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With palm trees, you can bring that holiday flair into your own garden. With us you will learn how, when and with what to best fertilize palm trees.
The umbrella terms "palms" or "palm plants" (Arecaceae, Palmae) unite a large number of species, some of which differ greatly in their requirements in terms of light and water conditions and the comfortable temperature. The availability of nutrients also varies greatly from habitat to habitat, and so does the need of the plants for nutrients in the form of additional fertilizers. In general, however, palm trees are considered to be frugal, they rarely need many additional nutrients. However, fast-growing species in particular are happy about the support in the development of new palm fronds in the course of fertilization.
Professional fertilization is the be-all and end-all for an attractive and he althy-growing plant, and not just for heavy consumers. Even undemanding plants such as palm trees need an adequate supply of nutrients as the basis for their green life. Here in particular, the right fertilizer and, in particular, the right dosage are important. In the case of palm trees, over-fertilization usually ends fatally, i.e. with the death of the plant. In order to avoid a bad ending, we will clarify the most important questions regarding the fertilization of palm trees for you below.
When do palm trees fertilize?
When planting or repotting your palm tree, you should mix compost into the potting soil. This supplies the plant with nutrients and ensures the slightly acidic soil environment that palm trees need to thrive. The additional mixing in of quartz sand ensures a loose soil structure. This minimizes the risk of waterlogging. An additional plus are the contained silicates, because these are needed for the cell structure.
Once they are in the bed or pot, palm trees are fertilized every two weeks from the beginning of the growth phase, i.e. from April/May until October. Additional fertilization in the winter months is only necessary if the plant is warm and in a bright location. The time interval between theHowever, fertilization is then increased to four weeks. When using a long-term fertilizer, however, a single dose in spring is sufficient, which is why such fertilizers are clearly recommended.
Palm fertiliser: how and with what to fertilize palm trees?
In general, palm trees have no extraordinary requirements for the composition of their nutrients. The purchase of a special palm fertilizer is therefore not necessary. Many of these special fertilizers are not only overpriced, but even have the wrong nutrient ratio. On the other hand, commercially available NPK fertilizers are perfectly suitable for green plants. Make sure you have a balanced ratio of nitrogen to potassium and a slightly lower phosphate content. Half of the amount of fertilizer specified by the manufacturer is sufficient for slow-growing palm species. An additional supply of trace elements is usually unnecessary, as they are available in sufficient quantities in the earth.
An organic long-term fertilizer not only saves you having to use fertilizer frequently, it also minimizes the risk of over-fertilization thanks to the slow release of active ingredients. Our Plantura organic universal fertilizer offers the long-term effect of an organic fertilizer of high organic quality. In this way you not only protect the plant and the soil, but also support a sustainable production method with your purchase.
If you want to send your palms stronger into the winter, it is best to switch to a potassium-rich fertilizer from August. Potassium supports the hardening of the shoots and thus protects against frost damage. This is particularly important for outdoor palms. In the case of potted palms that are overwintered frost-free, however, a potassium-rich fertilizer change can be dispensed with.
Fertilize palm trees organically: procedure and application recommendation
Compost in particular is an excellent source of organic nutrients for your palm tree. This is worked into the top layer of soil every spring and covered with a fresh layer of soil. The nutrients are then released over a long period of time as they decompose and also ensure a slightly acidic soil pH value. With potted palm trees indoors, however, the smell of these natural remedies is usually annoying and digging them underground is also proving to be rather difficult. Organic fertilizers from the trade therefore offer a good and sometimes just as environmentally friendly alternative. These also give their nutrients gently to theRoot environment and ensure a long-lasting supply of nutrients and a he althy microbiome in the soil without unpleasant odours.
Our Plantura organic universal fertilizer offers an NPK ratio (6 - 3 - 4) from primarily organic sources, i.e. a ratio of nitrogen (N) to phosphate (P) to potassium (K), which palms and offers other plants an optimal basic supply of nutrients. So that not only the ingredients are right, but also the correct dosage, we have compiled brief instructions for you on how to apply our Plantura organic universal fertilizer:
- Before planting, work 100 - 150 g/m² (well filled 0.2 liter glass) of our Plantura organic universal fertilizer into the top layer of soil
- Water the soil and the freshly planted palm tree well so that the granules can be loosened
- For maintenance fertilization in spring, you should fertilize another 80 - 120 g/m² (0.2 liter glass) per plant
In the case of palm trees that are kept in tubs for a longer period of time without repotting, an annual dose of rock flour can make sense. In this way, the limited storage capacities of the soil are replenished with important trace elements. The silicates it contains, which are needed for rapid cell growth, are particularly interesting for the palm tree. However, use rock flour with care, because it contains lime and thus increases the pH value of the soil. However, the vast majority of palm trees require a slightly acidic soil condition.
Fertilize palm trees with minerals
Mineral fertilizers are highly concentrated suppliers of nutrients that usually contain their minerals in s alt form. These are water-soluble and therefore available to the plants immediately after application. In the case of deficiency symptoms and potted palms, this can be of great advantage, because the volume of soil and thus the nutrient stores in the pot are severely limited. However, with mineral fertilizers, the risk of over-fertilization if the wrong dosage is used is very high. As previously mentioned, over-fertilization of palm trees often leads to the death of the plants. Blaukorn and Co. should therefore only be dosed in small amounts. In this way, the plants also get calcium, which occurs in the form of lime in the blue grain and is important for the membrane system of the plant cells. However, lime increases the pH of the soil. Epsom s alt can also be given to counteract this. This in turn lowers the soil pH and provides magnesium for particularly green palm fronds and a highPlant resilience.
However, there are also organic fertilizers that provide the same nutrients. Here you have the advantage of easier handling because it is difficult to over-fertilize the plants. In addition, the ingredients come from natural sources. This saves valuable resources during production and you can take care of your plants more sustainably. If you also want to get your exotic plants fit for the winter, you can use Patentkali at the end of August. Autumn fertilization with this potassium fertilizer makes your palm less susceptible to frost damage.
Fertilize palm trees with home remedies
Palm trees prefer a slightly acidic soil pH. This makes them ideal candidates for coffee grounds fertilization. Because the dried set provides an excellent source of nitrogen when incorporated into the upper soil layer or as a gift in the irrigation water and drives the soil pH down over time. You can also try your hand at recycling other kitchen waste, such as banana peels or tea leaves. Even some weeds from the garden do not have to end up directly on the compost. An alternative to composting is to make a brew or liquid manure from the unwelcome plant remains of nettle, comfrey, horsetail or similar.