 Date palm is very exacting in its climatic requirement, which according to an Arab saying should grow with its feet in running water and its head in the fire of the sky.
 The successful cultivation of date palm requires a long summer with high day as well as night temperature, a mild winter without frost, and absence of rain at the time of flowering and fruit setting with low relative humidity and plenty of sunshine.
 It is estimated that finest date varieties require 3,300units of heat (base 10`C) for full maturity of its berries.
 The heat unit summation must occur from pollination until full maturity of berries. This period should be rainless and dry. This is in contrast to its native home in Mediterranean region where summers are dry with rainy winters to allow fruit development from May through September –October.
 In Indian subtropics, fruiting period is confined only from February-July whereas ripening period coincides with rainfall. Therefore, fruits do not reach ripening stage and should be harvested at earlier stage of fruit development.
 Deep, sandy loam soils ideal for maximum water–holding capacity and good drainage are desirable.
 Date palm can grow in alkaline and saline soils but in such soils its growth and productivity are greatly reduced.
 The soil profile should be free from stones of calcium carbonate concretions and hard pan at least up to 2 m depth.
 Date palm tolerate high soil salinity ( pH 8-10). It can survive in soils having 4 % salt concentration, provided the root system does not come in contact with a stratum of soil where the sodicity is more than 1%.