Watering Your Date Palm Trees: Here’s What You Need to Know

Date Palms are a staple of the desert, but you can find them in almost every region of the world. These trees are native to the Middle East and North Africa but are now cultivated everywhere. Hundreds of varieties are grown commercially. These tall trees add a contemporary look to any landscape.

What makes date palms special?

Their unique shape and the foliage is different from usual trees and offers a fresh view. Date palm trees are most commonly found in the desert and this owes to the fact that they can survive on little to no water.

The soil of date palm trees

The kind of soil, you plant your date palm trees in, is important. Date palms usually prefer dry and well-draining soils e.g. sand, clay soil, etc. Well draining soils let the water drain at a moderate pace, without the formation of puddles.

Watering a date palm

As soon as the tree is planted, it is advised to water it thoroughly and deep to the roots. It will help to remove any air bubbles present in the soil. Carry on daily watering for two weeks after planting, so that the plant establishes its roots and holds the soil firmly.

Once established, this amount of water should be steadily reduced during the next couple of months. Reduce it down to watering the plant only two times a week. After that, carry on watering your date palm around two to three times a week. This can be even reduced to only once or twice a month in winter season.

Other factors that alter the watering routine

There are a lot of other factors that go into figuring out how much you’re supposed to water your date palm. Location, amount of rainfall, humidity level, and temperature are vital things to consider. Keeping all these in mind, the watering schedule should be adjusted so that neither the plant dries out, nor it receives excess water.

Care instructions for watering date palms

Let the surface of the soil dry out in between two watering sessions. Be careful, not to allow the soil below to get dry. Once a tree is mature, it can tolerate drought and water shortage; nonetheless, the date palms look fresh and lively when watered regularly and properly. Even, the indoor date palms should be provided with ample humidity by spraying water three or four times in a week.

Date palms basically can survive without supplemental irrigation, after they are fully grown and established. First-year is crucial, as it needs watering twice a week, otherwise the tree might not grow properly. The watering amount and frequency can be reduced to half during its second year. Most trees are established by the beginning of their third year.

Where your date palm is planted is important in determining how much water it needs. Taking into account the amount of rainfall your area receives helps in trying to figure out how much you would need to water them. If you live in a place where it is hot, you should water your tree more often as compared to where it is colder. Humidity levels should also be considered when watering these plants.