Too much water is killing his palm tree

Q: I planted a Phoenix roebelinii (pygmy date palm) about three months ago. About a week after I planted it, the tips of the leaves were turning brown. I checked with the nursery, and they told me it was getting too much water. I cut down on the water, and they still kept turning brown.

Then I was told it might be in shock from transplanting. Someone else told me it was getting too much water. Now the whole plant is looking bad. I really like these plants and would like to raise a healthy one. —— Bill

A. Bill, I will join the chorus of "too much water." When the nursery told you that, they should have also told you not to water it at all until the soil dried out. More plants die from too much water than die from too little. Plants need oxygen, and they get it through their roots. When water fills the space between the particles in the soil, it replaces the oxygen. Sitting in soggy soil will also cause the roots to rot.

If this tree does not survive and you decide to plant another, try testing your planting site for proper drainage. Do this by digging a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep. Fill it with water and let it all drain out; then fill it again and measure how fast it drains. The absolute minimum rate of drainage should be 1/2 inch per hour. If the rate is too slow, you should pick another spot or amend the soil with a lot of organic matter and ideally, build a raised bed.

Q. I finally decided to grow tomatoes, and they grew very well. However, as soon as they got tomatoes large enough and started to ripen, the gophers or some other wild critter started eating them. We live in San Marcos, out in the country, and have lots of wildlife. Is there any way to keep the gophers away, or is this a lost cause?

A. It is highly unlikely that gophers are eating your tomatoes. Gophers live underground and eat the roots of plants. I hate to lay this on you, but the culprits are most likely rats. These nasty little creatures love tomatoes and rural areas are their territory, especially if there are palm or avocado trees around.

If you don't have cats or a small dog, you might try setting rat traps near your tomato plants. Rats are nocturnal, so set the traps in the evening and bait with peanut butter. If you put a small wood screw partially into the back of the trap, you can tie it down so that a rat that is not killed immediately cannot drag it away. Good luck.
