watering Trachycarpus's during the heatwave

[tropical Tom]

I was wondering how often (and how much) to water my planted Trachycarpus's during the hot weather! The big waggie I had off Nigel has been in the ground for almost 18 months and I have a smaller fortunei which has been in about 10 months. In the front lawn I have two small fortunei's that have been in for almost two years.
With potted palms you can tell when they need a drink but in the ground is a little more difficult

Thanks in advance

[multim]

They have been in the ground for a while so there should be plenty of moisture in the soil around the roots, for now anyway!

[karl66]

Keith, regardless of how long Trachycarpus's have been in the ground they always appreciate a soaking of the rootball, been up doing mine since 5.30!!, also treat them to a seaweed foliage drench to keep them looking A1. karl.

[cordyman]

I water everyday at the moment soak everything. Last summer rained constantly and everything was so lush

Add some proper heat like now and water and you have yourself a rain forest climate. Growth growth growth

[Kristen]

I water everyday at the moment soak everything.

They'll be relying on you to do that though ... roots near the surface will increase, and they will get severely stressed if there is no water as the surface will dry out quickly - if you go away on holiday for example. I prefer to water 2 or 3 times a week, but to then give sufficient to soak right down and provide a buffer deeper down. Easy on my heavy clay, probably not practical on sandy soil though ... probably not much good for Annuals either.

... unattended drip irrigation system would be a better solution I reckon ... I need to get mine out of the shed!!

[kata]

I water mine once a day at night.... If you see what I mean.

[karl66]

Kristen, totally agree, every day is a bit to keen!! even boiling weather 2/3 days is ample. When I went away for 10 day's the beginning of june I asked my son only to water the tree fern's!, everything else was left but was fine on my return. karl.

[tropical Tom]

Thanks for all the tips guys. I think I'll water everyday fo now until it cools off a bit. My soil has a subsoil base and if that dries and cracks then any water runs away through the cracks. I'd rather keep it moist so it doesn't crack. At least now with your help I know it's not hurting to water daily.

Thanks all

[Tom2006]

Glad you asked this. I have some in pots with thick gravel mulch so hard to tell. Going to drench mine tonight.

[fern Rob]

I have been running the hose pipe on the ground to keep the soil from drying out.

[GoggleboxUK]

Every evening, and I also spray the fronds and soak the trunks.

Don't agree that this will cause stress to the roots and make them reliant when you consider their native climates.

[Kristen]

Don't agree that this will cause stress to the roots and make them reliant when you consider their native climates.

Does the native climate give them a fortnight's baking sun and no rain all-of-a-sudden? Or if it does perhaps there is ample water in the sub-soil.

If you are going to water them daily they will shallow-root compared to providing them with water "from below" - which can either be simulated by heavy watering, less frequently, or by burying some perforated drainage pipe around the rootball and watering into that (I do that for all my trees to encourage them to root downwards; makes it easier to concentrate the water close to the rootball too)

[cordyman]

I'll probably change my trachys to every 2-3 days, but the rest of the garden daily

Love a good evening watering potter

[Dave Brown]

I'll probably change my trachys to every 2-3 days, but the rest of the garden daily

Wow, that's a bit expensive, and you never get to see them grow big - lol

There are far more exotics killed with kindness than neglect. Trachycarpus can learn to cope with drought, but make them believe they are in a rain forest, and they are not drought tolerant at all, as all the roots are just under the surface.

Even self sown seedlings here are left to get on with it, and they grow a deep root system not prone to drying out quickly. We are now in severe water deficit here, and the established palms have not been watered for about 2 weeks.

[cordyman]

Right theyre on water ban now till next sunday !! Good points