Fertilize hemp palm: timing & procedure

The decorative ornamental plant is not native to us, but it can become one with the right care. We show how to properly fertilize the hemp palm.

hemp palms (trachycarpus) give your garden or balcony a touch of jungle with their fan leaves in tub culture. In regions with a mild winter, the Asian palms can even be planted out, after all, some species are even considered frost hardy down to -18 °C. They survive the European winters outside in beds or parks, but then often lose a few leaves. You should provide your palm with sufficient nutrients so that the plants go into the winter stronger and reproduce fronds that have been lost during the warmer seasons. Because only a well-fertilized hemp palm shows the frugality that a thriving plant offers a garden lover.

Strengthened hemp palms like to form more than 20 fresh palm fronds during the growing season and shoot up to 40 centimeters in the process. The exotic little plant needs the right care for this. Here we answer the following questions: Which fertilizer is best for hemp palms? When should hemp palms be fertilized? And are there actually home remedies for fertilizing hemp palms?

When do you fertilize hemp palms?

Use a nutrient-rich substrate when planting. For example, you can mix mature compost under the topsoil or, if you are cultivating in a pot, under commercial potting soil. Also organic long-term fertilizer like ours Plantura organic universal fertilizer can be added before planting. Also ensure a loose root bed by adding a little sand, because waterlogging is not well tolerated by the plant. If the water supply is right, your hemp palm will thrive with just one fertilization per year. Use an organic long-term fertilizer in spring, because then a second fertilization in July is only necessary in locations with very poor, very sandy soil. An organic fertilizer variant offers the desired long-term release of nutrients into the soil. In addition, in comparison to mineral fertilizers, which are chemically processed, valuable raw materials are preserved. After the summer months, fertilizer should no longer be used to prepare the palm for the winter season.

Summary: when to fertilize hemp palms?

• Compost or organic long-term fertilizer can be added as early as the planting stage
• The first fertilization should be done in spring
• If the soil is very poor, it should be fertilized again in summer

Fertilize hemp palm: How and with what?

The hemp palm is characterized - like its namesake, the hemp plant - by its fairly easy-care and robust character. But despite the high level of frugality, both plants only thrive into truly magnificent plants when the right fertilizer is added. For the specialists among the hemp palm owners, there is a special palm fertilizer. But with undemanding palms like the hemp palm, this is actually unnecessary. A low-chloride universal flower fertilizer is completely sufficient for exotic plants. You should pay attention to a reasonably balanced ratio of nitrogen to potassium and a low phosphorus content. In addition, when fertilizing, you should keep in mind the rather poor conditions in the home of the hemp palm. There is therefore a risk that the plants will be over-fertilized. A mineral fertilizer is not suitable for this reason. On the one hand, although the nutrients are fast, they are available in the soil in too large quantities and for too short a period of time. On the other hand, mineral fertilizers are produced with a very high use of resources.

If you want to feed your hemp plant sustainably in a direct and indirect sense, you should choose an organic fertilizer. Our Plantura Organic universal fertilizer boasts an organic long-term effect and is also an NPK fertilizer of controlled organic quality. In contrast to expensive special palm fertilizer, you can also use this fertilizer for other ornamental plants or the vegetable garden.

Fertilizing hemp palms organically: application and application recommendation

Hemp palms tend to crave additional trace minerals in the soil. Especially silicates are needed for rapid cell formation. If there is too little of it, yellow palm fronds are often the result. Therefore, simply mix in a handful of rock dust when planting and fertilizing the soil to prevent this. This also contains the trace elements iron and manganese, which are important for palm trees. However, since hemp palms prefer a slightly acidic soil pH between 5.5 and 6.5, you should use calcareous fertilizers such as rock flour sparingly. Because these ensure that the soil environment becomes more alkaline.

Organic long-term fertilization: instructions and dosages for the hemp palm

Proper dosing is particularly important for plants that are highly sensitive to excess nutrients Fertilizer application not only the prerequisite for an environmentally friendly handling, but also for the thriving of the fertilized Plant. That is why we have put together the few steps for a happy hemp palm tree for you below.

1. Before planting 100 - 150 g/m² (well filled 0.2 liter glass) of ours Plantura organic universal fertilizer work into the top layer of soil
2. Water the soil and freshly planted hemp palm well so that the granules can dissolve well
3. For maintenance fertilization in spring, you should fertilize another 80 - 120 g/m² (0.2 liter jar) per plant

Fertilize hemp palms with minerals

If a hemp palm is in trouble and shows yellow leaves, these can be a sign of a nutrient deficiency. Sometimes a one-off application of a mineral fertilizer such as blue grain or many commercially available all-purpose fertilizers. The rapid release of nutrients will quickly help your plant. However, one should proceed with caution. So that you do not over-fertilize your palm, it is better to fertilize in small doses. With commercially available liquid fertilizer, pour fertilizer into the irrigation water about every four weeks. However, you can easily minimize the dates for fertilizing with an organic fertilizer. This promotes the growth of your hemp palm at least as well as mineral fertilizers and has a better environmental balance.

Fertilize hemp palm with home remedies

Palm trees may not have grown rampant in Grandma's garden, but even then the garden was lush and green. Even then, many a trick was known when it came to organic fertilizers. Nothing was ever thrown away. And that also applies today: For example, use manure made from plant components that accumulate during gardening. To do this, nettle, comfrey and similar herbs are placed in rainwater for two weeks. And after there are no more bubbles, the liquid manure diluted in a ratio of one to ten is added to the irrigation water.

Another nutrient source that produces no waste is the Fertilization with coffee grounds represent. This contains plenty of nitrogen and promotes soil life. Simply spread the coffee grounds on the ground in the root area or add them to the irrigation water. However, frequent use of coffee grounds as a fertilizer lowers soil pH. However, if your palm is also supplied with rock flour, this should not be a problem. Because this contains lime, which increases the soil pH and thus counteracts acidification. The acidifying effect of coffee grounds can even be beneficial here, as hemp palms like a slightly acidic soil pH.

Tip from the pro: When using liquid manure to fertilize your hemp palm, you can combine the gift with rock flour. This is important for the supply of trace elements and at the same time reduces the unsightly smell of the liquid manure.