QuestionHi,
I live in India and i have a datepalm plant grown in clay pot of 16 inch size, the palm is 4 months old, and have two leaves of 10 inch length. Now the tip of the leaves are browning. I was told its due to overwatering and lack of humidity. Can you please suggest me and effective way of watering them, and how to give them required humidity. My potting mix consists of sand and loam of equal parts with 100 grams of organic fertilizer. I have placed the pot in the southside of the house with good direct sunlight. Is this a sunburn? And should i move the pot to a bit shady region and then gradually move them to full sun? Can I add saw dust to the potting soil because it is drying out soon? Soon the rainy season is gonna begin. When next should i transplant them to a bigger pot? can you please suggest me a good organic way of fertilizing these plants at this stage which includes bone meal, seed meal, neem meal, sea weed extract, dried cow manure and organic biomanure (please suggest me the quantity of each), because these are the only available organics for me at present. The palm has got fast growing roots. Please help me with this, because i want to see my garden with these beautiful palms. Waiting to hear from you soon
AnswerDear Shafreejhidayath,
The plant is overwatered because it is in too large a pot. Move it to a pot that is half the size of that one. It needs to be small enough that it can use up the moisture in the soil so it is dry for a day or 2 on the surface of the soil before you water it again. There will still be some moisture lower in the pot. The pot should not be wider than the span of the leaves. Next June it will be ready to move back to the larger pot. Too large of a pot does not make it grow faster, it keeps it too wet and can kill it. In your area you should be able to plant date palms directly in the ground. They can grow in the sun or shade. In the shade they will need watered once a week, in the sun twice a week or more if it is in the ground and it is hot. Good luck!
Darlene
