So, a Power Pole and Pygmy Dates....

16 years ago

....if I have a power pole in the backyard and it is on the fence line, can I plant something at the base to train up it a little ways?? It would only be on my side and I won;t plant something like a Cape Honeysuckle. I have a Mandevilla I would like to do this with. I want to use a 6ft bamboo stake. I also have a Bougie I an thinking of using instead to train up the stake. It would be kept in bounds at about 6ft and nice and trim. I learned in Orlando about trimming and feeding them certain times of the year to keep them neat and trim but still have blooms. I like how the Mandevilla is a free bloomer.

I have a palm question as well. I know a pic would help tremendously but the batteries are still dead and I haven't bought new ones yet. At the corners of the front of the house, the previous owner planted Pygmy Dates on each end. (you look at the house and there is one on the left side and one on the right side. They are clumping and I hate trimming them because of those nasty thorns and I have a slight reaction to them. If they were single trunks, like the one D'Ann gave me they would be ok there. The eave of the house doesn't hang across the end of the bed. I am thinking of taking them out and using either single or double Adonidias.

They grow fairly fast, for a palm, and are self cleaners. Good idea??

Thanks,

-Cliff

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Comments (14)

fawnridge (Ricky)
16 years ago
You can plant anything you want next to a power pole. If FPL doesn't like it, they'll just cut it down. If they never see it, they'll never know.

Yes, replace the Robos with Adonidias or Spindles or Bottles.
solstice98
16 years ago
"So, a power pole and a pygmy date walk into a bar..."

or

"What do you get if you cross a Polish politician with a really short guy who lives in a forest..."

I don't know why but the title of this thread made me think it was going to be a joke about something. I must have had a weird day at work.

I like the idea of taking out the robos and love the idea of replacing them with bottle palms. The spindles would be my second choice. These are beautiful palms that we can't grow in Central Florida. I don't know the Adonidias.

Let us know what you decide, Cliff.

Kate
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coffeemom
16 years ago
15 years ago I was told not to plant Christmas palms because of lethal yellow. Well my triple is still alive and kickin'.. They are self cleaning and the seeds are a festive red BUT
they do drop and you have to pick them up or you will have seedlings all over.
nytrinigemini
16 years ago
I got lethal yellow on four of my coconut palms but the christmas palms are fine....not a sign of it.
tropicalfreak
Original Author
16 years ago
Cool idea about using Bottle palms. Love those. Thanks Ricky. So, where can I find a couple decent size specimens that aren't an arm and leg?

Kate, Too funny. : ) I grew a Triangle, Bottle and Spindle Palms in Apopka. I had them in a "very" sheltered area of the yard. Small corner of the fenced yard, sheltered by the neighbor's Loquat and the dryer vent blew into that area. They were about 3 ft tall when I moved them to Hollywood. I gave them away.

Kristi, I love your Christmas Palms.

So, how tall will a Bottle Palm get? I know they are slow growers.

I was thinking at dinner I could use the two Crape Myrtle's I have on each side. But like the idea of the Bottle Palms alot. I've always wanted a yard with lots of Palms.

Thanks,

Cliff
tannatonk23_fl_z9a
16 years ago
Too funny Kate!

Cliff, I saw bottle palms at our HD that were about 3 ft tall. They were less than $15. Not sure how well they would do this far north so I passed them by. They sure are pretty!

Just know that whatever you plant near the power pole could get whacked by the power company.

~Betsy
gardencpa
16 years ago
Kate - me, too! The other thread about mating season made me think the same thing too. Great minds think alike or something like that.

Melissa
tropicalfreak
Original Author
16 years ago
It just dawned on me that the ficus I have been pulling out was planted n each side of the power pole. It was there about 6months before moving in and the power company didn't wack it or touch it.

If I was still in Orlando there is a family owned nursery In Apopka off of Park Ave I would go to . Excellent prices. That is were I got two $7 blooming Strelitzia Reginae. What a great find that was.

-Cliff
fawnridge (Ricky)
16 years ago
HD and Lowes have both Bottles and Spindles for reasonable prices. They're both very slow growing - the three of them alongside our driveway have gone from 4' to 15' in nine years.
cindeea
16 years ago
Oh Cliff!!! I cannot believe you still haven't gotten new batteries for you camera in all this time!!

Planting anything viney up the power pole is NOT a good idea since the poles are covered in creosote. I have a Candlestick Cassia on the house side of the pole in our driveway side easement. There is plenty of access for the Power company and it kinda distracts the eye away from the pole especially when blooming. We had a major transformer blow a few months ago. When the power trucks drove up I was out there immediately, clippers in hand, asking if they wanted my to trim any of the shrub out of the way(so they didn't hack it since it's in the easement) They were very nice and said they would work around it and not damage it. One of the guys actually asked me for some seed pods!! Trimmers in hand I cut him a bunch! lol

CLIFF get them dang batteries replaced!!!
tropicalfreak
Original Author
16 years ago
I ripped out the Pygmy Date's Wed. Evening and replaced them with 7 gal Triple Adonidia's.

I am pleased with how it looks.
cindeea
16 years ago
Welll??? Get the batteries so we can see how it looks!!!
garynpinellas
16 years ago
If I have a power pole in the backyard, can I plant to train up it a little ways? YEA!!! Plant a Wisteria at base of pole! It will train itself up pole! It's a big show off!if someone comes near it. Set hose to JET and let them have it. Good luck!
natives_and_veggies
16 years ago
Definitely get rid of those ficus. A friend of mine has one that grew all the way around a power pole and she can't get FPL to do anything about it.

Also, I got a small bottle palm at Fairchild's sale last year. The price was a little less than I've seen them at HD, but most of all, I trust the quality better from Fairchild.

So, a Power Pole and Pygmy Dates....

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fawnridge (Ricky)

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