Canary Island date palm, to move or not to move...?

[cheshirepalms]

Canary Island date palm, to move or not to move...that is the question. I'm getting a lot of bad vibes about this palm and its proximity to the fence. It was planted in October 2011 in naivety as a beginner. Do I move it and if so when and how? I'll worry about where lol. Or do I just enjoy it on the basis it will never survive to be large? Is there any hope if it survives I can get away with its current location, help appreciated please.

[fern Rob]

I wouldn't move it. It may not do it any good.

[karl66]

I would imagine a move would be the final nail in coffin! it does not look in full health to me, it may just be the way the lower fronds look. I call them the throwaway palm for obvious reasons!. karl.

[stephenprudence]

Id leave it in, because unless you are willing to absolutely go all out to protect it, it's probably not going to be a long term plant anyway. You could just leave it, and if the winter gets, the winter gets it, then you'll have space for something new.

[Conifers]

Another vote for no move. Yes the leaves will hit the fence, and (if it survives long enough) reach over the top, but so what? If the neighbours don't like the tips, they can trim them, until they're too high to reach. But chances are, a cold winter will end the prospect before it reaches reality.

[Nigel Fear]

It's easily replaceable, if you lost it, so why not leave it there for now, protect it as you would do normally for winter by wrapping/etc. Then see if it survives a typical winter before moving it to a position more favourable?

If it dies over winter anyway, you might want to consider only owning a potted one, or go for something a bit hardier.

[bordersboy]

I`d leave it and prune it,lowest leaves first obviously.But if its got to move I`d do it by digging a wide circle around it so you cause as little root damage as possible and pull the butter out .

[multim]

My vote cast = NO. Enjoy it where it is and while you can. They are fairly cheap to buy but not terribly hardy so if, as and when a prolonged cold spell makes the decision for you, a replacement is easily sourced.

[cheshirepalms]

My only worry is what if it does survive to become large and i have to remove it in years to come, I'd be gutted. Its a big what if I know, but there are very large specimens less than 15 miles away.

[Nigel Fear]

It's unlikely to grow huge behind your back.
Move it next year, or the year after if you are worried about the ultimate height/spread, in the meantime you haven't got much to lose by overwintering it where it is, but at least you'll know if you can keep one alive or not in a typical[hopefully] winter in your area.

[cheshirepalms]

The earliest I would move it is next May, I just need to make the right decision on whether I should. My plan is that it is a long term plant and I will do whatever I can to keep it.

[Nathan]

No. I doubt it will ever get big enough to cause any problems in your location, if it survives at all...

[cheshirepalms]

Here's an update on the palm in question, only 2 airfrosts this winter season and a 0.0c reading also, since my last post. Its protected tonight as a frost is likely, but it looks in good health to me and has even grown slightly since October. This is now its third winter in situ.

[flounder]

Thought the poll was quite funny, yes or no, you can choose 2 options well it made me laugh

No. I doubt it will ever get big enough to cause any problems in your location, if it survives at all...

Seriously, you're putting your zone info in your signature? That's just plain mean

[Dave Brown]

My vote is a no,

as they don't transplant well, and the chances of losing it in the first winter after a move, is quite high. No standard garden can house a full grown Phoenix canariensis_CIDP well as they have an ultimate spread of 9m/30ft. A close shaved trunk is around 3 feet so will not interfere with the fence, although if the neighbour decided to trim back what overhangs, it will look odd.