Semi simple and to the point. How do you plant your palms?

When I started, all I heard or saw is people pounding and stomping and packing the soil so there were no "air pockets". Yet as I have grown and observed, the general consensus is palms love a light airy mix. The two seemed a contradiction to me. So for several years now I have just made sure no "giant empty pockets" were there, with just moderate packing and stomping. My palms seem just as happy if not happier.. Comments?  

I should also add that as most of my place is or started as a moderately heavy clay, I tend to amend with mulch almost exclusively when planting. 

 If anyone needs a pic, I can find a muddy shoe near a planted palm I guess.. 

I got a simple method that works for me. I dig a hole, insert palm, fill in hole, water with hose, fill in the rest of the hole, done. 

14 minutes ago, Stevetoad said:

I got a simple method that works for me. I dig a hole, insert palm, fill in hole, water with hose, fill in the rest of the hole, done. 

Woah, woah Steve.. wait a sec. Do you only use native soil and do you attempt to tap at all?

 

This could be a good starter topic for 'the best way to plant a palm'... 

So many different ways to do it, but there are also a few good rules we should all follow...

There are so many factors that influence how you should plant them too...soil type, wind exposure, drainage for starters

There is the debate of amending soil or leaving it native and them just mulching over the top...

My normal technique is to:

 

1. Soak the palm in pot overnight before planting

2. Dig hole to depth of pot, but about 1 metre diameter

3. Fill hole with water and let it all drain away

4. Ensure soil in bottom of hole is loose

5. Slightly mound bottom of hole so that there is no air gap under rootball when it is removed from pot

6. Backfill with native soil, amended with lots of organic matter/compost/aged manure

7. Throw a handful of water crystals and slow release fertiliser in the mix

8. Planting height will vary slightly depending on soil drainage or palm species...clay soil plant above no drain layer...Bizmarckia...plant below ground level

9. Build a well around the planting hole

10. Mulch over the top of the hole

11. Water in well, and apply light hand pressure to backfilled soil to stabilise palm (but don't pack it down tight),

12. Apply some Seasol

13. Keep well watered until established

 

 

 

 

 

I never stomp around the palm, not even when I had a sandy garden, but I water copiously. The water naturally compacts the soil down gently without damaging the roots, and thats all you need. A few airy but humid air pockets in the soil will not hurt anything in my opinion. It's a good place for worms to hang out.

Methods definitely vary by planting conditions.  Daryl's thorough list is unnecessary in East Hawaii.

1. When there is a break in the rain, use a pick to move rocks to make a hole large enough for the root ball.

2. Drop a bit of soil in the bottom of the hole and level it with your foot.

3. Stuff in palm root ball, and fill around it with cinder soil so that soil is level at top of root ball.

4. Do the happy-happy palm planting dance on the soil around the palm, adding a bit more soil if necessary to ensure it is full and level.

5. Drop some slow-release fertilizer on the surface, then dash for cover before the next heavy shower. 

Tamp and stomp, in the pots. If you don't, the dirt washes out. Whhooossshhhhhh. Away, ye rollin' rivah!

In the ground, loosey goosey might be better. Dirt won't wash away and it finds its way into the gaps (unless they're really big). So I concur with Tyrone.

When I plant a palm I usually end up with more dirt than I started with, logically. But, I pile the leftover dirt around the edge of the hole and loosely around the stem.

Water, a lot. Unless it's raining. A lot.

3 hours ago, DoomsDave said:

Tamp and stomp, in the pots. If you don't, the dirt washes out. Whhooossshhhhhh. Away, ye rollin' rivah!

In the ground, loosey goosey might be better. Dirt won't wash away and it finds its way into the gaps (unless they're really big). So I concur with Tyrone.

When I plant a palm I usually end up with more dirt than I started with, logically. But, I pile the leftover dirt around the edge of the hole and loosely around the stem.

Water, a lot. Unless it's raining. A lot.

I am pretty much in-sync with you DD.  As a rule I never fertilize a newly planted palm for at least 8 weeks after planting.  Many fertilizers spur new growth in the leaves.  Energy that might be better spent in root formation.  That's my theory at the moment .