Palm Tree Fertility and Root Drenching
Arborists with many others advocate for a "Root Drenching" approach to fertilizing trees. It sounds good but, the attached article from the U of F IFAS Extension Service [1] provides a technical analysis of fertilizer recommendations for palm trees. It contains the following:
"Injecting water-soluble fertilizers into the "root zone" of palms is never recommended because:
1) Water-soluble fertilizers are readily lost to leaching.
2) lateral movement of injected fertilizer is minimal.
3) Injecting any nutrients deeply enough to avoid turfgrass roots will also miss the majority of the palm's roots."
I believe that since root drenching causes additional nutrients to move into ponds, lakes, canals, swamps, etc. the legislature should make it illegal during the summer months for environmental reasons.
In addition, the injected (root drenching) fertilizer can damage or even negate the plants physiological processes. This could cause long-term damage that weakens the tree making it vulnerable to diseases.
Fertilizer sticks placed near the tree's drip line (outer reach of the fronds) are a much safer and more cost effective long term solution.
I disagree with some parts of the U of F article: [1]
"Concentrating fertilizer in holes, as spikes, or in bands around the trunks of palms is less effective than spreading the same amount of fertilizer uniformly throughout the area under the canopy. This is because nutrient movement is almost exclusively downward in direction, and thus only that small proportion of the palm root system directly under concentrated fertilizer will ever be exposed to these nutrients. A concentration of fertilizer is also much more likely to burn palm roots than fertilizer spread out over a larger area."
1. Water and nutrients move in soil by diffusion [2] and will spread uniformly in all directions under the surface.
2. Fertilizer sticks can contain slow release nutrients that provide a safe and steady feeding without jeopardizing the trees physiological processes.
3. Leaching from fertilizer sticks is minimal since most of the nutrients will be immediately absorbed by nearby roots.
4. Broadcast fertilizer is likely to wash off the turf's thatch layer without penetrating down to the tree roots.
5. Broadcast fertilizer is illegal during the rainy season because it frequently washes into ponds, canals, etc. creating many ecological problems.
Please be aware of the effects of fertilizer pollution on our environment.
1. U of F Extension Service article on palm tree fertilizing.
2. Basic Concepts of Soil Fertility.
Thanks for reading and please donate to help my campaign for a clean and healthy environment.
Arthur
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