CARE GUIDELINES FOR SAGOS & PALMS

The general rule of thumb for planting palms is to dig a hole approximately the same depth and twice the width of the container it is currently growing in. 

If  your soil is poor--either very clay-like or very sandy--you may need to add amendments to it.  If your soil has fairly good structure and drainage, you may still want to add some amendments (see instructions under SOIL). 

The most important factor for your palm tree is good drainage.  Soil that stays soggy will suffocate the roots and possibly kill your plant.  The best time to improve drainage problems is before you plant your tree. 

Sagos and most palms can take full sun to full shade.  Smaller palms, like the Sago palm and the Phoenix roebelenii are much more suitable for shady conditions, and usually look better when given protection from the sun.

Plants grown in full sun will require more water during the warm summer months in order for them to retain a healthy appearance.  Plants grown in shade generally have larger, greener leaves than those grown in full sun, but they are also more susceptible to damage from extremes in temperature.  If the leaves burn due to frost, wait until a new flush appears, then remove the damaged leaves.

For HOT summer areas:  plants will look better with some extra water in the summer months, but make sure to provide good drainage.

For MILD climates: plants are more tolerant of full sun conditions in areas where the weather is mild, especially near the coast.  Plants that may need shady conditions inland can be grown in more sun the closer you are to the coastline.

Most soil types will need the addition of organic material for optimum plant performance.  Compost, peat moss, decomposed bark, or decomposed manure are all good examples of organic material.  For poor soils, mix the soil from the hole at a 50-50 ratio (by volume) with the organic material and use this mixture to backfill the hole.  For fairly good soils, you may only want to add the organic material in a 25-75 ratio.

Organic materials benefit your garden soil in many ways.  They help soften heavy clay soils, making it easier for water to penetrate to the plant roots.  They also add structure to loose sandy soils, helping the soil to retain water for the plant to use.  Organic materials are also a good source of nutrients, releasing minerals into the soil as they break down.

It is very important to provide good drainage for the roots of your palm tree.  Soggy soil can suffocate the roots, and kill the plant.  Organic materials help improve drainage in hard clay soils.

Water deeply once a week. This means set the flow of your irrigation, whether it is your hose or a sprinkler system, to just a little more than what your soil can easily  drain in 30 minutes.  The key is to watch how quickly the water penetrates through your soil, and adjust the water accordingly. You want to keep the soil evenly moist, but not wet.  Overly wet soil will cause the roots to rot.

For HOT summer areas:  you may need to water your plants more than once a week to keep them looking good during the summer, especially if you are growing them in a container.  Just remember, if the soil is saturated, the plant has plenty of available water. 

For COLD winter climates: you may only want to water once or twice a month during cooler months.  Some palms even start to turn yellow during the winter--this is not due to a lack of water or a lack of fertilizer, it is directly related to soil temperatures.  When the soil is cold, the roots have a harder time soaking up water and nutrients.  Just keep the soil slightly moist and wait for warmer weather.  For a list of palms that will survive cooler temperatures, see our COLD HARDY PALMS page.

The best fertilizers for palms and sagos are balanced and contain minor elements.  

A balanced fertilizer contains Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium.   Most fertilizer packages have a set of three numbers on it that represent the amounts of these elements.  This is called the fertilizer analysis.  In a balanced fertilizer, none of the numbers in the analysis is zero; it contains some amount of each element Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium.  So a 15-15-15 fertilizer is balanced, but a 35-0-0 is not.

 Minor elements are essential for healthy plant growth, but in general plants only need them in small quantities.  The minor elements that are essential for healthy palm and sago growth include Iron, Magnesium, and Manganese. 

 Slow-release fertilizers provide a steady supply of nutrients for the plants over a long period of time.  The primary advantage of a slow release fertilizer is the convenience.  In general, slow release fertilizers do not need to be applied as often as water-soluble fertilizers.  The optimum fertilizer regimen is three applications per year: once in early spring, once in early summer, and once in late fall. 

 Palm Power!™ and Sago Shot!™  provide the balanced nutrition and minor elements in a slow release form that are needed for healthy palm and sago growth.