Quote:
Originally Posted by neilbcox
As I drive around the Villages I see major investments in landscaping! Most of it is beautiful!
But SSSOOO many residents and so many landscapers have no idea why their palms branches and leaves are turning yellow or brown while the new shoots on top are nice and green! This is NOT a watering irrigation problem! Since we live in a mostly sand based dirt the needed nutrients are absent!
Please click on the link below for knowledge on how to treat your palms.
The key is adding heavy magnesium long term release fertilizer...do not use mass produced typical 10-10-10 lawn fertilizers. Our soil has plenty of potassium due to the limestone based sand. The middle number represents potassium so buy the smallest middle number you can. Most stores do sell palm tree fertilizer but they are normally not the best for our Sandy soil.
Please read the link below from Palm professionals.
Good luck!
Understanding The Role Of Magnesium In Plants - How Do Plants Use Magnesium |
Many soils in the Villages have high phosphorus levels due to large phosphorus deposits naturally present in our soils. That is why recommended fertilizers for our area have no or low amounts of phosphorus in them. A recommended fertilizer by the University of Florida for palm trees is an 8-2-12 +4 formulation. One example of a fertilizer like this is Lesco 8-2-12 +4. The first number in the analysis is for Nitrogen, the second or middle number is phosphorus, the third is for potassium. The plus 4 is for Magnesium. Lesco also contains micronutrients such as boron, another ingredient that palms need. It comes in extended release form and for palms should be applied in our area in March, June, and September. The reason some palm tree in our area show nutritional deficiencies is that the soils around the Villages lack the nutrients these palms are used to in their natural range. For example, some of the palms we have planted around here are from India and Madagascar. The excessive yellowing we see most often is due to either a potassium or a magnesium deficiency. You need to use a fertilizer that says it contains both magnesium and potassium on the label. Read the label carefully and choose an extended release form for best results.