I'm generally an optimist when it comes to palms recuperating. Only because I've seen it before almost chucking SOOO of them into the compost heap. So, I'll go out or order up another only to have junior and a much larger resurrected mama.--Thus the palm population explosion around me. Currently nursing a tropical Sabal species (not among the hardy ones that are normally grown and discussed on this forum). I thought it was dead as the center leaf pulled. It's reduced to one leaf but I was looking at it today and the leaf looks good and I bet it too will recuperate. But then again, I just got some smallish blue Mediterranean fans. I planted them up a few days again and they're dead already.--Came bare rooted! I once lost a Phoenix canariensis perhaps due to overwatering (it had been a very wet summer), so I planted some canariensis seed--now I have 6-7 large canariesis palms. I try now to take the occasional losses in stride.

Thanks all of you for the kind words,and I know God wont keep a good man down,I'll find something to do for a living.My dream is to have a nursery,I dont see gardening as work.I have been working in my yard planting plants and potting up plants all day long,every day this week,mater of fact I just came in and saw what you all wrote.I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.My dream has always been to have a nursery that specialized in cold hardy tropicals,palms,bananas,orchids,etc.My dads saying use to be,if you can find something that you like to do and get paid for doing it,it's like you never have to work again.Gardening is a hobby of mine and I enjoy planting something and seeing it grow,bloom,and thrive.It has for the most part come easy to me,palms have tested me,I will say.Laura,I cant believe those seedlings are showing green now,they were brown for so long,but I kept watering them and fertilizing and now there starting to show green growth.Today I planted two blue Mediterranean fan palms I bought last fall,I'm glad I bought them when I did!I also split up a needle palm into three palms,and planted them.I also put in a new planting bed with two variegated yuccas and one of those blue palms.I will start again at 7am in the morning with something else.I look for a job while eating lunch everyday on my computer.I've got some leads already :)

The needle palm will pull through with no big problems. They tend to lose their spears when young, sometimes the mother plant dies entirely, but the clump itself will become pretty well established and hardy after another winter or 2. The trachy definitely does not look like it has much hope. I'd give it a trunk cut when the weather is above freezing and see if there is some life in it. If there is, then keep it well taken care of and see what happens! Usually when they are trunk cut they will start growing relatively fast if they are alive (you should see some type of growth in under a month). I hope it pulls through! -Alex

Sometimes we have to resort to drastic measures- I have definitely been quick to pull the plug on young specimens such as Sabals, I started with some that were to young(only strap leaves)and they were very hard to protect as they are more sensitive then more mature plants. There is something to be said for starting with larger sized plants, can't beat the bling factor and they do tend get a foothold fast. My plan was always to do as many as I could(cactus and palms,etc) at once and use different protection strategies to learn as much about all of them as I can. I have used about 7-8 different methods so far and I think they all can work. Tree ferns will be a challenge this winter,I am looking forward to it! We have had a VERY warm spring averaging 10+ (F) over avg-this has caused many banana plants to be working on their second leaf already when normally I would be lucky to have them in the ground this early! ANYWAY- here are some pics of what's been going on lately Washys- one in front was overwintered and is working on a second leaf. One in back was planted April 1-or so TETRAPANEX- opening up for business :D ORINOCO- overwintered in basement,cut down from about 5' as it was mushy on top-busting loose! ARUNDO DONAX- putting on some speedy growth,it will have to for it to stay ahead of the Itineran banana planted in front of it. Basjoos enjoying the warm weather and getting ready to open some more serious leafage One of the wagxforts(maybe hard to see in a picture but.....) pushing some green spear material up out of the center My beloved Fortunei-maybe not out of it just yet! First is after cutting it-second is 4 days later