Washingtonia roots are growing above ground

[eddie]

Anyone know why the roots of my Washi are growing above the ground? Small roots can be seen at the surface. Is that normal? Do you recommend doing something about it?

Thanks,
Eddie

[irish dave]

Maybe to much palm booster.

[redsquirrel]

what do they look like? tiny fine roots are common on the surface surrounding a palm,for collecting oxygen or water,something like that

[ash]

Can also happen if you water it often with small quantity's of water.

[themes]

Yours is growing.

[eddie]

what do they look like? tiny fine roots are common on the surface surrounding a palm,for collecting oxygen or water,something like that

Indeed, small roots at the surface. So maybe it's nothing to worry about. It's growing fast, already making it's fourth leave. I'm giving fertilizer with palmbooster every 1 1/2 week.

I would like to give it small quantities of water but the last few weeks we had tropical showers here in The Hague. Only without the tropical temps...

[sam140]

palm is growing

[Dave Brown]

I would just mulch over the exposed roots. I use gravel

[Cathy]

An Australian at (Newzealander?) once advised me that it was best to plant Palms shallow "with a few roots poking out" as they HATE sitting in wet ground, so planting them too deeply can cause problems.
As Dave says, you can always mulch over the roots if you are concerned but I find that Palms often insist on growing this way and do not worry about it.
Cathy.

[themes]

An Australian at (Newzealander?) once advised me that it was best to plant Palms shallow "with a few roots poking out" as they HATE sitting in wet ground, so planting them too deeply can cause problems.
As Dave says, you can always mulch over the roots if you are concerned but I find that Palms often insist on growing this way and do not worry about it.
Cathy.

Agreed

[eddie]

Thanks for the info. Think i'll mulch the roots with some gravel like Dave said, looks nice and protects the roots a bit.

Good to know that it's perfectly normal and nothing to worry about.

[eddie]

I've put gravel on the soil today. Looks really nice like there is a piece of Tenerife in the garden....

[fgtbell]

I've noticed palms commonly rot exactly at the crown, and while it looks a little odd, I now always plant them with just a few mm of root showing, they don't seem to mind, and it lets the crown dry out properly after it is wetted.

I have bought palms in the past with compost piled up well over the crown, I don't see how this can do them any good at all, and I now always remove it.

If you plant them this way and then decide you can see too much root, you can always mulch them later to bring the level up a bit - I use decorative coarse grit.

[themes]

I've noticed palms commonly rot exactly at the crown, and while it looks a little odd, I now always plant them with just a few mm of root showing, they don't seem to mind, and it lets the crown dry out properly after it is wetted.

I have bought palms in the past with compost piled up well over the crown, I don't see how this can do them any good at all, and I now always remove it.

If you plant them this way and then decide you can see too much root, you can always mulch them later to bring the level up a bit - I use decorative coarse grit.

Thats what I go by. Planting them a bit above soil level wont kill them. Rot can