Caring for the hemp palm: cutting, pouring & Co.

The hemp palm is not particularly demanding, but still needs a little care. We give you tips on fertilizing, cutting and Co.

With proper care you can Hemp palms (Trachycarpus) grow ten to twenty fronds a year. In the following you will find out how you can make your hemp palm feel good and thrive.

In general, hemp palms are considered easy to care for, which has brought them to the top of the popularity list. Nevertheless, plants that are easy to care for also have requirements and special features that you should pay attention to. In this article we have put together the most important information for you.

Water the hemp palm

Hemp palms do not like waterlogging. You should therefore only water your plant when the surface is completely dry, but then water a little more. In the summer, this should be the case about every three to five days, depending on the size and location. In winter, however, you should lengthen the interval. However, if the palm is not in the bucket, but - as is often the case in mild regions - in the bed, watering can even be dispensed with in winter.

Cut the hemp palm

Hemp palms do not actually need a cut. This is done more for aesthetic reasons, as leaves that turn brown are not simply thrown off, but remain on the plant. If leaves turn brown, there is probably a reason. In this case, therefore, check whether the plant is getting enough or too little water or fertilizer.

Of course, individual leaves also die off due to their age and are replaced by new ones. In this case, dead leaves can easily be cut off as soon as they have turned completely brown. However, leave a few centimeters on the trunk.

If you want to edit green leaves, first cut off only part of them. Then wait until the remaining part near the stem turns brown and dry before you cut the rest of the leaf to within a few centimeters.

Fertilizing hemp palm: with what and how much?

Hemp palms are not particularly demanding and one fertilization per month is completely sufficient. Whether fertilizer in stick form, liquid fertilizer or granular fertilizer - this is up to you. However, ours is particularly recommended Planturawayio universal fertilizeras it is predominantly organic and, unlike many conventional fertilizers, is not based primarily on mineral components. Soil organisms are particularly encouraged by organic fertilizers. These convert the fertilizer into plant-available nutrients and thereby increase soil fertility. Soil organisms are also important for converting dead leaves and parts of plants into valuable nutrients as quickly as possible. In this way diseases can also be prevented. They also ensure a good soil structure - the earthworm is probably the best-known example of this. Mineral fertilizers, on the other hand, are immediately available to the plants, but are therefore also at risk of leaching. In addition, mineral fertilizers do not help promote the activity of soil organisms.

There is no need to fertilize the plant in winter, its main growing season is between April and September. During this time, of course, it also needs most of the nutrients. Everything important about that Fertilizing the hemp palm we have put it together for you here.

Repot the hemp palm

A plant that grows diligently above ground naturally also needs sufficient space underground to anchor itself and ensure its water and nutrient supply. To ensure this, you should repot your hemp palm approximately every three to five years. Preferably do this in spring, as this is the time of year when these plants can respond well to a changing environment. Repotting in late summer, autumn or winter, on the other hand, can lead to stress. Use deep pots, as the roots of the hemp palm grow particularly deep. The bottom layer is some gravel or lava tuff so that excess water can easily drain off. Permeable soil mixed with sand or something similar is suitable as a substrate, but the pH should be slightly acidic.

Summary of caring for the hemp palm:

• Hemp palms do not tolerate waterlogging, so let the substrate dry off before the next watering
• Brown leaves may be cut off. Leave it to stand 4 cm
• Cut off green leaves in two steps: only when the cut leaf has dried up, cut off the rest to 4 cm
• Fertilizing: about once a month from April to September, preferably with organic fertilizers like that Plantura organic universal fertilizer
• Repot every three to five years in spring

Of course, this is also an important topic associated with the care of hemp palms Overwinter the plant represent. You can find more details on this in our special article.