I love my Phoenix canariensis, reclinata, roebelenii, and hybrids and hate them at the same time for the reasons mentioned above. The spines are positively nasty and I use much care when removing them or tying them up away for human traffic.
Looks mighty tasty, Matt. Mmmm. I bet the palm likes it. I don't personally use or make compost tea but all my soil areas are always several inches deep in rotting leaf debris, cedar needles and cones, etc. and any digging almost always unearths worms. Sometimes lots of 'em.
I don't do anything special, just good all round gardening sense like lots of rotting mulch on the ground at all times, responsible watering, and a dense rain forest type planting regimen. That, on top of a good microclimate due to the moderating effect of the south end of the SF Bay and I'm...
Dean, I haven't tried Hyophorbe indica and I should. I coaxed along an H. verschaffeltii a couple of years but it wasn't very happy. I know H. indica is more forgiving of some cold though.