Growing golden cane palms in pots

Golden cane palms are a fantastic palm to grow in pots because they are hardy, drought tolerant and will tolerate full sun to full shade. Golden cane palms grow vertically so look great in a narrow space. They can be kept trimmed and moved when they get larger. Golden cane palms are easy to split in pots as they grow more stems.

The best pots for golden cane palms

Golden cane palms look great in dark colored pots as this will contrast with the beautiful yellow stems. Choose a pot with a wide base to keep a taller golden cane palm stable. A heavier concrete pot looks great and will stay stable in heavy winds.

Best soil for planting golden cane palms in pots

Golden cane palms will grow well if they are planted in the best soil. A good quality, all purpose potting soil will work well, drain well and hold its structure. A small amount of river sand can also be mixed into the potting soil.

Adding a small amount of river sand, up to ¼ of the mix will help the mix to hold water and its structure to keep the soil level up for longer. Poorer quality potting soils will drop in level as they decompose over time.

Mixing in some aged cow manure will give your plant a nutrient boost to get them growing quickly. This can also be used as a top dressing on top of the soil and the extra nutrients will be washed down to the roots when you water or when it rains.

How often to water golden cane palms in pots

Golden cane palms will grow best when they receive regular water. During the warmer months, particularly over summer a palm in a pot will benefit from deep watering twice per week. For dark colored pots they can heat up and dry out quicker so check the soil before watering.

During the cooler months you can reduce the amount of watering as these palms hate to have cold, wet roots. Watering once per week may be enough if you are getting rainfall and cooler weather.

These tropical palms love a warm, humid and high rain summer and mild winter so if you are growing them outside of tropical regions, they may not grow as quickly.

How to re-pot a golden cane palm

For a new palm that you have purchased and bought home it is important to get it planted out in an appropriate sized pot as soon as you can.

Most palms bought from garden centers will be at their maximum size for the pot they came in and will be ready to be planted out into something bigger.

Choosing a pot

Choose a pot that is 1 size bigger than the pot it is already in. This means choosing a pot that is 2-3 inches wider and deeper. Choose a pot with a solid base if you have a large pot and make sure it has good drainage holes.

Placing a smaller palm in a pot that is too big can cause it to suffer as the plant will be surrounded by a lot of cold potting soil that may stay moist for too long. Moving the plant up in pot size gradually is the best way to keep it happy and healthy.

Positioning

Place the pot in a position that you plan on keeping the palm. A full sun to full shade position is fine. Consider however the time of year and don’t move a brand new palm into full sun in the middle of summer if it has come from a nursery.

Start it off in a part shade position and move it out as it establishes.

Preparing the pot

Cover the drainage hole of the pot with a piece of geofabric or hessian to stop the excess soil from washing out the bottom of the pot.

Once you have chosen your pot and covered the drainage holes, grab a bag of good quality potting soil and fill the bottom 2-3 inches with the new soil.

Moving the palm

Remove the palm from its original pot by gently squeezing the outside of the pot and tapping the top. The palm should come out easily. If the roots look matted, simply tease them out with your finger tips to loosen the soil along the bottom.

Place the palm in the new pot and surround it with more good quality potting soil. Bury the palm up the same level it was in the original pot.

Settle it in

Water the plant in well with a small amount of seaweed solution or worm juice if you have it. This will help the roots to quickly recover from the move.

Why you should plant a golden cane palm in a pot

The benefit of planting your golden cane in a pot is that you can keep the roots contained. Golden cane palms grow a thick matting of roots so planting them in a pot is a great way to stop them from interfering with other plants.

It can be tricky to grow anything else underneath the palm because of the thick covering of roots. Keep the golden cane palm in a pot instead and you can plant smaller annual flowers or shrubs around the pot instead.

Successfully growing golden cane palms in pots indoors

Golden cane palms are a fantastic palm to grow indoors as they can tolerate a range of light conditions and will survive if you forget to water them every so often. Golden cane palms will grow best indoors if they are placed near a bright window and get even a small amount of morning sun.

When you water your golden cane palm, take them off of the pot tray if you can and water them over a sink or outside. Allow the water to drain through before putting them back on the tray so their roots do not sit in water.

Growing golden cane palms in pots | Summary

Golden cane palms are a hardy palm that looks great in a pot indoors or outdoors. They grow slowly relative to other palms so will stay happy in the same pot for a few years. They love tropical climates but will tolerate periods of cool weather.  For a beautiful, bright palm for your yard, give a golden cane palm a go.

Happy planting.