The first thing that probably comes to mind when you think of palm trees are breathtaking views of the beach, tropical environments, and vast coastlines.
However, palm trees can now bring beauty and elegance anywhere and survive in many other climates, including desert or valley conditions.
Palm trees are quite an investment. The charm it brings to any space is definitely worth its costly amount in the market. Moreover, anyone can keep a palm tree thriving in a variety of environmental conditions.
They require little water, and palm tree maintenance and care are relatively easy to perform.
If you have one at home or in any of your properties, there are some things that you need to know to keep your palm trees looking their best.
Preserve its beauty and ensure that your plants are kept in healthy living conditions to avoid damage and life shortage. Here are a few palm tree care and maintenance tips from the professionals.
Quick Navigation
Regulate Sunlight
There’s a reason why palm trees are mostly seen along beautiful coastlines and tropical environments. These plants absolutely love sunlight. Palm plants are native to tropical and subtropical habitats.
If you have an indoor palm plant, it is best to keep it near a window where direct sunlight can be reached.
Although palm trees are sun-loving plants, you do not have to live in tropical or heated environments to enjoy beautiful palm sceneries in your home or backyard. Different types of palm plants require different amounts of sunlight.
Some palms can do very well in lower lighting conditions, while others need sunny windows or supplemental lights.
Regardless of the variety of palm you choose to grow, it is crucial that your foliage receives ample sunlight that can give its vibrant glow.
Do some research on the different types of palm plants to know which works best in shady areas and which requires direct sunlight. Too much sun can cause sunburn to your palm fronds that do not easily recover.
Choose Fast-Draining Soil
Generally speaking, palms can adapt to a wide variety of soils that drain well. Since they have relatively shallow roots, it needs plenty of air. Drowning your palm trees with too much water can be damaging to their growth.
Choose dirt that is fast-draining yet moisture-retentive to prevent waterlogged soil. Too much water can cause root rotting.
Less Water
For a variety of palm houseplants, you can water them once every one to two weeks. The schedule depends on the amount of sunlight your plants receive.
More sunlight in the summer season typically means frequent watering, while less sunlight will need less water during the winter seasons.
Despite a variety of palm trees needing different amounts of water and sunlight, it boils down to reasonably consistent primary care. Submerging palm tree roots in water is never a good idea.
Palms normally prefer moist but not water-logged soil. You can spot symptoms of overwatering through palm fronds that are yellow and brown in color.
Try to check the soil by hand to know whether your palms are already in need of water. Place your fingers on the ground about two inches deep. Check if it is dry, then water your palm trees thoroughly to encourage healthy root growth.
Try to consider the humidity of the area as well since it adds to the soil’s moisture.
Schedule Regular Trimming
Palm trees bring a touch of tropical vibrance to any outdoor landscape or indoor space. However, these aesthetic plants also need regular palm tree trimming and pruning to maintain consistency, prevent damage, and look their best all year round.
Without regular trimming and pruning, you will eventually run into some problems.
Plants grow in general. These trees will continue to grow and put on weight until it becomes too heavy to support. It weighs down on the tree itself, eventually breaking and tumbling to the ground.
Trust me when I say that you do not want these huge palm fronds suddenly falling in your backyard without any sort of warning.
Pieces of palm trees that break and fall off could hit any innocent passer-by, a customer, an employee, a family member, a friend, and literally anyone in its vicinity.
The last thing you want is an injured person on your property, regardless of who he or she may be. Fortunately, you can schedule pruning and trimming services with professionals.
Keep Them Fertilized
Palms have specific nutritional requirements that are not readily available in typical plant foods or fertilizers.
Since they are sensitive to relatively high phosphorus amounts compared to other plant nutrients, they might need a special fertilizer designed especially for them. Palms need lower doses of phosphorus to better utilize the other nutrients.
Palm trees that are fed with too much phosphorus prevent them from efficiently using other essential nutrients included in the fertilizer. It can lead to nutrient deficiencies that show through yellow leaves and under visible damage.
Beautiful green foliage needs the right amount of every nutrient, including iron and magnesium.
For best results, spread your chosen fertilizer throughout the root zone, starting from the trunk. Go beyond the frond tips, depending on the horizontal extension of your palm roots.
You can feed outdoor trees during the late winter, midsummer, and early fall. However, if your growing season runs all-year-round, you can provide it every three to four months.
Potted Palms
If you choose to keep an indoor palm plant or tree, choose a pot with an extra space to allow growth during its early stage.
When repotting your plants, be careful not to put them in planters that are too big as it may lead to overwatering. Choose a potting mix that is fast-draining and moisture-retentive.
Make sure that your palm’s pot has a drainage hole and is heavy enough to prevent your tree from tipping. You can also use planters with no holes as long as you are mindful of the water that you put in.
Potted palms can be placed outside during the summer season and moved back in for the winter.
Overall, palms are a great addition to your landscape or indoor aesthetics. They definitely bring a touch of elegance to any space. Palm trees are a great investment, especially for commercial properties by the beachfront.
Just be sure to keep them well-maintained and healthy to avoid any unnecessary troubles and complications.