Fertilizing in fall?

[jfrye01@live.com]

So I'm going around doing my semi-annual fungicide application, and I'm wondering, does anyone fertilize their palms in the fall? Would it give them more of an edge throughout winter? I have Carl Pool's palm food, and I applied it back in early July...wondering if I should again...or maybe root stimulant? Any thoughts?

Thanks!

[trioderob]

I do -

early fall out here is hot

in dead of winter I do too - but much lighter dose

on the other hand where you are gets real cold and there is no growth at all in winter

(correct me if wrong)

so go real light on a good palm fert such as "palm plus"

and what ever you do - do not try to transplant a palm that's in the ground during Winter as it can develop fungi and die.

Edited October 1, 2014 by trioderob

[KennyRE317]

I do -

early fall out here is hot

in dead of winter I do too - but much lighter dose

on the other hand where you are gets real cold and there is no growth at all in winter

(correct me if wrong)

so go real light on a good palm fert such as "palm plus"

and what ever you do - do not try to transplant a palm that's in the ground during Winter as it can develop fungi and die.

thanks for that tip, i just transplanted a palm a week ago and was thinking about taking out another soon. i guess if i don't take it out soon then i'll pull it out in the spring. i remember last year i transplanted a few things in the winter and i recall how cold the soil was, glad i got lucky and didn't lose anything but some of the palms are barely kicking out of it right now

[jfrye01@live.com]

Yep, it gets cold here, I can expect to see the mid-teens a few nights a year...Thanks for the tips!

[_Keith]

I have not done this in the past, but this year I intend to. It seems to be the most important thing is to keep that palm pushing, in particular pushing out freeze damaged tissue. Might be wrong, but this is my intent.

[Cocoa Beach Jason]

I have read that fertilizing in fall helps with cold tolerance. I think the theory is more salts in the tree helps with cold hardiness. If I can find the right link I will add it. Keep in mind that I personally don't know and I am admittedly regurgitating what I have read in multiple places.

Edited October 2, 2014 by Cocoa Beach Jason

[smithgn]

I fertilized my palms in early September as I did in June (full amount of fertilizer). I didn't want to do it too late as I didn't want any of my palms to mistakenly push growth during the hard freezes of January and February. Generally, I think fertilizers (or the ones I have at least) last around 3 months or so. I think this late in the growing season it wouldn't hurt for you to put a minimal amount of fertilizer like trioderob said. I'm still experimenting myself, but I've heard both sides of the story: One being that you don't want to fertilize in the fall because you don't want to coax your palm into pushing new growth with cold weather on the way and possibly a freak cold snap which would fry your bud. But on the other hand, some say that it helps palms get through the winter and adds hardiness.

[Palm crazy]

I have never given my palms any growing fertilizer in fall, but have given some newer ones root fertilizer which does give a little top grow. In my climate to much tender fall growth is not a good idea. I have notice rock dust in early fall seem to make the palms more hardier to cold. I had some minor spear pull last winter at 16F and some palms had none.

[trioderob]

how is the growth in fall tender ?

to me nothing is tender on a palm - they are tuff sons of ......'s

where they go bad is if they get crown rot or insect attack or some disease .

but new growth being tender - I am all ears..............

“At least there is hope for a tree:
If it is cut down, it will sprout again,
and its new shoots will not fail."
Job 14:7New International Version (NIV)

Edited October 2, 2014 by trioderob

[Palm crazy]

Up here in the land of no winter Sunshine, any new growth stays very light green, maybe that makes palms more tender, or maybe not? Thats what every one up here says but I have no proof that it is true.

Edited October 2, 2014 by Palm crazy

[Peter Pacific]

Everyone has to find out what works for them. I just fertilized the garden a couple of weeks ago. The end of the rainy season is upon us and I probably wont fertilize again til early spring.

Peter

[Hammer]

You could try a foliar feed with fish emulsion for that last minute booster. But be VERY careful about getting water into the crown. Might not be a bad idea to use a fungicide in the crown regardless as you move toward winter.

[NorthFlpalmguy]

I fertilize 3-4 times per year and yes one of those is in Sept if that counts. This is my last time before spring though. I know nurserymen who fertilize palms every month during spring/summer and every other month during the fall but only small amounts and it works as well.