Property has a row of queen palms in a lawn that gets 16-4-8 every six weeks March through October.

Diagnosis: Classic potassium (K) deficiency exacerbated by improper pruning and wrong fertilizer.

Why it's happening:

1. Fertilizer mismatch: 16-4-8 (N-P-K) is a turf ratio (4:1:2). Palms require a 2:1:3 or 3:1:3 ratio with controlled-release K (sulfate of potash, not muriate). Your 8% K is insufficient and likely quick-release, leaching fast in sandy soil.
2. Over-pruning: Removing yellow/orange fronds accelerates deficiency. Palms translocate mobile K from older fronds to the new spear. Cutting them off removes the plant's only K reserve, forcing it to cannibalize the next tier, narrowing the crown ("pencil-pointing").
3. Nitrogen push: High N (16%) without adequate K pushes growth the roots can't support, worsening the deficiency.

Immediate Changes:

1. STOP pruning any frond with green tissue. Only remove completely dead (brown), hanging fronds. This is per ANSI A300 Part 1 / ISA Best Management Practices.
2. Switch fertilizer: Apply 8-2-12 + 4% Mg (palm special) with 100% controlled-release N, K, Mg (e.g., Harrell’s, Lesco, or similar "Palm Maintenance" blend). Rate: 1.5 lbs per 100 sq ft canopy area. Frequency: 3x/year (March, June, September) — not every 6 weeks. Placement: Broadcast under canopy, not* in turf rings. Keep 2 ft clear of trunk.
3. Supplemental K (if severe): Soil drench potassium sulfate (0-0-50) at 5 lbs/100 gal water per palm, 2x, 6 weeks apart. Do not use potassium chloride (muriate of potash) — salt burn risk.

Recovery: Expect 12–18 months for new canopy to normalize. Existing damaged fronds will not recover; they must stay until the palm replaces them.

Code/Standard: ANSI A300 (Part 1)-2017 Pruning §5.5.3 (don't remove live fronds); UF/IFAS SL 279 "Fertilization of Field-Grown and Landscape Palms."

The symptoms—yellow-orange older fronds with dead tips, narrow crowns, and frequent removal of lower fronds—indicate potassium (K) deficiency, a common and serious disorder in queen palms (Syagrus romanzoffiana) in sandy, low-organic-matter soils, especially under high nitrogen fertilization.

Your 16-4-8 fertilizer (high N, low K) applied every 6 weeks March–October exacerbates the problem. Excess nitrogen promotes rapid vegetative growth but worsens K deficiency by increasing demand and leaching K from sandy soils. Palms mobilize K from older fronds to support new growth, causing chlorosis, necrosis, and tip dieback on lower leaves. Over-pruning (removing yellow fronds) accelerates decline by removing the palm’s K reserves and reducing photosynthetic capacity—never remove fronds unless completely brown. This practice is harmful and against ANSI A300 (Part 1) pruning standards for palms.

What to change:

1. Stop removing yellow fronds—only remove dead (brown) fronds.
2. Switch to a palm-specific fertilizer with analysis like 8-2-12+4Mg (e.g., Palm Special 8-2-12) containing controlled-release nitrogen, potassium, and magnesium (e.g., coated urea, sulfate of potash, kieserite). Apply 1.5 lbs per 100 sq ft of canopy area four times per year (e.g., Feb, May, Aug, Nov)—not every 6 weeks.
3. Apply magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt) at 2–5 lbs per palm if Mg deficiency (yellow bands on older fronds) is suspected—common with K deficiency.
4. Improve soil with organic mulch (keep 6–12" from trunk) to retain moisture and nutrients.
5. Test soil for pH and nutrients; palms prefer pH 6.0–6.5. In alkaline soils, micronutrients (Fe, Mn) may become unavailable.

Note: If new growth is stunted or spear leaf fails to open, suspect lethal bronzing (a phytoplasma disease)—but K deficiency is far more likely here. Correct fertilization should show improvement in 3–6 months. If no improvement, consult a certified arborist or palm specialist. Do not continue current practices—they are worsening the condition.