Palm Tree Maintenance: Pruning, Fertilization & Care for Common Tropical Trees

You never see palm tree maintenance in the movies.

Nobody’s ever pruning off dead fronds or kneeling in the dirt fertilizing. But somehow, those majestic palms always look great, lining swanky boulevards and shading exotic beach resorts.

In real life, palm trees need some work.

Palm Tree Maintenance Basics

• Watering Needs for Common Palm Trees
• Palm Tree Fertilization
• Palm Tree Pruning Techniques
• What Palms Are Self-Cleaning?
• Tropical Tree Care: Protecting Palms from Winter Freeze
• Palm Tree Injections Deliver Key Needs Fast

To effectively care for palm trees, it is recommended to adhere to the following guidelines:

1. Water the palm trees twice per month to ensure adequate moisture.

2. Apply a granular, slow-release fertilizer around the trunk four times each year to support healthy growth.

3. Conduct pruning only for non-self-pruning varieties as necessary.

4. Utilize palm tree injections to mitigate the impact of detrimental pests and to enhance nutritional intake.

5. Safeguard the trees against freezing temperatures to prevent damage.

Read on to learn more.

Watering Needs for Common Palm Trees

Palm trees don’t like too much water. Overwatering can lead to root rot.

But not enough water leaves them thirsty. How much water is just right? Water them twice a month during summer and once every six weeks in cooler weather.

Consider adding “bubblers” to your irrigation system at the base of big palms. They provide extra water straight to the roots. Otherwise the large root balls have trouble absorbing all the water they need.

Palm Tree Fertilization

Palms love their nutrients, and can suffer without regular feeding.

How to take care of palm trees? They need a granular, slow-release fertilizer applied to the ground around their trunks four times a year to ensure they get a constant supply of nutrients over time.

That gives them the nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium they need to thrive.

You know those numbers on the package of all fertilizers? Look for a fertilizer marked 8-2-12-4 Mg. That contains 8 percent nitrogen, 2 percent phosphorus, 12 percent potassium, and 4 percent magnesium, and was developed with palm tree needs in mind.

Palm Tree Pruning Techniques

Palm tree maintenance in Central Florida includes pruning, as dead fronds aren’t just ugly — they attract pests and disease, which can harm the tree. Regular trimming also promotes new growth and helps the tree maintain its shape.

But some don’t need you to prune at all, because they’re self-pruning varieties.

A self-cleaning palm means that the older, dead palm fronds will fall away from the trunk on their own once the tree no longer needs nutrition from them — no need for pruning as part of your palm tree maintenance.

Palms that aren’t self-cleaning require occasional pruning to remove the brown fronds after they die.

The Queen Palm is a good example. This beauty with waxy flowers and clusters of small, orange dates needs to be pruned with a pole saw or boom, and its fruit pods can be messy if not removed along with the old palm fronds.

But only remove palm fronds if they’re completely brown, with no green left. Palms get many of their nutrients through their leaves, and removing them can starve a plant or leave it vulnerable to disease. Yes, browning fronds look bad, but it’s important to leave fronds on the palm tree until they’re completely brown and dead.

Too Much Hassle? Stick to Self-cleaning Palms

Some Ground Source clients specifically ask for self-cleaning palms to reduce their tropical tree care hassle.

The brown palm fronds will fall off over time, but will still be brown on the tree for a few weeks before gravity or wind can take them off. But at least you don’t have to worry about when and how to prune.

Once the fronds are on the ground, you just dispose of the fallen debris as part of your palm tree maintenance.

Which Palm Trees Are Self-Cleaning?

There’s not a huge list of self-cleaning palm trees that thrive in Central Florida, but Ground Source landscape designer Eric Frisch recommends these as the best bets:

Areca Palm

The soft, fine-textured fronds of these self-cleaning palms are full and dense. This makes them great for use as privacy screens.

You can leave the palm fluffy and full to the ground, or thin it out to see more of the trunk.

Foxtail Palm

This beauty is a landscaping standout, with its big fluffy fronds that look like the bushy tail of a fox.

It has a smooth gray trunk and is available in single or multi-trunk specimens.

Christmas Palm

A nice smaller palm, this is often planted in groups for a multi-trunk effect.

One thing to note: self-cleaning palms tend to be sensitive to cold, Frisch says, which makes them a bit risky for Northern Orlando. He still uses them, but cautions customers to use care when the temperature dips.

How to take care of palm trees if we’re expecting a freeze? Cover them up.

Tropical Tree Care: Protecting Palms from Winter Freeze

There are several options for keeping palm trees cozy if we’re expecting a freeze:

Cover shorter palms loosely with a blanket or cloth sheet to trap warm air from the soil.

Wrap the trunk and foliage with burlap or landscape fabric and secure it with duct tape.

Wrap frost cloth around the trunk, starting at the soil and working up to the fronds. Frost cloth is breathable and insulates the tree while allowing moisture to escape.

Create a frame around the palm tree with poles, posts, or stakes, and drape a plastic sheet over it. This will create a makeshift greenhouse that keeps the cold out and the warmth in.

Palm Tree Injections Deliver Key Needs Fast

Sometimes a palm tree needs help in a hurry, and palm tree injections can deliver it fast.

If your palm looks yellowish and isn’t thriving, it might need more nutrients than your granular fertilizer provides.

Or maybe you want to protect your precious — and pricey — palms from damaging pests like weevils and white flies.

Injecting fertilizer or pest control directly into the trunk of a palm tree delivers the help it needs faster than applying it into the soil around the tree, and can be a key part of palm tree maintenance in Central Florida.

Once it’s injected into the trunk, fertilizer or pest control is quickly taken up by the tree’s vascular system and distributed throughout the tree.

This method works great for both controlling damaging pests like weevils and white flies and for fertilization, invigorating palms with key nutrients.

A needle delivers the injections through a rubber plug inserted into the trunk. The plug seals the drilled hole, so the tree isn’t vulnerable to infection.

Need Tips on Tropical Tree Care? Trust Ground Source in Central Florida

Palm trees are a staple of our Central Florida landscape. But maybe climbing on a ladder with pruners isn’t your idea of a fun Saturday afternoon.

Need help choosing the best low-maintenance palms? We’re happy to help.

But palms are just one element of a great landscaping plan. An expert, thoughtful design can integrate palms seamlessly into the landscape, along with other Central Florida landscape design favorites like Loropetalum, Crotons, Muhly grass, and Lily of the Nile.

What palms will grow best in your Central Florida landscaping?

Let us help you figure it out.

We’re landscape design experts, but our skills don’t stop there. We’re with you every step of the way as you plan your perfect outdoor space.

Are you ready to enjoy the vibrant, impressive yard you've always wanted? Request a quote today! We’ll help you review your options and then transform your property.