It's that time again to feed your Palms
 

Just a friendly reminder, it is that time of the year again to feed your Palm trees. I tell all our customers to feed their Palms In March and again in July, then again in November. Use Lesco 8-2-12 that is the best fertilizer out there for Palm trees. This feed works very well on your bushes also, it can be purchased at John Deere Landscape in Leesburg. They are on the corner of Griffin and Thomas St. When feeding your Palms and plants put the feed out on the drip line of the trees and bushes, that is where the trees and plants are getting most of their feed from. Do not put the feed close to the trunk of the trees, or close to the base of the bushes, it will hurt them more then help them. If you are putting the fertilizer on gravel just spread it around the trees or plants then take a rake and just move the gravel around a little, it does not have to be raked in all the way. When it rains or your irrigation runs, it will water all the feed in. When using Lesco 8-2-12 you will see a major change in your trees and plants, it is a very good fertilizer, you will see a change in the foliage color with in a month or so. Hope this helps answer your fertilizer questions.

Is there any fact in the wive's tale that adding Epsom salts around the base of the palm tree also helps - supposedly to replace the salt that the trees do not get by not living in their natural seaside environment?

Your advice on WHERE to apply this Lesco 8-2-12 Palm & Tropical Ornamental Fertilizer ...
.................................................. ............................is NOT what is recommended by Lesco.

The label of the Lesco Fertilizer bag states......

DIRECTIONS FOR APPLICATION:
For Palms, Trees or large shrubs apply at the rate of 1 1/2 pounds
per 100 square feet..
Spread evenly on the ground around the plant....
..........from the OUTER ends of the of the fronds or canopy INWARD TO THE TRUNK....

Because THIS specific product contains polycoated slow release ingredients...
.................................................. ...... it is OK to apply from Canopy To the Trunk.

You are absolutely correct.
Epsom salts is great for the Palms and other plants.

Thank you... We saw a change in our palms within a week. Good information.

Can espom salts be used INSTEAD of Lesko? I paid $50 for a bag at Deere.

How much epsom? How often?

How do you apply the epsom salt and at what rate?

Great advice, thanks very much. Question: we have the black paper under the gravel, does this matter?

A good YouTube that will answer your questions. He talks about Epsom Salts.

Fertilizing Palm Trees - YouTube

Jim Davis Sumter County Extension Agent

I would thnk that if you are using a good balanced fertilizer like Lesco that you would would not need epsom salts as the Lesco palm fertilizer already has magnesium in it. You don't want to add too much of a good thing.

Lesco palm fertilizer lists Magnesium at 4 per cent total. 3 per cent is listed underneath as water soluble MG. (There is no mention of Magnesium sulfate.)

Interesting to me that listed separately was Sulfur at 11.50 per cent. I assume that the sulfur is for acidifying alkaline soil.

Angie,
Thanks for the link. Very informative.