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Palms In Containers Page 2 (Continued)  

Watering and Water Problems
The principals of watering container plants are similar to watering garden plants with a few exceptions. Container grown plants tend to be more subject to drying out. One can lose a container plant more easily and these plants roots do not have the option of searching for deeper water in the garden. Therefore, you must observe for dryness of the soil surface in the pot. When watering, one waters fully such that he sees water coming out the drainage holes. Re-watering is performed when the top centimeter or two of the soil is once again getting dry. Never wait until the bottom soil in the container is dry. Dry or hot conditions require more frequent watering. Moist or cold conditions usually require less frequent applications. Fixed watering programs without plant inspection invariably lead to problems. Small seedlings, especially in a light mix, require typically require more frequent watering. 

A major difference between container plants and garden plants that involves water is that there is a potential for salt buildup with the containers. Most palm enthusiasts cannot afford to use complicated water production systems that remove salts from the water. Instead they must utilize water supplied by their municipality or well water. Both of the latter usually contain dissolved salts, which, along with fertilizers you give to the plant, can result over time in causing a salt buildup in the soil. This buildup can result in leaf tip discoloration (burning), general plant decline and eventual death if not corrected. Some species are more tolerant of salt buildup than others. A simple soil salt meter with metal prongs can be inserted into the damp soil to measure soil salinity. The simplest meters usually read safe or danger. Salt buildup is a major problem with houseplants that receive limited water and are never thoroughly drenched. Affected plants just look sickly and perform even worse than expected and demonstrate a slow general decline in their appearance. Leaching the pot with repetitive and generous amounts of water may help drain out unwanted salts, especially if one uses collected rainwater or distilled water. Heavy rainstorms are in this way quite helpful to the grower. Drastic measures would include barerooting a severely affected plant and repotting into fresh potting soil. Avoidance of this problem includes watering with generous amounts of water on a regular basis and regular leaching program prior to the salt buildup. Also, one must carefully use fertilizers and meter the soil content at regular intervals. One will be surprised to find that a large number of those plants that just dont look right are actually suffering from salt buildup. 

Fertilizers
To understand fertilizers, one must understand what fertilizer is and does. Fertilizer is a substance that gives nutrition to the palm for growth of the leaves, trunk and roots. It may be derived from an organic source (blood meal, bone meal, manure, fish emulsion, etc.) or inorganic (purchased chemical fertilizers). Its major components (major nutrients) are nitrogen, phosphate (phosphoric acid), and soluble potash (K20) and the concentration of these components is given as the N/P/K ratio. Palms generally like a ratio of approximately 3:1:3, such as 18/6/18 or a similar formula. Minor nutrients (microelements) are the elements necessary in trace amounts yet still very important to overall palm growth. These include such things as iron, manganese, copper, zinc, boron, and molybdenum. The minor elements may be part of a fertilizer formula or can be used separately. There are maladies described for specific deficiencies of all fertilizer elements, especially in high rainfall areas. Organic fertilizers (except for steer manure) are slower acting and have less chance of burn. Regular chemical fertilizers typically are faster with more chance of burn. Slow release chemical fertilizers diminish but dont eliminate this risk of plant burn. Soluble fertilizers are chemical fertilizers that go into solution. With an injector they can be quite efficient but require strict adherence to manufacturers directions. Fish emulsion is a soluble organic fertilizer and thus reduces chance of burn. 

Three good rules to follow regarding fertilizers are: 

1) follow the manufacturers directions. 

2) Dont be too aggressive with fertilizers.

 3) Never fertilize dry containers. Palms usually dont die from too little fertilizer but they die quite quickly from too much fertilizer. 

My own bias is toward the injector systems and low, frequent feedings of fertilizer. Always adequately pre-water any plant to be fertilized. Also, when broadcasting granular fertilizers, take care not to throw fertilizer into the crown of a small plant. Customized combinations of such things as blood meal, quick and slow release fertilizers and microelement agents can be quite successful and workable.
Amounts used and frequency of fertilization all depends on the fertilizer used. A new seedling is still dependent on nutrition from its seed and has small chemically fragile roots, so care must be taken to avoid overaggressive fertilization. An older palm in a container can tolerate recommended dosages of fertilizer. A huge established palm in the garden can utilize sometimes shocking amounts of fertilizer. The safest thing is to follow the manufacturers directions, sometimes using less for safety. Year round fertilization is safe in tropical areas. However, in areas where cold winters are a factor, fertilizers should not be given after early fall. Late applications may initiate winter growth of soft new leaves susceptible to the cold. Winter applications of microelements may serve to replenish these compounds while the plant is inactive and after the rains have leached the soil. Foliar applications of very dilute fertilizer can be utilized to green up the foliage but should not replace applications to the soil. 

Sun, Shade and Humidity
Sun, shade, and humidity requirements are quite individual to the species. In general, most palms prefer full sun but there are definite filtered light and shade lovers. Many sun lovers need to spend their early years in filtered light. A good canopy of taller palms can offer protection for the shade lovers. Also, as outdoor humidity lessens, many species tolerate less direct sun. Therefore, a palm which tolerates full sun in a coastal environment (i.e. Rhopalostylis sapida) may need sun protection in a dryer (and usually hotter) inland area. This is particularly important for desert growing. To the contrary, Brehea armata loves dry, hot conditions and has difficulty in tropical areas such as South Florida or Queensland. Only experience in growing teaches which palms like a given locality. Ask local experienced growers and fellow I.P.S. members in your locality which palms will perform best. Many species like to work their way into the sun. Seedlings of sun loving species may need a year or two of filtered light before they are ready for full sun exposure. Also remember that shade loving plants can get "too much" shade and stretch out excessively.

Cold n Protection
Overhead protection or canopy offers two kinds of protection. First, from the hot sun. Direct sun on leafs that are not acclimated can cause unsightly brown discoloration. Secondly and more importantly, from cold exposure in cold winter areas. This protection can be accomplished by constructed overhead shade cloth or naturally with fast growing species such as Caryota, Archonotophoenix, Syagrus, or Ravenea. Overhead canopy (synthetic or natural) can offer as much as 10 degrees protection from winters cold. Growers often talk of the ideal southern exposure for optimal growing results (in the US.) However, good eastern sun (morning sun) exposure is quite important in warming up the container after a cold winters night. If you experience cold nights, locate the containers where the early morning sun will do its job in heating up the plant. Cold protection can also be accomplished by placing plants close to the house or a structure. Antitranspirant sprays (synthetic) and other applicants can also give some degree of protection from winters cold.

Pruning
Container palms can be pruned simply with hand help equipment or a pole saw/lopper. Most growers remove old leaves when they become unsightly. Over-pruning can lead to loss of plant vigor. The petiole is cut close to the palms trunk. Leaf bases are allowed to age until they can be easily removed by hand. Premature removal will invariably cause permanent scars to the trunk, increasing the chance of bacterial or fungal infections. Clean pruning equipment is recommended as various palm maladies can be transmitted by pruning gear. Cleaning can be accomplished by scrubbing with and then soaking the equipment in a 5% bleach solution. Ideally this would be done after pruning each plant, especially when pruning large plants or plants showing signs of disease. Most growers discard leaf debris, as it can become a reservoir for plant pathogens.

Comments about species grown in containers

Given that other growing conditions such as sun exposure and cold are appropriate, most palm species can be grown in containers.  However, I should make several comments about pot growing of palm trees.  First, realize that most species do better in the ground.  It is hard to reproduce the ideal drainage seen in garden soil and plants in the ground have a much greater volume of soil to deliver water and nutrition.  Also, some species roots quickly outgrow their containers and the root demands will be greater than you can provide in a container.  And, such plants might get too tall and be unstable in the container on a windy day.  Examples of species demonstrating the former points would be the Queen Palm and the single trunk Caryota species.  Also, if you are container growing for inside the house, remember that some species don't do well indoors.  This would include such plants as the King palm and Royal Palm.   

(End)

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