How to Grow Healthy Palm Tree
Majestic Palm trees have been a staple of the beautiful nature of the tropics. A swaying tree, filled with bright and delicious bananas paints the perfect picture of relaxation. Surprisingly, Palm plants can also tolerate much colder temperatures, which make their beauty an excellent addition to any indoor garden.
The King Palm variety is mostly associated with providing the ultimate in outdoor shade. However, their stature and beauty can also provide shade for plants placed near a window inside. Having a King Palm to moderate the amount of heat and sunlight cascading through a window allows you to have a wide array of different plants spread throughout that same area. It is important to note however, that the King Palm is noted for growing to an extensive height, so it will definitely need to be moved outdoors after a few years.
The Majesty species of palm tree may be a better choice for indoor gardens as it grows at a much slower pace. This breed typically reaches a height of about ten feet in a ten year span. Queen palms however, have a more rapid rate of growth. If planted outdoors, this species can reach an astounding height of twenty five feet in as little as seven years.
Anyone living in a colder climate who dreams of having a palm tree is actually in luck. There are about a dozen species of Palm Tree that can tolerate these brutal temperatures. The hardy Date Palm, Texas Sable Palm and the Canary Island Date Palm all have the ability to thrive in temperatures reaching a chilling eighteen degrees Fahrenheit. The Windmill Palm variety can tolerate even colder conditions. This species has the ability to thrive in the bitter chill of five degrees Fahrenheit.
While these bone chilling temperatures are not typically found inside a home, some of these beautiful plants are typically planted in containers that just sit outside the door of the home. In addition, palms make a great addition to a homes front porch, greeting guests with a cheerful hello.
As with all houseplants, palms require a certain amount of care in order to be healthy and elegant. Adding a beneficial fungus such as Mycorrhizal Fungi will help keep your plant healthy. In addition to this additive, palms require a fertilizer that is somewhat different than most other houseplants and trees.
A fertilizer mixture of NPK in the amounts of 3-1-3 or 15-5-15 is ideal for the Palm Tree species. In addition to these elements, adding the proper amounts of magnesium and calcium are also imperative to the healthy and thriving growth of the palm tree. These micro-elements are delivered to the plant in much smaller quantities, but are still an essential additive to the health of the plant.
Palm trees are known for having a problem with excessive salt build up. This problem can be alleviated with a few rinsing of water and a soil testing kit to ensure you have not washed away the correct amount of salt for the Palm.
The watering routine for a Palm tree is quite different from that of other houseplants. As these plants originated from the tropics, they are used to hot, dry conditions with the occasional monsoon once a year.
It is very important that you choose a pot or container that is large enough and substantial enough to support the girth of this plant. In addition, proper drainage must also be an important factor.
A Palm Tree can add a sense of majestic beauty second to none to any indoor garden.
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