Palm Tree Care Mistakes

We live in Central Florida, and there’s one tree that seems synonymous with living in this state (or really any tropical climate): the palm tree. Palm trees have many different varieties, and their inclusion in your home or business landscape can add a lot to the property. However, those who are unfamiliar with how to care for a palm tree can risk serious harm to it. Here are some of the common mistakes that are made when caring for a palm tree:

• Not watering it properly. Palm trees like their soil to be moist, but also with good drainage. If the area doesn’t have good drainage, you could be overwatering it. Too much drainage, and it’ll be under-watered. Both lead to the tree losing its leaves and becoming unhealthy.
• Fertilizer burn. Fertilizer is key to most plant growth, especially new plants. However, palm trees are fairly sensitive, and not following proper fertilization methods can lead to the trunk getting burned and increase the tree’s chance of getting the disease.
• Bad soil. Palm trees, like any other plants, need the right foundation to grow, and that would be the soil. If the soil isn’t right, then the palm tree’s roots won’t take shape and it’ll struggle to survive. As mentioned above, the soil should be able to stay moist while providing good drainage.
• Wrong Climate. You might think this isn’t an issue in Florida, but depending on the area, palm trees may not thrive as well. They’re mainly tropical trees, so if you’re in an area that gets too cold, too hot, or too dry, they might not be able to grow.
• Bad pruning practices. Trees need to be pruned properly. However, over-pruning the tree can lead to the palm tree losing out on valuable nutrients that keep it going. Proper tree pruning is especially key in Orlando and throughout Florida during hurricane season. You need a professional team that knows how to prune a palm tree for bad weather.

There are plenty of things you can do to take care of the palm trees in your yard to keep them a great part of your landscape. However, if things get over your head, then you know the right team to call: your certified arborists at Advance Tree Pros.