Good comment about coconut palm... as tropical as many of those palms are, it is a testament to how difficult it is to grow a coconut in California, as he cannot. However, he does have a Borassus flabilefer, a species nearly on par with the coconut in terms in impossibility to grow in California... however his is over 15 years old and only 3' tall... and looks terrible. But it's alive. Maybe he should try again to grow a coconut... maybe in just the right spot...

I'm guessing based on the look of the standing water, that you either used clay like soil straight from the ground or some really cheap bag-based "topsoil". Potted plants need to have light, loose, well draining potting mixes. I like Pro-mix and Metro-Mix , but Metro-mix tends to be more expensive. Miracle-Gro makes a pretty good product that's cheap, but I'm organic, so I no longer use it.

I'm in Fl...east side of Orlando. the decipiens has been in the ground going on 2 yrs now...slow...slow...slow. I've got another in a pot the same age that is about the same size, maybe even a little bigger. The leptocheilos has been in the ground for about 3 yrs and is about 6 in diameter at the base...I love the white after the boots fall off. The lutescens is common, but I liked the pic. I'm going to print it out in an 8 x 10 for framing. I probably have about 40 different types of palms and about 10 diff types of cycads. I've even contemplated starting a nursery too...but haven't yet. Maybe one day...Later...Z

Thank you all for the very nice comments! i appreciate them all. knotz-what part of washington do u live in? Brooklyn- thanks again... yeah i was born in my mothers house here in va beach and still live in va beach. i got tired of seeing her house with the same landscaping as everyone else bushes and shrubs also huge trees, too many...anyway especially when i love palms so i changed her yard. I will start the greenhouse soon its kinda in my head haha. i bought the palms all over some down south personally, some e-bay, some online nurseries, friends. I definitely agree with you totally about the cleaning the trunks, i mainly did that washingtonia becase the trunk was sooo messed up anyway i couldnt look at it any longer. I will definitely have many cold protection methods eespecially the first few years, trust me i will have mrs laura's help for protection hesr are perfect as everyone has seen! My dogs name is Irie (jamaica...) and she is 71/2 months english retriever. shes always around with me everywhere obsessed with outside life.thanks jimhardy she has grown sooo fast! the banana is musa orinocco. i have a huge list of palms i want soon as im sure many of us do! so ill keep you posted thanks again for the comments! -Justin in VB