Best Palm Fertilizer For New Mexico Desert

[Chipper]

What would be the best palm fertilizer for our sand in Las Cruces, New Mexico? 

[Palmfarmer]

14 hours ago, Chipper said:

What would be the best palm fertilizer for our sand in Las Cruces, New Mexico? 

Unless you see deficiencies I would just incorporate in a lot of organic matter until the soil turns more loamy. I hear Biochar is good for sandy soil as well. 

as for fertilizers is the area well watered most of the time? If so you can use an Organic like Palmtone. If it’s more on the dry side I would do a synthetic one like Palmgain. 

What kind of palms are you growing up there? 

 

[Chipper]

In my yard I have Mexican Fan, Mediterranean Fan, Chinese Windmill, Pindo, and California Fan palms. I’ll be adding a Phoenix Date palm this spring. Mexican and California Fan palms are the most popular palms in Las Cruces and seem to be everywhere probably due to their faster growth rate. 

[Chipper]

As for the watering, my palms are on an irrigation system. During this time of year they receive one deep watering per week. In March that will increase to twice per week and then to three times per week in late April. If like last year the monsoons do not come in July and August, they will be watered five to six times per week depending on how hot it is. Last summer we had a lot of 105° days with no rain. 

[aztropic]

Wayy too much water!!! I live in Phoenix,(Mesa) Arizona,and I deep water in ground palms once a week, at most, in 115F temps. Many of my palms are more exotic than your super hardy species...🤷‍♂️ Your palms are a lot less water thirsty than you are giving them credit for...

 

aztropic

Mesa, Arizona 

[Chipper]

5 hours ago, aztropic said:

Wayy too much water!!! I live in Phoenix,(Mesa) Arizona,and I deep water in ground palms once a week, at most, in 115F temps. Many of my palms are more exotic than your super hardy species...🤷‍♂️ Your palms are a lot less water thirsty than you are giving them credit for...

 

aztropic

Mesa, Arizona 

Last summer when we had highs of 105° for about 45 consecutive days I had the landscaper with the nursery I purchased my palms from take a look at them because they were turning brown and yellow. He told me to increase my watering days to five or six days per week until the heat subsided.. I did that and the palms recovered and thrived. Our sand here does not hold water or nutrients very well. I watered in the early morning and by late afternoon the sand was bone dry. Also, all of my palms were planted within the last 14 months and some planted less than a year ago. Their root systems are not well established. People here with established palms generally water them once or twice per week during the summer. 

Edited February 25, 2024 by Chipper

[jwitt]

@Chipper

Phx soil mostly would relate to what is found near the river in Cruces(silt/clay) with some organics. 

Away from the river like here(Rio Rancho )is mostly sand.  I don't fertilize per se, but do dig some organic matter into the top soil.  Also I use spent coffee grounds on my med and especially my Trachy. I have a hunch pindos would like coffee also.  I think it knocks the alkalinity back a bit. 

I cannot speak to date palms. I can say my filifera without fertilizer has grown from seed in place to 12' high with a14' spread in 10 years. In sand....

[Palmfarmer]

On 2/25/2024 at 9:27 AM, Chipper said:

In my yard I have Mexican Fan, Mediterranean Fan, Chinese Windmill, Pindo, and California Fan palms. I’ll be adding a Phoenix Date palm this spring. Mexican and California Fan palms are the most popular palms in Las Cruces and seem to be everywhere probably due to their faster growth rate. 

Great collection. I would topdress and mulch and use Palmtone then. 
if you want to go synthetic you can go with Palmgain as I mentioned. Osmocote indoor and Outdoor is also a excellent fertilizer for palms.