How to Grow a Majestic Palm in Minnesota

[caption id="attachment_16" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Majestic Palm"][/caption]

Like many minnesotans, I left Home Depot this weekend with some new family members, 3 wonderful and on sale Majestic palm trees.  But we aren't a big palm tree climate, so how does one keep them alive. They need a big base to keep them from getting blown over and our climate is a little cool for palm trees.

here are some tips.

1. Buy a big pot, I got this 19 inch planter at HD for only $34 bucks.



2.  Place a layer of rocks on the bottom of the pot to keep the roots from sitting in water, Just in case one of your kids over-waters it.



3.  Place palm in pot and cut one side of plastic bucket with a sharp knife or strong scissors.



4. Remove bucket and fill with potting soil.  Most MN soil will have too much clay for the normally sandy palms.



5. Water, pack down the sides and fill with more soil.



6. Brush the extra soil into your neighbors yard and enjoy.



7. Palms like a lot of moisture so spray with water every couple days and water every other day.



8.  They won't survive outside once it gets too much below 65 so enjoy them while you can. Unless you plan to move them inside, they are like a big annual.  Hopefully you got them on sale like I did.

Rob Barrett, Jr.

www.cookingfordads.net

Thistles

They were right to be afraid.
Though they stood with spiny edge
and momentary pain to inflict,
their end was sure.
Their fathers had failed.
Their grandfathers had failed
and they too would succumb to spade and hale
and lay withering in the sun
like Sherman's wake or the Five Hundred.
Torn from their safety,
pale and naked for all to see,
they had lost the battle,
but not the war
O, not the war.
For in the depths, out of reach
lay their revenge, their seed.
Their children would rise in their stead,
and spring forth again with thorny head
and raise edged spear.
With a snarl they would cry,
We are thus, and thus from God
to stab and prick on hand and sod
for His pleasure is ripe
when we do our acts.
Deny us not our right
to be reveled in His sight.

But to the fire they too will go
for as beautiful in their way
and as passing as the pain ...

well, they're just annoying.