Getting ready for spring.

[GottmitAlex]

Early February I applied salt to the cocos. Come March, I will apply fertilizer.

I alternate monthly.

 

[AZPalms]

10 minutes ago, GottmitAlex said:

Early February I applied salt to the cocos. Come March, I will apply fertilizer.

I alternate monthly.

 

I just picked up a 10lb bag. Never used Palmgain, how do you like it? Plan on applying at the end of the month. 

[GottmitAlex]

8 minutes ago, AZPalms said:

I just picked up a 10lb bag. Never used Palmgain, how do you like it? Plan on applying at the end of the month. 

I love it. I was using Miraclegro shake and feed palm fertilizer before.  I saw no real results. A year and a half ago several forum members recommended PalmGain. It has worked. Leaves on all my palms are green. 

 

 

 

Edited February 15, 2020 by GottmitAlex

[joe_OC]

Going to fertilize 70lbs of fert soon.

[DoomsDave]

Waiting till March, maybe Fast Eddie and Julius Caesar Day

[Tropicdoc]

Fertilized this weekend. We had rain and 80 F figured it was time

[el-blanco]

Where do you buy yours from?  I am in Orange County, CA  THANKS! JW

[GottmitAlex]

1 hour ago, el-blanco said:

Where do you buy yours from?  I am in Orange County, CA  THANKS! JW

I purchase mine through Amazon.

 

[branislav]

1 hour ago, el-blanco said:

Where do you buy yours from?  I am in Orange County, CA  THANKS! JW

Home Depot sells the 10 lbs bags online very cheap and have free shipping once you order a few. 

[Butch]

32 minutes ago, branislav said:

Home Depot sells the 10 lbs bags online very cheap and have free shipping once you order a few. 

Or you can just order 1 bag (No minimum)  and have it delivered to your nearest store, for no charge...

Butch

[wrigjef]

On 2/15/2020 at 4:24 PM, GottmitAlex said:

NEarly February I applied salt to the cocos. Come March, I will apply fertilizer.

I alternate monthly.

 

Alex,

I am going to give this a try but need some advise.  I have a coconut palm that is 7 years old, first 4 in a pot and the last 3 in the ground.   I have never used fertilizer on this palm before.  I am super concerned about frying it as I have used fertilizer in the past on other palms and killed or nearly killed every single one of them.  
 My landscaper friend who has been in the business in Phoenix for over 30 years has always told me to never fertilize my trees as the soil is perfect as it is in my area.  I have 27 palms around my property and all are growing very well with no added fertilizer. 

The Coconut palm although healthy has grown at a snails pace.  I’m sure my not so optimal dry climate has a lot to do with it.  I was hoping to find a fertilizer to help get it growing faster but on the other hand I would rather have a slow grower than a dead tree.

The tree is about 6 feet tall.  Would you follow the instructions for on the bag of Palm gain exactly?   My thought is to almost   Tease the trees with a small about of fertilizer to see how it responds.  
 

Any advice for anyone reading this would be much appreciated. 

[Big Eye]

I'm using Nutricote (13-11-11, I think) right now.  Is PalmGain a superior fertilizer and would it be wise to make the switch?  I'm starting to see some potassium/magnesium deficiencies (I assume) in my plants and have been supplementing with langbeinite.  I couldn't tell you what it is exactly, sorry.  I was told by a grow shop that it's what the plants needed to rectify the problem.

[branislav]

Jeff, just stick to the recommended dosage and there will be no issues. I am not sure about growing much faster but it will sure make the leaves look greener and overall health should improve. Keenan, here's a great review of PalmGain by Len. Note in particular the different N:P:K ratios that work well for soils in CA (and, I think FL since I think a lot of the recommended values came from U of Florida). One thing about PG is that it's no slow-release, which means you will have to apply it several times per year, which can get expensive. I use it a couple of times (before & after winter), and then once, for the remaining 6-8 months, the slow release 8-2-12 (which does not have that many micronutrients but all necessary macros), which I get in 20 lbs bags here.

[GottmitAlex]

40 minutes ago, branislav said:

Jeff, just stick to the recommended dosage and there will be no issues. I am not sure about growing much faster but it will sure make the leaves look greener and overall health should improve. Keenan, here's a great review of PalmGain by Len. Note in particular the different N:P:K ratios that work well for soils in CA (and, I think FL since I think a lot of the recommended values came from U of Florida). One thing about PG is that it's no slow-release, which means you will have to apply it several times per year, which can get expensive. I use it a couple of times (before & after winter), and then once, for the remaining 6-8 months, the slow release 8-2-12 (which does not have that many micronutrients but all necessary macros), which I get in 20 lbs bags here.

@wrigjef This^^^^

Bear in mind, my soil is 100% pure sand 3ftx3ftx3ft (One cubic yard)per plot give or take. Hence the fertilizer retention is not all that great.

If your soil is rich, then I would go with a tad bit less than the recommended. 

 

 

[wrigjef]

1 hour ago, branislav said:

Jeff, just stick to the recommended dosage and there will be no issues. I am not sure about growing much faster but it will sure make the leaves look greener and overall health should improve. Keenan, here's a great review of PalmGain by Len. Note in particular the different N:P:K ratios that work well for soils in CA (and, I think FL since I think a lot of the recommended values came from U of Florida). One thing about PG is that it's no slow-release, which means you will have to apply it several times per year, which can get expensive. I use it a couple of times (before & after winter), and then once, for the remaining 6-8 months, the slow release 8-2-12 (which does not have that many micronutrients but all necessary macros), which I get in 20 lbs bags here.

Thanks for the advice. I will give it a try, already on the way from Amazon.  

Edited February 18, 2020 by wrigjef

[wrigjef]

1 hour ago, GottmitAlex said:

@wrigjef This^^^^

Bear in mind, my soil is 100% pure sand 3ftx3ftx3ft (One cubic yard)per plot give or take. Hence the fertilizer retention is not all that great.

If your soil is rich, then I would go with a tad bit less than the recommended. 

 

 

Mine is 100 percent pure sand as well.  

[GottmitAlex]

1 minute ago, wrigjef said:

Mine is 100 percent pure sand as well.  

Then, as @branislav mentioned, employ the recommended amount.  In my case, I am a bit generous with the amount. (I don't measure it) I Just throw it around the "trunks" making sure the fertilizer doesn't touch the palm. I use a small potting trowel and fill it to the brim with fertilizer.  

I attached a stock web pic of one. However, here again, I completely fill it.  I do not overfill (Make a mound of fertilizer on the trowel). 

 

 

 

[wrigjef]

4 minutes ago, GottmitAlex said:

Then, as @branislav mentioned, employ the recommended amount.  In my case, I am a bit generous with the amount. (I don't measure it) I Just throw it around the "trunks" making sure the fertilizer doesn't touch the palm. I use a small potting trowel and fill it to the brim with fertilizer.  

I attached a stock web pic of one. However, here again, I completely fill it.  I do not overfill (Make a mound of fertilizer on the trowel). 

 

 

 

Do you water the tree first then throw the fertilizer in the standing water around the tree or do you throw it on top of dry soil then water?   Thanks for all the tips. 

[joe_OC]

On 2/17/2020 at 6:48 AM, el-blanco said:

Where do you buy yours from?  I am in Orange County, CA  THANKS! JW

Best deal is from Home Depot online.  If you purchase $45 or more of fertilizer, shipping is free.  Or, they will ship it to the local HD and you can pick up in store.

Edited February 18, 2020 by joe_OC

[GottmitAlex]

13 minutes ago, wrigjef said:

Do you water the tree first then throw the fertilizer in the standing water around the tree or do you throw it on top of dry soil then water?   Thanks for all the tips. 

Water first. Then apply. If not, with the dry sand, most of the product will just sink.

I usually water the day before then apply the next day.   With salt rocks it's a different story, I just throw 'em atop the dry sand.

Edited February 18, 2020 by GottmitAlex

[Big Eye]

22 hours ago, branislav said:

Jeff, just stick to the recommended dosage and there will be no issues. I am not sure about growing much faster but it will sure make the leaves look greener and overall health should improve. Keenan, here's a great review of PalmGain by Len. Note in particular the different N:P:K ratios that work well for soils in CA (and, I think FL since I think a lot of the recommended values came from U of Florida). One thing about PG is that it's no slow-release, which means you will have to apply it several times per year, which can get expensive. I use it a couple of times (before & after winter), and then once, for the remaining 6-8 months, the slow release 8-2-12 (which does not have that many micronutrients but all necessary macros), which I get in 20 lbs bags here.

Thank you for the link, it was a great read! Looks like I will have to try it. Seems like my plants are experiencing all the deficiencies that he is describing. My mix is absolutely nothing special. Peat moss and cinder. That is it. So I assume the pH is neutral? I may need to invest in a pH reader also.

[Chester B]

I love Palmgain.  After winter my palms can be a bit yellow, i think the excess water leaches the nutrients out, usually within a month of using they look great.  We get little to no rain during the summer so I have to water it in regularly to get it to dissolve into the soil.   I apply roughly on 4-6 week intervals starting sometime in April and usually stop the end of August.  I also buy from Homedepot and have it shipped to the store for no extra cost.