PALM TREE CARE

Protecting Your Paradise: Keep Your Palms Healthy and Beautiful

Nothing says “Florida” like palm trees. They’re everywhere around here, and when they’re healthy, they’re absolutely gorgeous. But when they start looking rough—yellowing fronds, brown tips, stunted growth—it’s usually not just “the way they look.” Something’s wrong, and if you don’t fix it, your palms can actually die.

At Crews Complete Pest Solutions, our certified applicators specialize in palm tree care in Southwest Florida. We handle the nutritional issues and pest problems that plague our local palms—from Fort Myers to Naples and all around the area.

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Why Palm Trees Struggle in Southwest Florida

Wait, don’t palms love Florida? Yes and no. They grow here, but our soil is terrible for them. Our sandy, alkaline soil doesn’t have the nutrients palms need, and what’s there often isn’t in a form the palm can actually use. Add in pests that specifically target palms, and you’ve got trees that need help to thrive.

What’s working against your palms:

Nutrient-Poor Sand – Our soil lacks the essential micronutrients palms need. It’s basically beach sand with not much nutritional value.

High pH Soil – Southwest Florida soil tends to be alkaline (high pH), which locks up nutrients like iron and manganese even if they’re present. Palms can’t access what they need.

Magnesium and Potassium Deficiency – These are the big ones. Almost every palm around here is deficient in these, and it shows in yellow fronds and brown tips.

Palm-Specific Pests – There are insects that specifically attack palms, and they can do serious damage if left unchecked.

Environmental Stress – Salt spray if you’re near the coast, wind damage from storms, transplant shock—palms face a lot of stress factors here.

Here’s the thing—palms are different from other trees. They can’t just regrow damaged fronds from the bottom up. Once a frond is damaged, it’s staying that way. And if the problem gets bad enough, it affects new growth, and the whole tree looks terrible.

Common Palm Problems We Fix

Nutritional Deficiencies (The Most Common Issues):

Potassium Deficiency (Frizzle Top) – Older fronds turn yellow-orange with brown necrotic spots. New fronds come in small, twisted, and frizzled looking. This is extremely common in our area.

Magnesium Deficiency – Older fronds develop a broad yellow band along the outer edges while the center stays green. Very common in Queen palms, Arecas, and Sagos.

Manganese Deficiency (Frizzle Top) – New fronds are small, weak, and deformed. The whole frond can be chlorotic (yellowed). Often confused with potassium deficiency.

Iron Deficiency – Newest fronds are pale yellow or almost white while veins stay slightly green. Usually happens in high pH soil.

Pest Problems:

Palm Leaf Skeletonizers – Caterpillars that eat the leaf tissue and leave behind just the skeleton of the frond. Makes palms look terrible.

Palm Aphids – Soft-bodied insects that cluster on new growth and suck plant juices. They produce honeydew that attracts sooty mold.

Spider Mites – Cause stippling and bronzing of fronds, especially during dry weather. Heavy infestations can severely weaken palms.

Scales – Various scale insects attach to fronds and suck sap, weakening the palm and causing yellowing.

If your palms are showing any of these symptoms, they need treatment. Ignoring it just makes it worse.

How We Get Your Palms Healthy Again

Palm care is specialized work. You can’t just throw down regular fertilizer and hope for the best. Here’s what we do:

We Figure Out What’s Wrong

Our certified applicators examine your palms and identify what’s causing the problem. Nutritional deficiency? Pest damage? Environmental stress? Different problems need different solutions, so correct diagnosis is critical.

We Apply Specialized Palm Fertilizer

If nutritional deficiency is the issue (and it usually is), we apply fertilizers specifically formulated for palms. These contain the micronutrients palms need—potassium, magnesium, manganese, iron—in forms that work in our alkaline soil. Regular fertilizer doesn’t cut it for palms.

We use slow-release formulations that feed your palms over time, and we apply them at the right rate for the size and species of your palms.

We Treat Pest Problems Safely

If pests are attacking your palms, we apply targeted treatments that eliminate the damaging insects while protecting beneficial ones. We’re not carpet-bombing your property—we’re treating the specific problem on the specific trees that need it.

We Keep Them on a Program

Palm trees need ongoing nutritional support in our soil. One treatment helps, but palms do best with regular fertilization (typically 3-4 times per year). We set up a maintenance schedule that keeps your palms getting what they need year-round.

What to Expect When You Work With Us

Palm tree care takes time. You’re not going to see results overnight. Here’s what’s realistic:

• New growth will look better first – The fronds growing in after treatment should show improvement
• Old damaged fronds stay damaged – They won’t turn green again, but you can prune them off once new healthy growth comes in
• It takes 3-6 months to see significant improvement in your palm’s overall appearance
• Maintenance is key – Keeping your palms healthy requires ongoing nutrition

Why people choose us for palm care:

• Certified in ornamental applications – We have the specialized license for this work
• We know palm species – Different palms have different needs; we know what’s what
• Proper products – We use actual palm fertilizers, not just generic plant food
• Realistic expectations – We tell you the truth about timeline and what’s possible
• Local expertise – We’ve been treating Southwest Florida palms for years

Your palms are a big part of what makes your property look like paradise. Let’s keep them that way.

Call (239) 850-9171 or reach out online. We’ll evaluate your palms and get them on a treatment program.