Hello all. I just moved into a new house and have a lot of queen palms causing some problems. I've already had to get two removed, one because it was planted on top of the main water line to the house and one that actually had the trunk pushing against the roof. . .
Other palms seem dangerously close to sprinklers, drains, up to the very edge of concrete (expensive stamped concrete no less), small retaining walls, and costly pool equipment.
Firstly, how worried should I be that it is close to all these things? Right now, they're just getting watered via the automatic sprinkler system. Would deep watering with a hose perhaps help the roots to grow more down and not out? If so, how often?
For the palms that are very close to the edge of concrete (one is actually touching the edge), it seems only a matter of time that the diameter of the trunk will grow bigger, thus cracking the concrete. There is already hairline cracks, but I imagine this will just get worse and worse and worse.
Lastly, should I fertilize the palm trees? Some of them look like they could use it (i.e. the new growth is a little "frazzled" and not a lush green). Might fertilizer encourage these palms to do more jerky things than they're already doing to the yard?
Several of the trees have a sprinkler about 2 inches from the current trunk. The sprinklers still work fine. The trees are currently about 20ft. Is it inevitable that the sprinklers are going to bust? Should I just relocate the sprinklers now?
I'd prefer not ripping out all my large palm trees because they really tend to make the yard. . .what would you do out there? Please email your response if possible in addition to posting on this board, so I know that somebody has responded. Thanks so much!
-Kevin ( snipped-for-privacy@aol.com)