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Root-pruning scheme for palms in pots?

17 years ago

I was hoping to get feedback on the following, I don't think I've seen it mentioned before, my apologies if I am repeating:

One of the main issues with growing palms in containers here in the north is that eventually many species will outgrow their containers. Traditional root-pruning and repotting is not a good idea as many species will not cooperate. So here's an idea which I may try-

1. Plant the palm in a suitable plastic nursery pot, and drill lots of large holes along the sides. The potting mix will be something like 100% perlite, so that it remains stable for a long time.

2. This pot is submerged into a larger pot, and the space filled in with a more typical potting mix.

3. During the growing season, the roots will grow through the holes in the smaller pot, into the soil mix.

4. When the time comes to repot one spring, the entire smaller pot is removed and all the peripheral roots trimmed back to the holes. Shock to the tree should be minimal because the majority of the rootball remains undisturbed in the smaller pot, and the root-pruning will encourage the growth of fresh new fine roots. The pot is then replanted again as in step 2.

Theoretically, this may slow down large and fast growing palms enough to keep them manageable indoors for the winter.

Thoughts?

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Comments (2)

palmpunk
17 years ago
It sounds like it should work, although it's probably unnecessary. As long as you keep the palm in a small enough pot and don't upsize, its growth should be stunted anyway. I had a Mexican fan palm in a 25 gallon pot. The last summer I had it, it did not grow visibly larger, and frond production slowed way down in comparison to previous summers (I had it a total of 5 or 6 years). Finally that following winter, it rotted when I put it out too early. Water collected in the boots and was held against the trunk-another reason to remove old boots! When I removed it, I was amazed to see how rootbound it was and how large of a root system a 4-5 foot Robusta actually has. So, I blame the previous summer's atypical slow growth on the pot being too small.
garyfla_gw
17 years ago
Hi
Have been doing something similar for several years with the goal of having dwarf palms. I was warned that you can't really Bonsat a palm and root pruning will result in either a dead plant or fail to mature. So far this has proven to be true.
But hey,if your cramped for space you can still have a very attractive dwarf. gary
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Thanks for the kind words and the vote of confidence, Al. That was the first piece I wrote on root pruning. I felt compelled to write because when I first started entertaining the idea of root pruning, it scared the crap out of me. I am guessing many people think it to be a task that is somehow beyond their ability (they think they will kill their plant.) It is not. It is simple, it is easily done and it is beneficial to the overall health of the plant (as rhizo hinted to.) This is the way I determine when it is time to pot up... If after decreasing the root mass as much as possible while still maintaining a sufficient amount to sustain the top, the root mass will not fit (with some room for growth) into the container it came out of, then it is time to pot up. You can reduce the size of the top to match a smaller root mass, but I don't. It is not my objective. ~james
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My understanding is that Pigmy date palms do NOT take root pruning well at all. I'm finding them to pe a pain as well because of the size of the root ball. The only palms I've heard of doing well with root pruning are Washingtonias.
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Good lord, how can a palm get root rot? I been growing palms for 10 years now and I never thought to look. I just figured that if the roots rotted the palm would die and I would start over. I am not sure about root rot, some palms dont want you to mess with the roots, others dont care. If I was you, I would make sure you have good drainage. You need to add alot of perlite and some mulch or something to break up the soil. Sounds like if its got root rot, there is way to much water sitting around where it shouldnt be. Does your pot have holes? I dont know what you would do with the root. I think I would just fix my dirt problem and stick it back in the pot. Leave it alone and see what happens.
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I have no direct experience with root pruning, but Queen palms, being fast growing, IF they tolerate the root pruning, will quickly fill the pot with roots again and you'll be right back where you started. I would be inclined to remove the ratty fronds, water thoroughly, then fertilize. Most palms are container tolerant in the extreme -- but again, I have no direct experience keeping large palms potbound. One suggestion I would make, with your next potted palm project, select a slow growing palm. Queens are rockets; maybe you need a burro. :-D I know a woman in Sweden growing a Hyophorbe indica exclusively indoors. She's had it for perhaps 8 years, germinated from seed, and it's just now starting to brush the ceiling, and it's absolutely gorgeous! Maybe a Kentiopsis oliviformis would do well for you? Any of the palms that people complain are slow could be reasonable indoor candidates, except for ultra-tropicals in the category of Cyrtostachys renda and the like. In any case, good luck with your Queens, I hope they perk up for you.
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