Thanks for the comments. Here are a few more pics! My sago palm is in a corner. I guess thats my plant hospital-no one can see it-but I can easily care for it. Windmill palm planted this year is looking good in shade. I think its on its 3rd frond . Next is a pic of my sabal domingensis, also newly planted this spring. Its pushed 1 and a half fronds this year. Not bad considering its in a pretty good amount of shade and still a pretty young palm. Also new for this year is my european fan palm. It has a pup on the side of it which is about to open its first frond. Sabal minor in its second year and growing very fast considering its a sabal minor! Its already pushed out a full frond and the second frond is unfolding. I wouldnt be surprised to get 3 fronds by the end of the summer. My sabal minors 'trunk'. It looks like it is actually growing above the ground, but maybe its planted too shallow. I think Ill have to add a little mulch in the fall since the roots are pretty exposed, but I think they have always been exposed. Do you think it should have some more soil on the top? NEW VOCAB WORD FOR ME! This is the 'hastula' of my Sabal domingensis. Apparently its where the petiole meets the base of the leaflets. On palmetto shaped fans its more spearlike. Im pretty sure sabal domingensis is a palmetto shaped leaf and heres a pic of the 'hastula' on it. And here is the 'hastula' on my sabal minor. So Im going to guess the longer the hastula is, the more coastapalmate (that palmetto shaped leaf) the frond is. I guess its a pretty good way to determine if a sabal minor is a minor or a palmetto at a young age. You learn a new thing every day! My new and first crape myrtle which is a crape myrtle zuni. They are starting to become pretty common in the area (maybe almost as common as southern magnolias). They are all in bloom now, but mine looks like it has about a week before the first blooms open. Heres my parlor palm and stromanthe in the shade doing well. They made it through 4 days of 100 degree weather in the shade with no leaf burn. I was very impressed. I have a peace lily in even more shade further to the back and it also had no leaf burn from the recent heat. Heres my tree fern which is growing at a pretty good speed. wsg89, Gardening can be very frustrating at times, and relaxing at others, but in the end its a great hobby. I think we have all lost a few plants. This year (from spring to now) I lost a bismarkia (I guess it didnt like the indoor atmosphere), musella (it just didnt like being shipped), one hibiscus, and definitely a few other plants also. Its disappointing to see plants die, but we learn from our mistakes and I definitely buy more than I lose! Greg, Thats definitely one of the reasons to by at a nursury. And you know the quality of fruit will be good on a grafted plant since it will fruit just like its mother. You just have to know which plants you have to buy grafted and which can be easily grown from seed. Laura, Thanks for the compliment. You have a beautiful yard also! I love those huge sabal palmettos and healthy pindo palms! Thanks for looking! Enjoy! -Alex

Keep an eye on them ,there is a butterfly/caterpillar(i cant remember the name sorry)that has been affecting these cycads also revoluta ,in QLD over the last few years, The best way of dealing if things to get too bad is to use carbaryl or maverick and cut the affected fronds off,i have heard though it is another one of those introduced problems like Frangipani rust that is here to stay.

Just a thought Jan.....Not enough Water...Or perhaps too much fertilizer. Never fertilize on dry soil it will lead to plant burn. Was the leaves new ones or old I see the outer ones are still green. Is it a new plant?? never feed at transplanting time wait about six weeks till transplant shock has passed. Only fertilize three times a year...Hope some of this helped...Cheers..MM.

Hi Marnie...I too have terrible rust on my plants where last year only the pink one had it, this year the red is covered with it also the pink and white though the fruit salad one is ok that one is in the sun all day, what surprised me was the new yellow one I bought mid January only 60 cms tall and with its first bud also has the same problem its in sun most of the day also with not much around it.. Have a look at the link below it more or less states the same thing as ..My book "What garden pest or disease is that" it gives this Organic control method for rust problems on other plants...The prompt removal of the first infected leaves may solve the problem.. Improve air circulation..Clean up infected leaves and burn.. So till next year when I will start as soon as possible .......Cheers..MM. Here is a link that might be useful: Plumeria 101