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Palm Tree Workshop for Commercial Professionals
| Name | Carlin C. Munnerlyn | | Situation | Georgetown County is a growing coastal county with a great deal of development occurring in the Waccamaw Neck region, and the landscape installation and maintenance business is growing right along with this development. Being a beach resort-type area, the interest in planting palm trees is high. Often the Extension office receives calls from commercial and consumer clients concerned with discoloration and spotting of the fronds of many types of cold-hardy palms. Most of the palms growing in our landscapes are becoming chlorotic with an abundance of dead growth. | | Response | The County Extension agent in Georgetown began researching diseases and disorders of palms and learned that most of the problems with the palms in the area seemed to be nutritional. Also, none of the plant tissue sent to the lab reported any disease organisms. The agent found research-based information from the University of Florida describing symptoms and disorders similar to the problems the palms were exhibiting. She collaborated with Dr. Timothy Broschat from the University of Florida – Fort Lauderdale and Mr. Joseph LeVert of the of the Southeastern Palm Society and organized a workshop for commercial professionals dedicated to the selection, care, and maintenance of the cold-hardy palms grown in our area. The workshop was held on March of 2004 in Awendaw, South Carolina.
| | Impact | After participating in the Extension Palm Workshop, 100% of the participants indicated that they had increased their knowledge in caring and maintaining palm trees, and 100% indicated that the information gained at the workshop would improve their businesses. The County agent and the Extension soil scientist worked with two local companies to formulate special fertilizers to address the nutritional requirements of palms.
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Last update6/2/2008
This website is maintained by Ann Sherrill.
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