Fertilizing Palms

[DALION]

I have read many threads and posts regarding fertilizing palms. What I have only seen in some random posts is the actual requirements for individual palms. I have, from my experience, seen that W. bifurcata needs extra manganese or else it doesn't survive in my yard.

What other palms have special requirements? Do slower palms like D. decipiens need more or less than a rocket like R. regia?

[MattyB]

In my experience, getting a healthy compost/mulch layer is the first and foremost important thing regarding fertilization. This is the foundation for everything. Then, when you suppliment, use a palm special fertilizer. After that, just keep an eye on things and treat deficiencies as they arise, which will be seldom.

[Walter John]

I've never fertilsied for a specific palm or palm species or genera. I've treated some palms differently regarding water requirements only, investigating which were thirstier.

Matty's right about mulch, you might want to read the thread on soil testing by Dean sometime back. I intend on trying something new this year by adding what is known here as "rock dust". It is a combo of minerals for the soil. I'll add this around the palms on to the dirt then add mulch on top.

I've had fun trying different ways of mulching and fertilising since I've been struck by the disease.

[DALION]

After that, just keep an eye on things and treat deficiencies as they arise, which will be seldom.

Matt

It might be seldom but the question is, have you noticed that a particular species typicall requires more manganese, boron, etc? I know that properly mulching, regularly fertilizing, and correctly watering is key but I am just over thinking things because that's what I do. Thanks for the info.

...you might want to read the thread on soil testing by Dean sometime back.

Wal

I think Dean started that thread after I posed the question of pH needs for palms. That was another one of my over thinking moments.

[Bill Austin]

Like what Matt said mulch,mulch and then mulch I have been using something new that is called fishchar and it is biochar,molasses,fishchar,crushed lava rock almost like powder and one other thing I can remember right now this stuff is like rocket fuel .

[NApalm]

I haven't been in the game for a long time, but in my gardens 2+ years i've been using manure's and sulphate o potash, AND i've been putting these on my garden (OHAYO!) Cough, but uh, in all seriousness i've read that cycads and some palms benefit from a bit of extra manganese! i'd dare say this is what my caryota rumphiana is craving at the moment. Plus i throw out a bit of blood and bone +trace elements. Seems to do the trick. Oh and mulch as well. Basically what alot of people do on here

[MattyB]

After that, just keep an eye on things and treat deficiencies as they arise, which will be seldom.

Matt

It might be seldom but the question is, have you noticed that a particular species typicall requires more manganese, boron, etc?

I'm no expert on deficiencies, but I believe that at least one of my Pritchardia has suffered from Potassium or less likely Magnesium deficiency so I added some SulPoMag around it this winter and all the new leaves are looking good. I've noticed that Pritchardia in other gardens tend to do this yellowing out and spotting as well so that's one genera to keep your eye on. I caught it early and although it has some spotting it doesn't look bad.

Also, in a new, raised planter area I had some problems with the palms yellowing out. I used lots of organic matter while filling the planter so I suspect that there was a nitrogen drop causing the problem. I added a well balanced fertilizer and periodically some ironite and finally after a couple of years everything greened up and is doing very well. You might want to keep an eye on this since you're dealing with that new, sterile, soil in your planters. It just takes time for all the microbes to get working and to get a balance going.

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

This topic is close to my heart. I actually work for the company that makes the commercial version of Osmocote. I work with plant nutrition daily, and the most important things to consider when you fertilize are: what are the soils like where the plant is native, and what are the characteristics of the soil where you are planting. Matty B is going to have very different soil than Dypsis Dean, and my soil will be different from both of theirs. Our friends in Miami will have completely different soil than most of us outside the coastal tropics. So, if you are growing a Caribbean species in, say acidic volcanic soil, the deficiencies you see will likely be different than those you would encounter in interior Australia. You would fertilize based on the properties of the soil and the deficiencies your particular palm exhibits (and preferably confirmed with tissue tests). Plants are remarkably adaptable to various soil issues but often one still encounters problems. Here's something I've noticed, however. Plants native to placeswith alkaline soil (above pH 7) often adapt to acid soils more easily than those native to acid soils adapt to alkaline. Going back to Dalion's example: it's a fair bet that slow growing palms require less fertilizer than fast growing; Roystonea regia seems fairly adaptable but in calcareous soils like the coral based soils of Miami, the often show deficiencies of metallic nutrients like Manganese, Boron, iron, and Magnesium. You don't see those deficiencies in the mucky interior florida soils. And Dypsis decipens, someone who knows the soil in Madagascar will have to chime in here. I don't know anything about their soil. Anyway, the point is, it's the interaction of the plant with the soil that determines the optimum fertilizer. One thing I've been wondering about recently is Potassium deficiency in palms native to areas near the sea. Here in FL, potassium deficiency is among the leading causes of palm death. It seems nearly impossible to fertilize away potassium deficiency. Heavy rains also move potassium out of the tissue. Coconuts, along with some other seaside plants, can actually live on seawater. Seawater is rich with nutrients, including potassium, assuming a plant isn't killed by the sodium chloride. So I wonder if a species like Matty's Pritchardia is longing for some beach time. I know a lady in the Florida keys whose palm collection was inundated by a storm driven surge of sea water. Her Phoenix roebellenii and Syagrus amara turned beautiful rich dark green. Of course many species died but those that were adapted, thrived afterward. OK, I'm done with the encyclopedia now. This is why I oven don't respond to fertilizer threads! Aren't y'all thankful?

[dalmatiansoap]

Keep that comming Keith.

[palmislandRandy]

Don't stop now Keith! Great info.

[DALION]

WOW! Keith you said a mouthful. That's was the longest answer I have read on any thread that made total sense. Thank you for such a complete answer. This also touches on another topic I brought up, soil testing. I guess getting a professional soil analysis done would let me know what my soil has and what I should add.

Thanks again.

[hanapalms]

Great discourse Keith. But with Matty's Pritchardia, I would be careful about seawater. There are only a couple species that do tolerate the shoreline environment, e.g. P thurstonii and possibly P. affinis to some extent.

[PalmGuyWC]

Hi Folks,

I'm back after 2 months in various hospitals. I have a fuzzy head and have forgotten how to use my computer, so forgive me for barging in on this thread. Maybe the moderator will put it in the right place.

I was opperated on May 3 and was in a hospital in San Francisco for several weeks, then transfured to an assisted care nursing home and I;m still there, but home on a day pass. Gosh, my palms have grown and Patrick is keeping up his hybridizing with my palms. Should be some new beauties coming along in a while.

The Dr. thinks he got all the cancer out and preformed a "Whipple" procedure on me. It's an 8 hour opperation and I was lucky to to get an expert surgeon. I begin 6 months of chemo theraphy next week. With chemo I have an 80% chance of recovering. Right now I'm very weak and have no appetite and I have to force myself to eat . All in all I'm lucky to be alive as I went through a couple of rough patches. My intestines were blocked for a while and that's no fun.

I should be home next week and then I will fill you in on the latest hybrids that Patrick thinks will be successful. How does a Butia X Parajubaea X Jubaea sound? They are seeds now and collected, and more to come.

Dick

[John Case]

Hi Folks,

I'm back after 2 months in various hospitals. I have a fuzzy head and have forgotten how to use my computer, so forgive me for barging in on this thread. Maybe the moderator will put it in the right place.

I was opperated on May 3 and was in a hospital in San Francisco for several weeks, then transfured to an assisted care nursing home and I;m still there, but home on a day pass. Gosh, my palms have grown and Patrick is keeping up his hybridizing with my palms. Should be some new beauties coming along in a while.

The Dr. thinks he got all the cancer out and preformed a "Whipple" procedure on me. It's an 8 hour opperation and I was lucky to to get an expert surgeon. I begin 6 months of chemo theraphy next week. With chemo I have an 80% chance of recovering. Right now I'm very weak and have no appetite and I have to force myself to eat . All in all I'm lucky to be alive as I went through a couple of rough patches. My intestines were blocked for a while and that's no fun.

I should be home next week and then I will fill you in on the latest hybrids that Patrick thinks will be successful. How does a Butia X Parajubaea X Jubaea sound? They are seeds now and collected, and more to come.

Dick

Dick, if thwere is anything I can do for you, please let me know....and get better soon!

BTW, I hear that vodka has some incredible powers in curing whats ails you.....

John

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

Dick,

Here's wishing you a speedy recovery. I looked up the procedure you endured and I understand why the recovery time is long. You are one tough fella. Stay optimistic and get well soon!

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

Great discourse Keith. But with Matty's Pritchardia, I would be careful about seawater. There are only a couple species that do tolerate the shoreline environment, e.g. P thurstonii and possibly P. affinis to some extent.

Good advice. Most plants won't tolerate sea water at all. The salinity itself is typically fatal and thats why there is such a limited pallete of plants at the shore. Interestingly enough, some plants tolerate salt in the root zone, some tolerate salt on the foliage, but very few tolerate both. Most likely, Matty's Prichardia is simply native to a place that has higher available potassium in the soil, or the soil chemistry is such that the Potassium that is present is in a form that it can absorb.