- 1). Check the drainage in a full sun location. Dig a 6-inch hole and fill it with water. Allow it to drain and fill it again. If the hole is still full of water half an hour later you will need to add some grit to your soil to increase drainage. Mix in 30 to 50 percent sand with your soil. Malaysian palm trees can even grow in a full sand situation.
- 2). Plant the palm just as deep as it is in the nursery pot. Planting should take place in the early morning or evening. Prior to planting get the palm used to the light and heat conditions by gradually introducing it to longer periods outside over the course of a couple of days. This will prevent shock and planting stress.
- 3). Dig the hole to match the depth of the nursery pot. Do not disturb the root ball when you plant the palm. Backfill with the sandy soil and water it in well to settle the earth. Water daily over the next week and then gradually taper off over a month until you are watering only once per week in the warm season. The soil should remain moist down to the roots. Dig a trench to check if necessary.
- 4). Provide some partial shade for the first week during the hottest part of the day. Erect an umbrella or even a bed sheet partially over the tree. Early practices will help ensure the palm tree is healthy and will grow well. Do not fertilize the tree for three or four months.
- 5). Fertilize four to five times a year. Use a fertilizer formulated for palm trees. Mix it with water at the rate indicated by the packaging for the size of trunk you are feeding. Water in the fertilizer. Spread out the feedings evenly throughout the growing season.
- 6). Prune off dead leaves at the trunk especially if they are showing signs of lethal yellowing disease which begins with discolored foliage. Dwarf Malaysian coconut palm is an easy to grow plant if situated properly in a warm sunny location with well-drained soil. Provide plenty of water and food and the plant will reward you with an elegant tropical touch in your yard.
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