how to transplant a palm tree

Fill the hole with a good quality compost mixed with added fertilizer and some sand for drainage. How far apart should I plant queen palms? First, remove the plant from its pot by sliding a flat instrument, like a dinner knife, around the inside of the container. Small ponytail palms grown in containers are fairly easy to move to bigger pots. Transplanting an indoor palm is an important part of caring for the plant, and your tree will be happy with the extra room to wiggle its roots in. Once established, palm trees are nearly impossible to get rid of, as even a fragment of the tree's roots will sprout up into a new tree, even when the main body of the tree is removed. So if you want to get started planting a palm tree somewhere on your property, see the details and issues below. unlocking this expert answer. Take out the plant with care and by now, you are ready for planting. Wrap the trunk at least 1/4 up the tree's height with a 16 inch (40.6 cm) wide piece of burlap to keep the bracing board cleats from chaffing the bark when the tree tries to sway in high winds. Approximately 24-48 hours before any sago palm tree transplanting, water the plant deeply and thoroughly. She holds an Associate of Applied Science in accounting, having graduated summa cum laude. Thanks for all the good information. Place the fertilizer one or two feet around the trunk of the tree to avoid over-fertilizing. Support wikiHow by Palm tree growth occurs only at the growing tip, sometimes called a crownshaft, at the top of the trunk, and cutting off this growing tip by severing the trunk kills the plant. If you cut off a palm tree at the trunk, it will not grow back. How to Trim a Palm Tree. Do not just place the fertilizer between the soil and the root ball as this can damage the tree’s roots. Water the transplant site deeply two to three times after transplanting to minimize transplant shock. It depends on climate conditions and how you plant it from the nursery. Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania. How far apart should Mexican fan palms be planted? 4 Create a small dam about 3 inches (7.6 cm) high around the tree. How far away from wall should a Pygmy palm be planted? For more advice from our Horticulturist reviewer, including tips on how to keep the tree watered, keep reading! They need full sun and good drainage. Palm trees are good landscaping plants because their roots are non-invasive. Form a circle around the sago palm and dig at a depth of at least 12 inches. References It will take two to three weeks if you planted with a seed that has started germination in the storage sack. X Steady watering ensures that the tree does not dry out. Writing professionally since 2008, Michelle Miley specializes in home and garden topics but frequently pens career, style and marketing pieces. For more advice from our Horticulturist reviewer, including tips on how to keep the tree watered, keep reading! http://www.treehelp.com/trees/palm/planting-a-palm.asp, http://www.junglemusic.net/articles/howtoplantapalm.html, http://www.florida-palm-trees.com/transplanting-palm-tree-container-ground/, https://www.treehelp.com/palm-soil-improvement/, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Transplanting Mexican Fan Palms If you have a young Mexican fan palm in a pot, you can try transplanting it outside when the weather is warm. Repot a palm tree when necessary to keep these attractive tropical trees lush and vibrant in your indoor or outdoor growing area. Check for pods with ripe fruits/seed. Power equipment can be a tremendous help with large trees, which may weigh over 1000 pounds. If you transplanting a palm from the pot into the ground, you can place the palm in the area in which it will be planted a week in advance. Palms with exposed root balls are said to be “on their tiptoes,” and are less stable. Using a tree spade or shovel, cut the palm from the ground while leaving at least 3 feet of space around the trunk. Do this carefully, as damaged palm pup roots tend to die back and this will set the pup back. Once the plant is out of the pot, wash the roots in running water to remove the soil. Place the palm’s root ball into the center of the new pot and add soil until it reaches the same spot on the tree trunk as the soil in the old pot. Depending on your preference, you'll probably want the sunny side of the palm facing a spot where you can enjoy it. Use a wide nylon or polyester strap to lift the tree if using a machine for this purpose, to avoid damaging the bark of the tree. The key is to be gentle so you do not break the heart at the center of the palm or otherwise damage it. Transplanting is a method that is used to move a plant, palm or tree to another area. To plant a palm tree, dig your hole at least 6 inches wider and deeper than the tree’s root ball. Palms can be transplanted during the spring or early in the summer and generally tolerate transplantation well, although some varieties that can struggle with transplant, such as the Dypsis decipeins and Bismarkia nobilis. Exposed top of the tree's root crown is good -- but grading soil up to and exposing the root ball is a no-no. Horticulturalist Maggie Moran explains, “Palm trees have shallow roots that usually reach depths of 36 inches (91 cm) or so. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Root-prune the bismarck palm four to eight weeks prior to the scheduled transplanting date. Moving a Sago Palm Tree. Water the palm thoroughly until water runs out of the drainage holes. Slice garden shovel blades into the ground around the palm's trunk to sever existing roots. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Date palms tend to be hardy and drought-tolerant and make a nice addition to the landscape. All the trees were planted roughly 6 mo. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 446,873 times. Thanks, God, they are saved now. However, one species of palm, the Cryosophila nana, can be propagated by planting a cut stem from an existing plant. the side that has been given the most sunlight. Their delicate root system is a reason for this because unlike other trees, palms possess roots that take time to “heal” after being cut and also require to get acclimated to their new environment. Jungle Music Palms and Cyads: Palms in Containers, Mahoney's Garden Center: How to Repot a Plant, Real Palm Trees: Transplanting Instructions, Real Palm Trees: Quick Tips on Transplanting, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Ask Mr. Smarty Plants, Fine Gardening: How to Repot Container Plants, How to Plant a Windmill Palm in a Container. On the other hand, palms planted too deeply risk rot on their trunks, also destabilizing them, causing disease and rot. "Hi. Starting with mature palms is expensive, sometimes so big that they need to be trucked and craned into the site. Your support helps wikiHow to create more in-depth illustrated articles and videos and to share our trusted brand of instructional content with millions of people all over the world. Step 1 Remove a third of the leaves to reduce the stress that comes with transplanting a robellini palm. Maneuverability. Otherwise, I would have added the fertilizer immediately in order to give strength to my plant. Look for developed roots on the palm pup. Choose a new pot that is about 2 to 4 inches larger than what the tree is currently in. What fertilizer do I need to add to a palm tree? Next, expose the root ball’s root system and ease the tree down, making sure the root ball is slightly lower than the level of the adjacent ground. Place wire mesh or screen over the drain holes in the bottom of the new pot and fill with at least four inches of soil. Will the roots harm the foundation of my neighbor's house? {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/1\/13\/Remove-a-Palm-Tree-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Remove-a-Palm-Tree-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/1\/13\/Remove-a-Palm-Tree-Step-1.jpg\/aid367560-v4-728px-Remove-a-Palm-Tree-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"