Local Back Yard Paradise
This is a new section that is for everyone.
If you feel relaxed when you go on trip to the tropics, Walter Knoll Florist has the answer for you. These beautiful palm trees can be placed in your gardens for the summer season. Share your back yard paradise and experiences and be envied by all. (all names and addresses will be kept private)
We would like to see your special paradise and share it with others.
Ask our expert for advise (Select questions will be answered and posted)
Subject: Sick Tree needs food HELP
Dave
My name is Richard. I have had many contacts with you over the years pertaining to the palm tree we purchased from you. As you may remember it has been sick. One half of the tree has died and I have cut it down. The other half is still dormant and dying a slow death. There are three spikes but they do not look like there going to open. There are still 6 sickly looking palms part brown yellow and green.
You had instructed me to feed the tree Peters plant food but I can not find it. Can you make a recommendation as to what other food I might feed it or where I might find Peters?
I would appreciate your advise.
Sincerely Richard
Subject: Reply to Sick Tree needs food HELP
Hi Rick
I remember your home. Last we started a soap treatment and a light fertilizer. The tree was having shriveling of the main stalks. I believe you even had to cut one out. You could be fighting a loosing battle of two different things. The worst is Lethal Yellowing, this is hard for me to believe you have because it has taken so many years to show up. There is not cure for this this problem only a long slow death. The second thing could be Gliocladium blight (Pink rot) this usually takes higher temperature to activate (over 85) This you would get some Oozing on the stem and leaves turn brown and droop The fungus produces a salmon0pink, powdery fruiting bodies. The disease is easily spread if affected leaves are pulled off the plant prematurely, this allows an entry area for the new disease to inoculum. I am suggesting backing off the fertilizer all together at this point and focusing on getting the fungus controlled by treating it with a fungicide like Subdue which you can buy at Lowes out of the Lawn and Garden area. When applying this product I would only use it at half rate of the recommended rate for Ornamentals.
Please understand when we get this it usually a terminal problem and we wind up sacrificing the plant to purge the problem out of the plant population.
Let me know how it goes, send me a picture every now and then so I can help monitor your progress.
Good luck
Dave