We planted a fan palm last spring and had to pull it out last month because it wasn't healthy. When I pulled it out, I was surprised to see that there was a puddle of water in the hole - the tree had basically been sitting in a pool of water because of poor drainage. We had a Crape Myrtle in this same spot and it was very healthy for around 15 years. We also have several Queen Anne palms planted close by (in the same type of soil profile) and they have been doing well for years. We are getting ready to plant a new fan palm in the same hole and I want to avoid the same issues. The hole is 2 feet deep, but at the bottom of the hole there is clay hardpan. I tried drilling several holes through the hardpan (using a 24" bit that is about an inch wide), but I was never able to clear the hardpan. What is the best way to proceed to ensure that we have sufficient drainage before planting the our new palm?

Hi, We have a paver walkway to the door and we get tons of weeds this time of year. Has anyone ever sealed with Seal-Krete or similar, that works on horizontal surfaces, to protect against weeds? We bought this house (two years ago) and had to repaint the exterior. I was looking to apply seal-krete prior to painting. I thought I saw a review of someone saying they used it for weed purposes and it worked great, but I can't find that review now. Thanks. David