Fertilizing Needle Palms in Zone 7a?? Advice please (growing plant, trees, northern)
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I'm in the Highland Rim of eastern Middle Tennessee, bordering on some valleys at the level of the Nashville Basin. Mom asked yesterday whether we should fertilize the Needle Palms in April/May, but I'm unsure what to do.
On one hand, fully evergreen trees/shrubs tend to tolerate lower nutrients than deciduous and semi-evergreen due to not losing their leaves annually and all at once. Also, I'm really worried that fertilizing something only hardy to Zone 6 could weaken it to the point of being killed the following winter; I've heard something about fertilizer being used on spruces in Norway leading to severe hard freeze damage.
On the other hand, Needle Palms are a naturally very slow-growing plant, I'm not sure what I heard about spruce fertilizer would be fully accurate or even apply to palms too if it is, and almost all the fertile soil here has washed down into the dark forest on our land because we're on a big hill summit with few trees left from the yard/field clearing in the late 1990s.
Any advice? Thanks!
P.S.: To give you an idea of my climate, here are two in my county (Baxter and Buffalo Valley are physically closer to me, but neither have official data available):
--Cookeville climate
--Silver Point, TN climate
I'm in the Highland Rim of eastern Middle Tennessee, bordering on some valleys at the level of the Nashville Basin. Mom asked yesterday whether we should fertilize the Needle Palms in April/May, but I'm unsure what to do.
On one hand, fully evergreen trees/shrubs tend to tolerate lower nutrients than deciduous and semi-evergreen due to not losing their leaves annually and all at once. Also, I'm really worried that fertilizing something only hardy to Zone 6 could weaken it to the point of being killed the following winter; I've heard something about fertilizer being used on spruces in Norway leading to severe hard freeze damage.
On the other hand, Needle Palms are a naturally very slow-growing plant, I'm not sure what I heard about spruce fertilizer would be fully accurate or even apply to palms too if it is, and almost all the fertile soil here has washed down into the dark forest on our land because we're on a big hill summit with few trees left from the yard/field clearing in the late 1990s.
Any advice? Thanks!
P.S.: To give you an idea of my climate, here are two in my county (Baxter and Buffalo Valley are physically closer to me, but neither have official data available):
--Cookeville climate
--Silver Point, TN climate
Espoma Palm Tone
Follow the directions on the package.
Needles grow slowly until established. Then they take off. I have a bunch and two are huge.
Most plants can be fertilized just as soon as the danger of frost has passed. The reason is, when you prune or fertilize, you prompt new growth. New tender growth can be damaged by frost.
I’m in 8b and my last frost date is March 15, so I fertilize on St. Patrick’s Day, and then on the holidays after that.
Needles grow slowly until established. Then they take off. I have a bunch and two are huge.
How big? What zone? Coastal or inland? I think I've heard somewhere that 10ft+ diameter is exceptional but also that one old specimen in Knoxville has reached 9.8ft diameter.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gentlearts
Most plants can be fertilized just as soon as the danger of frost has passed. The reason is, when you prune or fertilize, you prompt new growth. New tender growth can be damaged by frost.
I’m in 8b and my last frost date is March 15, so I fertilize on St. Patrick’s Day, and then on the holidays after that.
I know to fertilize anything here in late April; our frosts usually last from about Oct 28 to Apr 6. But is late April to late October really long enough for something hardy to Zone 6 when we're in 7a to not still be frost-tender?
How big? What zone? Coastal or inland? I think I've heard somewhere that 10ft+ diameter is exceptional but also that one old specimen in Knoxville has reached 9.8ft diameter.
I know to fertilize anything here in late April; our frosts usually last from about Oct 28 to Apr 6. But is late April to late October really long enough for something hardy to Zone 6 when we're in 7a to not still be frost-tender?
When I was in zone 5, in Ohio, the first fertilizer was on Memorial Day. If I were you, perhaps I’d use Easter as a good starting point.
When I was in zone 5, in Ohio, the first fertilizer was on Memorial Day. If I were you, perhaps I’d use Easter as a good starting point.
Sometimes Easter can be in late March or early April... but if it's in mid to late April, sure.
And that's not what I was asking anyways; it's whether it would give a USDA Zone 6 plant in USDA Zone 7a and AHS Heat Zone 7 enough time to not still be frost-sensitive in late October.
How big? What zone? Coastal or inland? I think I've heard somewhere that 10ft+ diameter is exceptional but also that one old specimen in Knoxville has reached 9.8ft diameter.
I know to fertilize anything here in late April; our frosts usually last from about Oct 28 to Apr 6. But is late April to late October really long enough for something hardy to Zone 6 when we're in 7a to not still be frost-tender?
Zone 7A/Maryland outside DC
One is about 6 feet tall and 5 feet wide. Another is roughly 5 X 4. Two others are smaller, but healthy.
The big ones have very good southern exposure and are either next to or on top of a stone wall. The stones radiate heat during the night and protect them from northern winds.
Put yours next to a south facing wall of your house and it will make a huge difference. I have a Sabal and an Inchang Lemon sited there and they do well.
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