Florida is the land of palms! They’re everywhere, and they’re so beautiful to look at. If you have palm trees on your property, it’s in your best interest to take care of them. So, what can you do to keep your palm trees happy and healthy? Let’s dive in!
Types of Palm Trees
Many different species within the palm tree family can be found in Florida’s natural landscape. You might say, there’s a palm for every preference! Here are just a few:
The Sabal Palmetto is our state’s tree. Also known as a cabbage palm, they are tall, well-adapted for hurricanes, and quite easy to care for.
Washingtonia or Mexican Fan Palms are prized for their fast growth and extreme hardiness, even in cooler temperatures.
Queen Palms, while beautiful and showy, need extra care to keep them in good shape.
Date Palms are beloved for their sweet fruit and grow to an impressively old age.
Caring for Your Palm Trees
You, too, can reap the rewards of having a palm tree, but there are a few things you should know first about their care and keeping.
Palms thrive in nutrient-rich soils not often found in our urban landscapes. Good topsoil is crucial to help younger palms grow healthy and strong. If you live in an area where your soil is lacking the necessary nutrients, consider using fertilizer to encourage the best growth.
Fertilize
Palm trees should be fertilized around five or six times per year. Proper technique involves laying the fertilizer at least two feet from the trunk of the tree. PalmGain contains the perfect mixture of nutrients that your palms need, and they’ll love you for it!
Hydrate
Baby palms need more attention than their mature counterparts, and this includes regular watering. A good rule of thumb is to water new palms twice a week for the first six months after planting. Make sure they get enough water to penetrate a foot and a half down, or more if the soil is sandy. For established palms, water twice a month during the summer, and even less during the cold months. Consider the amount of seasonal rainfall and adjust accordingly.
Maintenance
Palm trees draw most of their sunlight and nutrients from their fronds. Most palms will regularly shed their fronds, and removing young, healthy ones can actually damage your tree.
For the most part, you can trust that your palm tree will shed its fronds when the time is right. While you may be tempted to remove fronds that are starting to turn brown, hold off until you know that the frond is entirely dead.
When to Prune
Like all vegetation, palm trees can fall victim to disease. You can tell that your palm tree is affected if the fronds turn brown and brittle. These are the ones that need to be pruned. Ultimately, don’t prune too aggressively or too often, and be wary of the delicate bark on your palm’s trunk.
Do Your Palm Trees Need Some Love? Call the Experts!
If you want the very best for your palm trees, contact the experts at Black Eagle Tree Services today. We know how to give your palms the TLC they need to keep them happy, healthy, and beautiful.