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Palm and Tree Library

Field Notes

What we see in the field across Southwest Florida, written for the managers, boards and superintendents who run communities: the threats that kill palms, the budget calendar, soil and water, and the standards behind the work. See the guides

37posts since May 2025

2025

9 notes on this page
PruningOctober 14, 2025 · 4 min readWhat a Hurricane Cut Costs a PalmStripping a palm to a few upright fronds looks storm-ready, but it takes away the fronds that feed it and opens the door to pests.Storms and ColdSeptember 23, 2025 · 4 min readAfter a Hurricane, Give a Damaged Palm Six MonthsA palm that lost its canopy in a storm often grows it back, so we write no removal on storm damage alone for six months.Storms and ColdSeptember 9, 2025 · 4 min readBud Rot After a Storm: Watch the Spear, Not the FrondsWind, water and wounds raise bud rot risk for weeks after a tropical storm, and the spear is where it shows first.ThreatsAugust 5, 2025 · 5 min readLethal Bronzing Has a Season, and the Damage Shows Up Months LaterThe insect that spreads lethal bronzing peaks in August and September, and a palm infected now may look fine until spring.Budgets and PlanningJuly 22, 2025 · 5 min readThe Ganoderma Question: What a Plan Covers That a One-Off Visit Does NotA second opinion on a sick palm is a paid trip for a community without a plan. On a plan, the answer is already on file.NutritionJuly 8, 2025 · 5 min readPotassium Deficiency: Why the Bottom of the Palm Goes FirstThe most common nutrient problem on Florida palms starts on the oldest fronds, and cutting those fronds makes it worse.Soil and WaterJune 24, 2025 · 5 min readA Controller Schedule Is Not Proof of WaterNew trees decline when roots dry out between waterings, and the only way to know is to measure what reached the root ball.ThreatsJune 10, 2025 · 5 min readNew Palms and the Palmetto Weevil: The First Six Months Matter MostA freshly moved palm gives off the signal this beetle looks for, so new installs go on the watch list from day one.Storms and ColdMay 6, 2025 · 5 min readHurricane Season Starts June 1: A Palm and Tree Checklist for ManagersThe work that protects a community in a storm happens in May: a priority map, a walk of the risky trees, and stakes that hold.

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How a plan fits your budgetThe Palm Health Program