Question
I am in the Bay county area of Fl and have 2 questions - How do I winterize my (11) majesty palms (approx 6' tall), I placed mulch high up around the trunks (6 inches), is that good enough and 2nd I planted these in june - but to be honest they are shrinking instead of growing in height, what can be causing this??

Answer
Hi Barb, I wish you had inquired with me prior to purchasing the Majestys, they are Palms that really do better in a shady area, and I personally have had problems trying to get them to grow higher; they seem to just exist and never really reach any height. I would have suggested Arecas, they are similar in look and very easy to care for; they also fill out and grow much better then Majestys, and they like full Sun or shade. That said, however, to protect them from a frost isn't a worry, they will handle it , but a freeze would need measures to be taken. Packing the mulch around the main trunk is a good measure, but if you don't want the fronds to be stung, then you may consider tying the up against the main trunk and then wrapping a frost blanket (Home Depot sells them) around them to insulate them. Nick