Palm Trees, Pink Flamingos and Florida seem to just go together. When you finally make that decision to move to Florida, you can’t wait to have some palm trees in your yard. If your property is already landscaped and you love the look, you’ll want to keep everything healthy, growing and looking great. If you are looking to add landscaping including palm trees, you are quickly going to realize there are what seems like hundreds of different varieties of palms available for your yard. Knowing what palm trees you have, and how to treat and protect them can be a challenge. No matter if you plan to do all the care yourself, or you hire a professional you need to know some basics.
Why Are Some Palm Trees Yellow?
When we hear the term evergreen, we probably think of the pine trees we are familiar with from up north. While this is true, palm trees here in Florida should always be green. So what does it mean when your palm trees start to turn yellow. First you need to decide by looking closely at the tree where the yellow is located. Naturally as the palm grows and shed older fronds, they will turn yellow and sometimes brown. This is ok. On some palms these older branches need cut off, while on others they simply will fall off when ready. If this is the case with your palm trees, then you have nothing to worry about at this point. On closer inspection if you notice that the top fronds are yellow, the tips of them are turning yellow, chances are you need to make some adjustments. The yellowing of the palm could be a deficiency in nutrients or it could be signs of a pest or fungus. Carefully look at the fronds, top and underneath looking for signs of any insects, eggs, nests or basically anything that just doesn’t look right. For the most part you will be able to see if there are insects. What if your palms look clean and no signs of insects, what then?
Malnutrition Can Cause Yellow Palms
Just like all living things, palm trees need the right food. Here in Southwest Florida, most of the soil is very sandy and lacks the nutrients needed to keep palms healthy without a little help. A careful balance of nutrients needs to be planned out throughout the year to make sure they get what they need. Palms require Potassium, Magnesium, Nitrogen, Manganese, Boron, Calcium, Copper, and Zinc. At this point you would like to know how much of each is needed. The answer isn’t that easy. Each yard, each palm and time of the year are just a few factors that can determine which nutrients and how much. In some cases, adding too much of one can cause as much problem as not adding as much.
This is where a professional comes in. Here at Problem Solved Pest we have been feeding and protecting landscaping for decades. Our experience technicians know exactly what and how much to use to keep your palms healthy. In addition, we protect your lawn, trees, palms and house from pests. Even if you feed your palm tree and keep it from turning yellow, there is the constant threat of insects that can cause damage. Our goal is to be proactive, looking to protect your investment in your property along with the safety of your family. Give us a call or complete our online request form for a free consultation!
