Care & Maintenance of Your Palm Tree
At South Hill Palm Farm,
we currently feature the Windmill Palm (Trachycarpus fortunei). We have
concentrated our efforts on producing this palm because of its excellent
compatibility with the climate in our area. This palm can be grown in moderate
or maritime climates such as the Pacific Northwest on the west side of the
cascade Mountain Range or in lower elevations where temperatures do not
regularly fall below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Windmill Palms can be grown in USDA
Hardiness Zones 8 - 11 (Southern and Western Coastal U.S. states). These trees
can grow to 20 to 30 feet tall with a spread of 6 to 10 feet. Leaves are 18 to
36 inches long. Our larger palms come in 15 gallon, 24 inch wooden planter
boxes. Other types of palms may also be available upon request.
General
Care Tips
Homeowners are presented with unique challenges when caring for palm trees.
Windmill Palms grow in full sun and partial shade conditions in well-drained,
fertile soils. They should be watered regularly and pruned sparingly. Care
should be taken to avoid damaging the lower trunk and roots.
Things
to Watch For
It is important to watch for pests, which may include palm aphids and scales.
Some disease vulnerabilities exist including root rot, lethal yellowing
disease, and leaf spots.
Common
Problems With Palm Trees
The most important factor for a healthy palm tree is good soil. The type of
soil determines how much nutrients and water the plant receives. As a
homeowner, the best contribution you can make to your palm tree's soil is the
addition of beneficial mycorrhizal fungi. Another vital component of palm tree
care is proper fertilization. Palm trees require specially-formulated
fertilizers for very specific conditions.
Planting
a Palm Tree
Planting palm trees is similar, in most ways, to planting other kinds of trees.
Nursery-grown palms are generally sold either potted or balled and burlapped.
Try to plan your tree shortly after purchase. If there is going to be any time
lag between purchase and planting, make sure that the tree's root ball is kept
moist but not soaking. when transporting and handling palm trees, use care. The
bark is easily damaged. Damaged areas leave the tree vulnerable to insects and
fungus. The best time of year to plant is during the warmer months when the
soil temperature is at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Dig a hole wide enough to fit the root ball with plenty of room to spare. A good rule of thumb is to make the hole twice as wide as the root ball. The hole should be just deep enough so that the tree is planted at the depth at which it was grown. Do not plant the tree any deeper as this may deprive the roots of nutrients and water. When the tree has been situated in the hole, backfill with the freshly dug soil.
When the palm tree has been planted, build a soil barrier around the circumference of the hole to form a dam that will hold water. Then lay down a layer of organic mulch about three inches deep around the tree.
Frequent watering is crucial for newly-planted palm trees. Water daily for about the first two weeks and then taper off over several months as the tree establishes itself. Use a bubbler or arrange a hose to slow soak the area around the tree. It is important not to allow the soil to dry out as this will severely weaken your new palm.
Palm trees also require periodic fertilizer applications. There are commercial mixes available especially for palms.
Finally, exercise caution when using lawn mowers and weed trimmers around palm trees as even minor bark damage may make the palm vulnerable to harmful insects or disease.
Maintaining
a Palm Tree
Once planted, a palm tree is easily maintained with just a little effort and
some tender loving care. The most important factor in a palm tree's health is
soil. Compacted, nutrient-deficient soils found in most urban environments do
not contain the components necessary for a palm to truly thrive. As steward to
your trees, it is your responsibility to maintain healthy soil You can do that
in two ways:
1.
Adding Mycorrhizal Fungi
Mycorrhizal fungi coexist with plants in nature, colonizing the root systems.
In exchange for food, these fungi provide the plant with nutrients and
moisture. They can extend the root area of a plant by up to 1000% helping it
survive under conditions of stress. Soil in many urban areas and in most potted
plants lacks this essential organism. By Adding the correct mycorrhizal fungi
to the soil, you are giving your trees a vital boost.
2.
Fertilizing
Palm trees require a large variety of nutrients to survive, and because they
thrive in sandy, well-drained soils, these nutrients tend to leach away
quickly. As a result, most common problems with palms are caused by a lack of
nutrients or improper fertilization. There are palm-specific fertilizers
available that release their nutrients very slowly to provide consistent, targeted
feeding. We at South Hill Palm Farm carry a special fertilizer with
micro-nutrients made specifically for palms.
Watering
a Palm Tree
The most important consideration is to ensure that your palm receives
sufficient water for healthy growth. In desert areas and in the absence of
regular rainfall, periodic watering is essential. Slow drip or bubble type
watering over a number of hours is better than a simple drenching with a hose.
As for how often, this will depend on the climate, season, and rainfall frequency.
In many areas, twice a month during the summer decreasing to once very six
weeks during the colder season should be enough.
Pruning
a Palm Tree
As they grow, the older fronds of palm trees will turn brown, die, and
eventually fall off. For esthetic reasons, you may wish to speed the process
along by pruning off the dead fronds. Use some caution when pruning a palm
tree, Prune only the dead fronds and remember not to cut too close to the
trunk. In the case of a large tree, this is a job that should be left to a tree
maintenance specialist.
Protecting
Your Trees from the Cold
Generally speaking, the homeowner who is concerned about the effects of winter
weather on their palms has little to worry about. However, the unpredictable
climate of the winter months can sometimes produce unexpected 'cold snaps'.When
facing freezing temperatures, your palms will require extra attention.
Cold weather can affect plants in a variety of ways. First, frost or freezing temperatures can damage the actual tissue of the plant as well as limiting the conduction of water through the trunk. Also, cold weather will slow down the growth of your palm and reduce the activity of the roots. As this occurs, the palm is weakened and susceptible to perils of disease.
Fortunately, there are a number of preventative measures one can take to encourage the survival of palms through winter. If you have the advantage of being able to choose where to plant a new palm, select a warm and sunny spot that is well-protected from winter winds. Winds from the north and west are particularly harmful. Any number of evergreens will serve as adequate windscreen. Fences of walls that allow some air through work well as windscreens. If you can, situate your palm close to the south or east sides of your house. The heat of your home will further protect them.
If you are aware of an oncoming 'cold snap', there are a number of fairly easy, preventative measure you can take. If your palm is small, a box or a blanket paced over it and weighted down will add protection. Be careful not to leave the cover on the plant for more than five days at the most. Burying your smaller palms under a mound of straw or other type of dry mulch can also provide effective protection. When the weather warms up, the straw or mulch should be removed immediately to avoid rot. For larger palms with tall, exposed trunks there are slightly different methods of protection. Again, when a 'cold snap' is impending, one can protect the plant by tightly wrapping the trunk in burlap, blankets, or similar materials. There materials should be removed once the weather warms up.
Treating
Cold Damage
Cold-weather damage can happen despite a homeowner's best intentions. First, it
is important to determine the level of injury to the bud tissue inside the
trunk. Providing that the tissue has not been to heavily affected, the plant
should produce new leaves during the following summer. A fairly accurate test
to assess the extent of damage is to gently tug on a leaf newly emerging from
the trunk. If the spear pulls out, there is damage to the tissue of the palm.
If there has been damage to the buds and many of the palm's leaves have been killed, the battle is not necessarily over. In such instances, one should remove all of the damaged leaves and shoots from the surface of the trunk, and then apply a copper-based fungicide. Some experts recommend removing all tissue from the surface of the trunk, perhaps using a small saw, and consistently spraying the palm with a fungicide until the plant is strong again. In any case, patience is key. Injured palms require an entire spring and summer season to begin their recovery.
Care Tips | Resource Links | Driving Map | Email Us | Palm/Party rentals
9422 144th St E, Puyallup, WA 98375 ~ (253) 970-1479 or (253) 210-4523