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Posted

Hello, 

We just moved to Buckeye, Arizona, and had landscaping done. They planted a couple of pygmy palms about a week ago, and they recommended that we fertilize them. The soil here is rather hard, I would say it is a mix of clay with caliche and it is very alkaline.

What fertilizer should we use? We have looked at milorganite, miracle gro, Jacks (15-30-15) and PALMGAIN. We would prefer to avoid miracle gro as it is a synthetic and we have pets, and I have read many of the groups members opinions on it. 

I am also looking at an indoor bamboo palm and ponytail palm, can I get fertilizer advice for these as well, please?  

Your recommendations are much appreciate!! 

Posted

Palmgain is the best out of the options you listed because it has much much (like 10-100 times) more magnesium and manganese, which are two nutrients many fertilizers don't focus on. Palmgain was made specifically for palms. 

Milorganite, besides being sketchy due to possible heavy metal accumulation and saying nothing of where it comes from, doesn't have a lot of the nutrients palms typically show deficiencies for. Jacks 15-30-15 doesn't have a lot of magnesium or manganese, and neither will miracle grow.

  • Like 1
Posted

That middle #, i.e. phosphorous, looks way too high. The first and third are pretty hefty too. Normally, the rule is you don't fertilize newly planted palms for at least 2-3 months to give their roots time to heal. If you insist on fertilizing anyway, go with something not as aggressive, such as 6-6-6 or 6-4-6. Be sure to use timed release pelletized fertilizer to reduce the chances of root burn. The answer to palm issues often means throwing water and fertilizer at them. Winter is on the horizon.

  • Like 1

Meg

Palms of Victory I shall wear

Cape Coral (It's Just Paradise)
Florida
Zone 10A on the Isabelle Canal
Elevation: 15 feet

I'd like to be under the sea in an octopus' garden in the shade.

Posted

Get some distilled water and a pool water kit. Stir in a couple tablespoons of the soil into 12 oz of the water and measure the pH.

I recommend generous watering but very little to no fertilizer this year.

  • Like 1
Posted
  On 8/12/2024 at 3:15 PM, Skeeterbug07 said:

Hello, 

We just moved to Buckeye, Arizona, and had landscaping done. They planted a couple of pygmy palms about a week ago, and they recommended that we fertilize them. The soil here is rather hard, I would say it is a mix of clay with caliche and it is very alkaline.

What fertilizer should we use? We have looked at milorganite, miracle gro, Jacks (15-30-15) and PALMGAIN. We would prefer to avoid miracle gro as it is a synthetic and we have pets, and I have read many of the groups members opinions on it. 

I am also looking at an indoor bamboo palm and ponytail palm, can I get fertilizer advice for these as well, please?  

Your recommendations are much appreciate!! 

Expand  

Skeeterbug07, welcome to the Forum..

For the Pygmys, ..ONLY fertilizer to use right now,  until they are established ( Complete establishment takes about a year or two ) is something mild, and organic like diluted Kelp ..and / or Fish Emulsion.

Because they were just planted, they are going through a period of transplant stress, ..while also dealing w/ the stress heat creates this time of year.. Adding a strong fertilizer will only add more stress to already stressed plants.  It's much like if you were sick ..you're generally not going to be all that hungry.  Any fertilizer applied right now will mostly be a waste of time and effort, and also do more harm to the soil ( killing microbes in it ).

Overall, the " 15-30-15 " fert. option is wayyyy too high, esp. for newly planted plants..  As mentioned, PH ( = Phosphorus ) content is wayy too much for what the plants ( palms included ) will use..  Our soil has plenty of PH in it naturally, so, a fertilizer w/ a PH content higher than 5-8% -at any time- is too much.

15% Nitrogen means that fertilizer will encourage lots of tender new growth, ..which this time of year ..or in winter  is subject to being burnt easily.  Fertilizer w/ a 8-10% N content is more ideal / better for the plant(s).

K ( K = Potassium ) is the only " Marco " nutrient where the higher 15% number is ok.. Potassium has a tendency to work it's way through the soil pretty easily -regardless of if the soil leans more clay based, or super sandy / gravely.. 

For that nutrient, i myself recommend a stand alone product like Greensand, or Langbeinite ..which are natural crystalline forms of K that slowly release a pulse of the K content in them each time you apply water.  Most other forms of K are synthetic and completely melt / release all their content when water is applied.


For any indoor plants you might keep, ..Kelp / Fish Emulsion ...or a very light organic granular fert. option only..  Quick release / synthetic options can create salt build up issues / kill microbes in the soil in pots.  

Being succulent-like in character ( Meaning the trunk stores / slowly cycles what nutrients it needs ) " Ponytail " palm would only need a little fertilizer applied once a year.

Hope this helps,  and welcome to AZ.. :greenthumb:

  • Like 1
Posted

Everyone above has made good points about not using a chemical fertilizer at this point since the palms were planted recently and it's already mid August. The plant food made from fish emulsion mentioned by @Silas_Sancona is much more gentle on roots. 

I would just add that eventually when it is time for some heavier duty fertilizer, it's also a good idea to do only about half of what it says on the bag. It's really tempting to do the full recommended amount, but like with baking or cooking, you can always add more later but you can't remove once you put it in 

  • Like 1
  • Upvote 1
Posted
  On 8/12/2024 at 8:16 PM, PalmsInBaltimore said:

Everyone above has made good points about not using a chemical fertilizer at this point since the palms were planted recently and it's already mid August. The plant food made from fish emulsion mentioned by @Silas_Sancona is much more gentle on roots. 

I would just add that eventually when it is time for some heavier duty fertilizer, it's also a good idea to do only about half of what it says on the bag. It's really tempting to do the full recommended amount, but like with baking or cooking, you can always add more later but you can't remove once you put it in 

Expand  

:greenthumb: Excellent point...

  • Like 1
Posted

I'd use PalmGain or Florikan 8-2-12 if you only have one or two palms.  It's definitely better than the cheap Vigoro 6-1-8 I use, but I have ~300 palms and ~250 cycads in the ground.  I'd be spending $1200 a year just in fertilizer going with PalmGain...that ain't gunna happen!  :D

As others mentioned, don't do anything right now.  A very mild mix of something like Silas recommended is good.  You don't want to burn brand new roots as it is trying to get established.  Generally I wait at least a month before doing a *small* amount of fertilizer, and 3-6 months before I use a "normal" amount.

  • Like 1

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