DIY Network

The Dirt On Planting and Growing Palms Tips for Success in Planting Palms and Keeping Them Healthy From "The Dirt On..." episode DTDO-101

Ahmed Hassan with Gary Gragg, owner of Golden Gate Palms Nursery

Gary Gragg, owner of Golden Gate Palms Nursery, stopped by to share some tips and answer some questions about growing hardy palms all across the country. Following are some of Gary's tips.

What research should you do before you plant?

Make sure you find out if it will grow in your area, how big it will get as far as how tall and how wide and any specific care information for that particular palm. You don't want to end up in a situation where you have a palm tree planted too close to a fence or house.

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	Windmill palm Trachycarpus fortunei
	Canary Island palm Phoenix canariensis
	Mediterranean Fan Palm Chamaerops humilis

Which palms are hardy and can grow in areas people might not think they can?

• Needle palm, Rhapidophyllum hystrix
  This is the hardiest palm out there. It's hardy down to 10 degrees Fahrenheit. They are native to the Southeast and are grown widely in Pennsylvania and Philadelphia. This palm is rare though, so it's not something your average nursery would carry. You probably have to special order these palms.

• Windmill palm, Trachycarpus fortunei
  This palm is hardy to 10 degrees. It will survive snow, cold weather, heavy winds and moderate salt spray if it's near the ocean. You can find these varieties in most nurseries.

• Chilean wine palm, Jubaea chilensis
  This is the hardiest feather-type palm, which means it has fronds that look like feathers. It is hardy down to 10 degrees. The name "Wine Palm" comes from the fact that the trunk contains a sweet, honey-like syrup that can be fermented into wine. This palm is one of the few that won't grow in truly tropical climates.

• Canary Island date palm, Phoenix canariensis
  These are hardy to 15 degrees. They will withstand extreme cold, extreme wind, moderate salt spray and even drastic conditions from flood to drought. Even in extreme wind they'll grow up straight as an arrow.

• Mediterranean fan palm, Chaemerops humilis
  This palm will withstand temperatures from 0 to 130 degrees! It can also stand up to hurricane force winds and drought. This is a multi-trunking palm, so it will grow multiple leaning trunks from one base.

  The Mediterranean fan palm will produce little baby trunks at its base and as it grows you can prune any trunks you don't want to develop. This way, you can determine the look you want for your palm. Also, trim any fronds that grow down the length of the trunk so you can start with multiple distinct trunks instead of a bushy palm.

	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C

How do you properly plant a palm?

Follow these basic steps:

• Dig your hole as deep as the pot size and slightly larger in width.

• Add compost to the soil so you have a 50/50 ratio.

• Mix in a couple handfuls of slow release palm fertilizer. This will promote lush growth and dark green fronds. Keep fertilizing your palm every 3 to 4 months, except in the winter.

• Plant your palm and backfill around it with your native soil/compost mix (figure A ).

• Once you have your palm planted (figure B), use either a slow drip system or build a berm around your palm to water it deeply. Saturate the whole root zone and even add a little more because palms love water. They can become drought tolerant once they get established but they really want to stay moist.

• Have your palms trimmed (figure C) —or do it yourself as long as you can reach them — when you start seeing dead fronds to keep them looking nice. In colder areas, you might want to leave excess fronds for added warmth in the winter months.

GUESTS :

Gary Gragg, owner
Golden Gate Palms Nursery
www.goldengatepalms.com