Landscapers and developers are always coming up with new ways or places to install the Canary Island Date palm. Throughout our experience we have found all palms should always be planted with the top of the original rootball at or slightly above finish grade - this is a horticultural fundamental and cannot be deviated from.

Palms installed below grade can cause the root system to have root rot, get secondary infections or fail all together. There are a lot of ways to plant this type of palm higher than the existing grade, some of my clients have a particularly high water table in their area, or want to place boulders or build a rock or brick retaining wall around the base of the palm.

I always recommend the customer dig their installation hole large enough to be able to use an aeriation vent tube assembly installed under the palm buried by 3/4 inch gravel, and the more 100% pre-washed masonry sand you can use around the palm the better. The sand also has a compaction ratio of 98%, which will ensure your palm does not lean and stay established against the elements after it's installation.