6 Best Palm Tree Food With Fertilization Guide and FAQs

Best Palm Tree Food With Fertilization

 

Just planted a palm tree at home? Do not know which is the best fertiliser for palms? Well, fret no more. We at embracegardening have done the research for you and come up with the six best fertilizers for palm trees. All of these fertilizers may have more or less similar ingredients, but the choice majorly depends on the climatic conditions, the kind of soil, the degree of rainfall, and the area where you plant the tree. This can make you feel overwhelmed at times. So, we have also presented a guide to picking the best fertilizer for palm plants.

 

Hopefully, using our article below, you will be better equipped to find the best fertiliser for palms, which provides your plant with the right kind of nutrients and micronutrients, and allows your plant to thrive. Let us get started and take a look at these best fertilizers for palm trees one by one.

 

 

Table of Contents

 

Best Fertilizers For Palm Trees Compared

Preview Product Buy Now
Miracle-Gro Shake N Feed Palm Plant Food Miracle-Gro Shake ‘N Feed Palm Plant Food Check price on Amazon
Miracle-Gro Tree & Shrub Plant Food Spikes Miracle-Gro Tree & Shrub Plant Food Spikes Check price on Amazon
Jobes Organics 09126 Palm Tree Granular Plant Food Jobe’s Organics 09126 Palm Tree Granular Plant Food Check price on Amazon
Dr. Earth INC 756P Exotic Blend Palm, Tropical & Hibiscus Fertilizer Dr. Earth INC 756P Exotic Blend Palm, Tropical & Hibiscus Fertilizer Check price on Amazon
Jobes 05101 Fern & Palm Fertilizer Spikes Jobe’s 05101 Fern & Palm Fertilizer Spikes Check price on Amazon
Palm Food 12-4-12 4 Lbs Palm Food 12-4-12 4 Lbs Check price on Amazon

 

1. Miracle-Gro Shake’ N Feed Palm Plant Food

Our Top Pick

 

Miracle-Gro Shake N Feed Palm Plant Food Check price on Amazon

 

Ranked at the top of our best fertilizers for palm trees list is the Miracle-Gro Shake’n’Feed. It is the best liquid palm tree fertilizer and has an incredible recipe, making it the perfect pick for fertilizing tropical plants, such as palm trees. All you have to do with this easy to use best plant food for palm trees is apply it on the ground beneath your palm tree, just once in 90 days.

 

Being one of the best liquid palm tree fertilizer, it comprises compost, which acts as food for the ground’s microorganisms. As they break down, they offer crucial nutrients. The palm tree roots will suck these nutrients and feed on them.

 

In addition to the compost, this best liquid palm tree fertilizer also has other elements, such as iron, manganese, and magnesium. Once you apply this fertilizer, you need to mix the sandy soil. It is necessary to distribute this best palm fertilizer at three inches depth evenly. The next step is watering the plant, and once done, you can be carefree for the following three months of the growing season.

 

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2. Miracle-Gro Tree & Shrub Plant Food Spikes

Best Spikes

 

Miracle-Gro Tree & Shrub Plant Food Spikes Check price on Amazon

 

One of the other best palm tree food, Miracle-Gro Fruit, is the best slow-release palm food. This is one of the best picks for several kinds of plants, such as palm trees, fruits, shrubs, and trees. Using this best fertilizer for palm plants, you can be carefree and be assured of the plant’s strength and quality growth.

 

We recommend using this best palm fertilizer twice a year – once at the beginning of the spring and second in the fall. They will get released in the winters and are used at a slower pace. If you pick this as the best palm food, do ensure that you water the plant first if it is not moist already. Following this, you can drive the spikes. You need to drive them into the ground around the line, which follows the tree’s branches’ widest circumference. Miracle-Gro even has one of the best fertilizers for orchids in the market.

 

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3. Jobe’s Organics 09126 Palm Tree Granular Plant Food

 

Jobes Organics 09126 Palm Tree Granular Plant Food Check price on Amazon

 

Number third in line for the best fertilizers for palm trees is again a Jobe’s product, as the brand produces some of the best fertilizers. This best palm tree food is a USDA-listed organic product. It is ideal for anyone who desires a slow-release best palm fertilizer sans any synthetic composition. Also, if you like organic food, this organic fertilizer is the best pick for your tree.

 

Furthermore, Jobe’s best fertilizer for indoor palms also has Jobe’s Biozome in it. It is a healthy amalgam of Mycorrhizal fungi, Archaea, and bacteria, which is exquisite to this company. It is a pleasantly formulated fix, which helps your palm’s root grow thicker and longer. The good thing about this fertilizer is that it keeps the plant disease resistant and ensures that it thrives. Since this product does not have any artificial chemicals, it is environmentally friendly and biodegradable. It brings in all the required nutrients to the sandy soil and ensures a prolonged benefit.

 

Check price on Amazon

 

4. Earth INC 756P Exotic Blend Palm, Tropical & Hibiscus Fertilizer

 

Dr. Earth INC 756P Exotic Blend Palm, Tropical & Hibiscus Fertilizer Check price on Amazon

 

If you want a non-GMO slow-release fertilizer that has no synthetic chemicals, manure with GMO ingredients, or toxic ingredients, then Dr. Earth blend is the best pick for you. It is one of the best fertilizers for palm trees and has abundant vital components. It also includes humic acids, minerals, proteins, and other elements, which gives your plant a fab mix. The fertilizer has several certificates, which testify of its purity and top-notch quality. This fertilizer was released in the US after a strenuous effort from many scientists. This fertilizer’s primary object was to build a sustainable and healthy fertilizer for your palms, hibiscus plants, and tropical plants.

 

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5. Jobe’s 05101 Fern & Palm Fertilizer Spikes, 30 per Blister Pack

Best Budget Pick

 

Jobes 05101 Fern & Palm Fertilizer Spikes Check price on Amazon

 

Regardless of whether you decide to grow the palm in the backyard outdoors or in the pot or container indoors, you need to provide your palm with the requisite nutrients, and this should not dig a hole in your pocket. So, if you want a pocket-friendly but the best fertilizer for palm plants, the Jobe’s 05101 Fern & Palm Fertilizer Spikes can be a good pick for you. It is a slow-release fertilizer meant for grown and young plants.

 

As is clear from the name, it is designed exquisitely for the palms and ferms and has the best amalgam of all palms’ chemical elements. The spikes come pre-measured. Hence, you have to merely drive them into the ground and wait for the palm’s roots to absorb them. With every application, you will give your palm a good dose of strength.

 

Please know that if you use this fertilizer for potted palms, the pot size should be between 4-12 inches. The spike number depends on the plant’s size. It is a safe fertilizer and has no odor. More so, even after you water your plants, this won’t wash away.  This brand even produces one of the best fertilizers for citrus trees as well.

 

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6. Palm Food 12-4-12 4 Lbs

 

Palm Food 12-4-12 4 Lbs Check price on Amazon

 

Last on our list of best palm fertilizer we have the Carl Pool Palm Food 12-4-12. It is one of the most prevalent fertilizers and is used by professionals who aspire to offer their palms top-quality and the best fertilization. As mentioned before, manganese and magnesium are vital nutrients for the palms to thrive. This fertilizer is specially formulated with these elements. It is a slow-release fertilizer, which is also nitrogen-dense. It is availed from three different sources and assures a more stable and faster growth for the palm trees. If you grow other species, too, with the palm, such as the landscape plants, this slow-release fertilizer can be the best pick for all of them together, and you will not have to invest in different fertilizers. You need to use this fertilizer only once every three to four months.

 

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How To Fertilize A Palm Tree?

The method of offering the best palm tree fertilizer to the tree is relatively straightforward. However, it is always better to know how to give your plant the best palm tree food. Here, we will address the same.

 

  1. If the best palm food you’ve selected is granulated or has spikes, you must know that they are applied onto or driven into the ground. So, they take up the tree’s branches’ widest circumference. Thus, the water easily drips on them.
  2. You need to wet the soil before you give it your chosen best feed for palm trees. It is because the dry soil can burn the plant. When the plant is exposed to nitrogen without adequate moisture, it can be quite overwhelming and might severely damage the plant.
  3. Even if you use the best palm food, do not overfertilize the plant. If you provide your plant with more than the needed quantity of even the best palm tree food, you need to get rid of the excess fertilizer immediately. For this, you can rinse the plant through and through. This is particularly important if the plant is in the pot. Next, you need to put the plant in the shady area. It will aid the plant to absorb more.
  4. When your plant is planted outside, the best fertilizers for palm trees would be the ones that are slow-releasing. The slow-releasing best palm food will keep the plant fed longer and more consistently. If you have had experience with different fertilizers and found two or more best fertilizers for palm trees, it is okay to combine them and use them.
  5. It is vital to ensure that the baby plant is growing well and showing how stable and healthy it is, instead of immediately adding the fertilizer to it. It is probably because even if you add the best palm tree fertilizer, multiple things can go wrong, and at times, it is impossible to figure out what went wrong. When you give your plant adequate time, you check off at least some reasons.
  6. When you plant the palm tree in a pot, it is wise to re-pot it after around two years. This is because the high mineral and salt buildup can directly hamper the roots and the plant. When you re-pot the plant, it gets exposed to new soil. This helps it grow stronger and better.
  7. Lastly, when you put in the best plant food for indoor palms, a mulch application is recommended. You can apply it about five inches away from the plant in a layer three-seven inches thick and about two-three feet long.

 

 

What Kind Of Fertilizer For Palm Trees Is The Best?

For shopping for the best plant food for indoor palms, there are several things that you need to bear in mind. Let us address some factors that can help you pick the best plant food for palms.

 

1. Type

In the market, there are different kinds of best fertilizers for palm trees. However, the most popular ones are liquid fertilizers, granulated formula, and spikes fertilizers. Every palm tree fertilizer comes with its share of benefits. You have often noticed that the different fertilizers for palm trees are composed of more or less similar ingredients and nutrients, which are vital to make your plant thrive. But you need to understand that not all of them may be the best palm fertilizer for your plant.

 

However, whichever best fertiliser for palms you pick, make sure you get the dosage right to prevent any danger to the plant.

 

2. Nutrients

The best plant food for indoor palms is the one that has the right degree of nutrients and micronutrients, which the tree needs. Usually, palm trees need a continuous supply of several micronutrients and nutrients, such as nitrogen, iron, potassium, manganese, and magnesium. These nutrients will be present in the best plant food for palm trees and are needed to keep the plant healthy. The dearth of these nutrients can make the plant suffer from different conditions.

 

3. Tree types

Some fertilizers are considered the best palm fertilizer for only certain kinds of palm trees. However, there are also some best fertilizers for palm trees, which work on most palm trees or the other subtropical and tropical plants. However, before you give your plant the best palm tree fertilizer, always read through the instructions on the packaging label mentioned by the manufacturer. This is vital to ensure that your plant indeed benefits from the best plant food for palms.

 

4. Weight

All the best fertilizers for palm trees can be availed in different quantities. Many best palm tree fertilizers can be availed in as little quantity as 50 lbs. However, when you shop for the best plant food for indoor palms in bulk, it will undoubtedly save you good money. However, whenever you pick the best palm tree fertilizer, read through the expiration date. If your palm tree does not need the fertilizer regularly, choose the smaller packet of the best plant food for palms.

 

5. Prices

The best plant food for palms price depends on various factors, such as nutrients, manufacturers, and quantity. Usually, the best plant food for indoor palms can be availed at anywhere between 15-20 USD. However, you might have to pay double or even triple that amount for a premium best feed for palm trees.
 
Related read: Small Palm Varieties to Buy,Date Palm Varieties , How To Care for Date Palms
 

Best Fertilizer For Palm Plants: Dos and Don’ts

What to do?

  1. Read the instructions mentioned on the packaging of the best palm tree fertilizer. Use the best palm tree fertilizer only when the container or the soil is moist.
  2. After using the best palm tree fertilizer, you need to water the container or the garden thoroughly.
  3. It is always better to under fertilizer than to over-fertilize. Where under-fertilized won’t grow fast, over-fertilization can cause severe damage.
  4. The best plant food for palm trees will have an approximate 3:1:3 NPK ratio.
  5. The best palm tree fertilizer is the one that is slow-releasing. It may be more expensive but is less labor-intensive.
  6. Always look for the best plant food for palms, which has supplemental calcium and magnesium.
  7. The best palm food should have ample micronutrients.
  8. Organic ones are indeed the best feed for palm trees over synthetic fertilizers.
  9. Sprinkle the fertilizer around the plant evenly.
  10. Consider working the best palm tree fertilizer into the soil if possible.
  11. Add the best palm tree fertilizer to organic top-dressings over the garden. These materials consume nitrogen during the breakdown.
  12. Always look for the best feed for palm trees that works well for your plant, and stick to it.
  13. If you see growth problems, salt test the soil in container plants.
  14. Opt for the combination of different best fertilizers for palm trees — for instance, a small portion of quick release, a slow-release, and some organic fertilizer.
  15. Go with a soluble and injector fertilizer for greenhouse operation.
  16. You need to give your plant the best palm food during the winters too.
  17. For chronically anemic plants, which look faded or yellow under the sun, use blood meal. It may be because your chosen best palm food lacks iron and nitrogen.
  18. If you make your own soil blend, consider going with a six-month slow-release fertilizer.
  19.  Wherever possible, top dress or mulch the soil to save water and better the soil quality.

 

What not to do?

  1. Do not ever fertilize the dry soil as it can cause plant burns or death.
  2. Do not over-fertilize even if it is with the best plant food for palm trees, as it can lead to plant injury.
  3. If you have the best palm tree fertilizer that is granular, never throw it down the plant’s crown.
  4. Do not throw all the best palm fertilizer in one pile at the plant’s base. Instead, scatter it.
  5. Do not ever throw the best palm food against the plant’s trunk in a giant pile. It can cause scaring or necrosis of the trunk.
  6. Do not employ the cheap-quality, highest concentration quick-release fertilizer, such as ammonium nitrate 30:0:0. It can result in plant injury or burns.
  7. Never put the fertilizer in direct contact with the roots while you repot the plant, especially if it is using the quick-release fertilizer.
  8. Do not put steer manure into the hole when you plant a palm tree.
  9. Do not put in the best palm tree food immediately when you plant the palm tree. Wait for about four to six weeks after planting. It is vital to ensure that the moisture content in soil is adequate.
  10. Do not assume that foliar spray fertilizers are adequate for all the plant’s needs.
  11. If the problem arises, do not be hesitant to soil test for salt content. You can invest in an inexpensive prolonged meter to gauge when you have a problem.
  12. Do not forget that your plant’s fertilizer needs might be different from someone else’s in a different climatic zone with different rainfall.
  13. If you live in an area with high rainfall, do not forget to use higher quantities of the best palm food as the rain quickly robs the plants of the fertilizer.
  14. Never let the rain fall on the stored best palm tree food fertilizer bag. This may solidify the granules or leach out the best palm fertilizer.
  15. Never think that there is only one best palm tree food or just one right way to feed your plant with the best palm fertilizer. You need to experiment and find one that works best for you under the given situation.

 

Best Palm Fertilizer: Frequently Asked Questions

Ques 1. Do palm plants require fertilizers?

Ans. Like the other plants, even the palm plants need the best palm food, that is, the fertilizers. However, please know that the best feed for palm trees is organic fertilizers.

 

Ques 2. Can you use a homemade fertilizer for a palm tree? Which is the best homemade palm tree fertilizer?

Ans. Unfortunately, even the best homemade palm tree fertilizers are not good enough to provide your plants with the required nutrients and meet the plant’s needs. For instance, the commonly used fertilizer recipe for the palms includes the bone meal, dolomite lime, cottonseed meal, used tea leaves, and kelp meal. This mix will not provide your palm with adequate magnesium, manganese, and iron.

 

More so, if you reside in the Western US, your soil will be alkaline, and the pH level will be high. In this case, the use of bone meal (that contains calcium) can cause issues instead of solving them.

 

Alternatively, other home fertilizers have Epsom salt, beer, water, and ammonia in them. This will not provide the plant with adequate nitrogen and potassium. The best palm tree food is particularly formulated to offer the plant all the required nutrients.

 

Ques 3. What is the best time to fertilize palm trees?

Ans. Honestly, there is no clear answer on the best time to fertilize palm trees. It primarily depends on your palm plant’s age, the kind of weather it is planted in, the soil it is surrounded with, and the fertilizer used. If you just planted your palm, you should wait for it to display some signs of growth, maybe a new bear, before you give it the best palm tree food.

 

However, if you are using the best palm fertilizer for newly planted trees, you can fertilize immediately after plantation.

 

Generally speaking, the best fertilizer for palm plants should be given two to many times a year. Typically, you can provide the first dose of the best palm tree food in March, followed by the second dose in October. The climate also determines the degree of best palm fertilizer you feed the plant. If the plant is in a warmer weather, then it should be fed several times a year.

 

Ques 4. What is the best fertilizer for palm trees

Ans. The best fertiliser for palms is the one that has a slow-release formula meant for tropical and palm trees. A slow-release formula is the best fertilizer for indoor palms because it will deliver the right amount of nutrients over several months. Thus, your tree will get adequate potassium and nitrogen, along with other nutrients, such as magnesium, iron, and manganese.

 

Ques 5. What does Epsom salt do for the palm trees?

Ans. Epsom salt alone is not the best fertilizer for indoor palms. It is because they do not provide the plants with nitrogen and potassium. More so, using too much Epsom salt can lead to potassium problems. However, if your palm is magnesium deficient, then Epsom salt can be an excellent addition to any best fertiliser for palms. In this case, you should sprinkle about two to three pounds of Epsom salt under the tree’s canopy.

 

Ques 6. Are coffee grounds good for palm trees?

Ans. Using the coffee grounds in the garden can be an excellent pest solution for a Sago palm tree.

 

Wrapping Up The Best Plant Food For Palm Trees

Always bear in mind that there are a bountiful of factors, which affect how a plant grows. This is why it is vital to pick the best fertilizer for indoor palms, which is well according to your plant’s unique situation. Naturally, the palm tree potted in sandy soil in a tropical climate has different needs than the planted in the dense soil in the cool place, which tends to go dormant during the winters. So, the best palm fertilizer in both these cases will differ as both these plants are different from an indoor potted palm. Thus, you need to shop for the best palm tree fertilizer according to the plant’s situation and ensure that you carefully read through the instructions before you fertilize the plant.

 

Even though the different best fertilizers for palm trees may have a lot in common, each of them may be formulated differently. While some are the best palm fertilizer for potted plants, others can maintain a healthy palm outside for several seasons at length.