Sown Washingtonia robusta's from 2010 lack of growth

[sanatic1234]

I sowed some seeds back in 2010, I kept 2 washingtonia robusta plants, but since 2010 they have hardly grown at all, i give it feed in the growing season and water it when needed and give it as much sun as i can, but they just don't want to grow at all hardly. What am i doing wrong. Here are two pics the one where its on a table is from 2010, the other i think 2011. Not taken updates since as they have hardly grown at all just about the same size really only the trunk has gotten a little thicker. Any help would be most grateful. My first thoughts are were they weak seeds? Thank you in advance.

[sanatic1234]

I must add these are outside during the growing months, first picture is late spring 2010, and second is winter 2011.

[bordersboy]

Pots are too big.I keep mine in tight pots so the roots feel all cosy and produce better top growth.Many Dutch growers do this. Many say this is daft but thats what they do. Only potting up into slightly bigger pots when absolutely necessary.

[doncasterpalmguy123]

They should be growing much faster than that! Maybe a bigger pot or different soil. if you've used peat or plain compost they may retain water for to long. They like really sandy soils. Mine done great just outside in their first year outside so where are yours? Also have you clipped off older fronds, maybe the loss of fronds has been counter-productive with them not being able to make as much chlorophyll. Still they look really healthy plants my friend.

[sanatic1234]

Pots are too big.I keep mine in tight pots so the roots feel all cosy and produce better top growth.Many Dutch growers do this. Many say this is daft but thats what they do. Only potting up into slightly bigger pots when absolutely necessary.

They are now in different pots bordersboy from 2010/2011 and the roots are at the bottom of the pots and showing through the drainage holes, the roots seem to reach the bottom of the pot in no time at all really but the top growth struggles i know that sounds silly as roots support the growth, so i just can't work it out.

[sanatic1234]

They should be growing much faster than that! Maybe a bigger pot or different soil. if you've used peat or plain compost they may retain water for to long. They like really sandy soils. Mine done great just outside in their first year outside so where are yours? Also have you clipped off older fronds, maybe the loss of fronds has been counter-productive with them not being able to make as much chlorophyll. Still they look really healthy plants my friend.

I agree they should be growing faster than that, I did re-pot them last season into deep pots and into jonh innes number 3, if i can remember rightly they were first potted up in to levingtons mp compost back in 2010 and 2011. but still with the soil change not much has happened, I do lose some leaves over winter due to lack of light, but it has been better this year since i have had my new grow lights, only lost the 2 leaves and those were the oldest leaves on the plants. I keep the palms in as much sun as possible in the growing season as i know these like the heat so try to give them as much as possible.

[bordersboy]

The roots might readily pop out the bottom of the pot but I`d keep them in the pots till they become congested.I dont want to say pot bound bound because this will sound wrong and willl be queried by most so i`d say congested instead forcing top growth rather than more root growth.Of course it will then need potting up a size but no more or growth will slow again.

[sanatic1234]

When i re-potted last season the roots had filled the pot, to the point where they were all touching the sides of the pot and hardly any soil fell away from the root system when i took it out of the pot but when i changed most of the soil for JI3 i potted it into the deep pots so it took longer to reach the bottom.

[Yorkshire Kris]

I would suggest two things, bigger pot and more water in the growing season. I did this with mine and growth increased straightway. Plus washys dont like root disturbance so potting up to a slightly bigger pot every six months will disturb the roots more than just repotting once into a much bigger pot.

[Blairs]

Not sure if this is a help, but mine have responded well to regular watering in summer as terracotta pot dries them out quickly, palm boost feed every few weeks in spring to autumn and to being sited in a sunnier spot next to a south facing wall. I also vastly improved drainage after summer 2012 with grit and perlite. I do not bring them in in winter...left to their own devices.

[eddie]

Same here. I've seed grown a few, having around five left. Two nice big 2ft plants now, one with a fairly fat trunk, the other with a slim trunk. They do not grow as fast as my big ones in the garden. Anyway, the other three are still seedlings with green leaves, but they don't show any growth at all for the past two years. They're not dead, just green and at a standstill. Growing conditions are the same for all of them, soil, used fertiliser, palm booster, climate & a plastic pot.

Strange, right? They are not going in the bin, maybe they'll change their minds and start rocketing skywards someday, who knows

[Dave Brown]

if you've used peat or plain compost they may retain water for to long. They like really sandy soils.

Not strictly true dpg

This is one of mine that was planted in a hole with sandy/gravely mix, but the hole was less than the size of the diameter of the trunk now, so I know it has rooted into soil around it.

This is what the unimproved soil which surrounds it is like

When we get heavy rain, or like now, rain every day, the ground is so saturated it floods and can take up to a hour to drain from the surface. I agree that having a well drained soil may work well, but having a poorly drained doesn't necessarily work badly.

All too often drainage is blamed for growth problems, but I think in reality the situations are much more complex. I am more along the lines that Washingtonia cannot tolerate drought, and although they are mostly in arid areas, normally found grouped along the bottom of valleys/burrancos where any rain run to. They also have very deep roots searching out water deep down. Obviously that can't happen in a pot, so if allowed to dry out too much or too often, it will dramatically slow down growth.

I'm not saying that is the problem in San's case, but I don't think drainage is a major factor either.

[doncasterpalmguy123]

They should be growing much faster than that! Maybe a bigger pot or different soil. if you've used peat or plain compost they may retain water for to long. They like really sandy soils. Mine done great just outside in their first year outside so where are yours? Also have you clipped off older fronds, maybe the loss of fronds has been counter-productive with them not being able to make as much chlorophyll. Still they look really healthy plants my friend.

I agree they should be growing faster than that, I did re-pot them last season into deep pots and into jonh innes number 3, if i can remember rightly they were first potted up in to levingtons mp compost back in 2010 and 2011. but still with the soil change not much has happened, I do lose some leaves over winter due to lack of light, but it has been better this year since i have had my new grow lights, only lost the 2 leaves and those were the oldest leaves on the plants. I keep the palms in as much sun as possible in the growing season as i know these like the heat so try to give them as much as possible.

Sounds like your doing everything right to me, maybe they don't like you (Joke). Do you overwinter them in a conservatory, greenhouse or even outside. Maybe if your bringing them out of the seasons every year they are not liking it and may not get good enough light intensity to satisfy them. For the record, i was just making an assumption on the soil thing, its just where they're native to they grow in very free draining sandy and rocky soil.

Regards, Dan.

[Nathan]

Where are you keeping them during the winter? As Washingtonia's need to be in a sunny spot & don't do well indoors, a sunny window would be best if they are indoors or even keep them outside year round & only bring them in if frosty weather or particularly cold weather is forecast... I also wouldn't bother feeding them, just make sure they are kept moist in the winter & give them lots of water during the summer & keep them in a warm & sunny spot & they should grow fast

[jungle jas]

I can't tell you what you are doing wrong but they should be bigger than than that! How big are they and how big are the pots? On the plus side they do look a good colour. I have one that is a year younger than yours that is over three feet high. It is in a 300 mm pot in a multi purpose compost and when its growing it needs watering every day in the summer. I don't agree with keeping them in small pots I repot mine at least once a year and sometimes twice if needs be. Palms in the garden don't have root restrictions. Hope this helps.

I forgot to mention I liquid feed every week.