of the others - it probably looks better in the video to be honest! Nothing too wrong with it though, you’re right.
Coul I send a picture of my palm 🌴 its got problems,I would like to know if its dead or not.
Hi Mark, pop it through. Usually if there’s some green in the middle it’ll be fine!
I have a 40 cm trachytarpus. What do you recommand, put it in full ground or grow it in a big pot first?
Hi, if you live in the UK then I’d probably wait another month or so then plant it straight into the ground if you’ve got the right spot!
@@GeorgesJungleGarden Im living in THE netherlands. Its THE same weather. Thank youre advice.. i will wait a month then..
@@lokofarekmusic9737 Oh right. The only reason I say a month is that we’re so close to spring and warmer soil temps you might as well just wait but in all honesty chances are it would probably be fine now if it’s been outside in a pot.
@@GeorgesJungleGarden Thanks for your input. Love youre garden. So inspiring!
What kind of plant is the little purple one that grows low to the ground?
I’ve possibly made the mistake of planting both a lavender and rosemary bush about a foot either side of a trachy palm - do you think I should relocate these given they are about a year in. I’m raising a slight eyebrow to wondering how much they will compete for space in the future and water from the soil 🤔
I wouldn’t worry too much, they should both grow around the base of it nicely. Trachycarpus might need a bit more water than the other two but I imagine they’ll all get on OK with maybe a bit of additional watering during any really dry spells.
@@GeorgesJungleGarden great - saves me yanking them back out, thanks!
@@ARW.7 No worries 😂
Do you use any palm tree food to make them grow faster ?
Hi, I do yes, particularly whilst they're in pots. I've got a video on my channel all about feeding them if it helps.
If palm spesific fertilizers are too expensive just feed them with other things. Nothing too special about a palm fertilizer. The NPK ratio is usually 2-1-3 and contains micronutrients. Just make sure the fertilizer is not too high in phospurus compared to nitrogen and Pottasium as well as includes micronutrients. Many fertilizers for flowers are like this.
@@Rocketman0407 You speak sense. It's also worth checking the magnesium content for non-specific fertilisers, but you're right, most general fertilisers given in sensible amounts can keep them going cheaper.
Can they be grown in raised beds?
Hi Martin, yes, I’m raised beds where they can grow into the soil below they’ll be absolutely fine, just make sure the soil doesn’t dry out. A bit of extra drainage in winter is fine but they grow so much better with adequate water in spring to autumn, they’re not desert plants.
Isn’t the potted tree going to be far too heavy to move out of the property ever again?
Hi, I managed with these but it was a struggle! Personally, if long term pot culture is the way you want to go, I'd start with young plants and regularly repot. That way, you'll get many years of enjoyment before they potentially get unmanageable.
I've had mine in a pot and there has been no progress for a full year
They will be slower in a pot but a lot of these plants can take a year or so to settle in so no need to worry. Assuming it likes the conditions it should hopefully pick up this spring!
Can you recommend any online sellers of these palms?
Thanks
Hi Andrew, many of my palms have come from Hardy Palms, great plants and service!
@@GeorgesJungleGarden Thank you I will take a look at their site.
No problem! There are other places like The Palm Centre, Big Plant Nursery, Desert to Jungle, Pan Global Plants, The Palm Tree Company but I've used Hard Palms for the majority of my palms and they're always quality at a reasonable price.
Can't they be root pruned.
They can be and are one of the more tolerant palm varieties when it comes to root disturbance / transplanting but if you’re planning on planting it out long term, it’s not something that would do the palm any good as far as I can see. Maybe if it’s destined for a pot forever then it could be an option but if that’s the case I’d probably go with a Chamaerops anyway 👍
👍😉🌴🇵🇱
Thanks! Nearly spring! 😃
what part of uk ?
Hi, we’re in North Lincolnshire but this advice is pretty much appropriate for any UK gardens!
@@GeorgesJungleGarden yea i know. Just curious. I have family in Sunderland. Im From Poland. Got 3 wagnerianuses :) waiting for first fortunei🌴 cheers!
@@djrocik Nice one, they would both be my top choices too! I’ve got a lot of respect for you tropical / exotic gardeners in Poland, it takes serious dedication! What temperatures do you see in winter?
Very enthusiastic great video
@@marycummins5384 Thank you Mary 😃
Something that drives me mad with trachy’s is when people plant them right at the coast, as in literally exposed to the sea. Where we live the local council love doing it, you’d think their garden team would have some basic horticultural knowledge and realise that a trachy isn’t a coconut palm leaning out to the Indian Ocean. One winter planted out on a quayside and they’re usually clinging to life!
Yep, I’m with you there! There’s some at the seafront at Cleethorpes near me and they look predictably trashed too. The perfect spots for a Chamaerops or maybe something a bit more experimental but then they subject a poor Trachy to it 😂
@@GeorgesJungleGarden Near where I am I’m Poole, there’s a few Washingtonias around the coastal areas in peoples front gardens etc and they’re thriving. There were three outside some offices in Bournemouth all three about 20ft tall, they chopped them down! Criminal 😂
Mine is turning yellow 😕
Maybe try some Palm Focus to green it up and perhaps up the watering if it's too dry? If it's filled it's pot and it's possible to repot it into a larger container that'll definitely help too.
@@GeorgesJungleGarden thanks it’s in the ground
@@james3368 With some feed it should green up now it's warmer. If it doesn't it's likely some underlying soil or watering issue but I suspect a bit of the right fertiliser will perk it up. Some yellowing of the lower leaves is normal though, so don't worry about that.
@@GeorgesJungleGarden thanks 🤗