Palms

Kentia Farm gusher

May 28, 2010 - 7:46 pm No Comments

Sprinkler break at farm

Duration : 0:0:11

i repotted a palm about a week ago, now the shoots are turning yellow & the soil on top is kinda moldy. what do i do? im not sure, but i think its a kentia palm.

Did you use a sterile potting mix? If you use a sterile medium, rather than just soil from the garden, it should prevent the palm from being infected with something in the soil.

if there’s just a little mold growth on the top of the soil it may be coincidental to the palm’s lack of health.

The yellowing shoots suggests a couple of things to me – over-watering, or drying out too much, especially if the shoots are dried, some other stress, such as cold temperatures. If the plant has remained in the same situation, then it shouldn’t generally be the temperature or light causing the problem, so something else must have caused it.

Kentias are generally good in fairly low light levels, and can get a little sun bleached if moved quickly, without a transitional period, into a high light environment. As I’m guessing that you’ve had your Kentia for some time then I’m assuming it’s still in the same place.

It’s worth idenfitying your palm, so that you’re sure it’s a Kentia – of the popular houise palms Kentia tends to have the wider leaflets on its palm ‘fronds’. Areca and Parlour palms tend to have narrower leaflets, if you’re still sure it’s a Kentia, it’s worth updating this, if no-one has given you the perfect answer.
Here’s a Kentia – http://www.gpplantscape.com/allplant/images/Kentia%20Palm_jpg.jpg
An Areca http://myinfoland.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Areca-Palm2.jpg
A Parlour palm – http://www.indoor-plants.co.uk/parlour.jpg

Sometimes when re-potting plants air pockets can remain in the new space inside the pot, and this can cause the roots to dry out, and the plant not manage to take up enough water, I’d check that there’s no possibility of this by firming it down, and see if the soil gives at all.

If you haven’t over-watered, or left the pot standing in water for a lengthy period then the moldy growth should be minimal and could be sraped away.

Stressed plants need to be cared for and rested, so avoid anything else that could stress it further, including masses more water, feeds or temperature/light changes that are drastic. If you changed the position of your plant, after potting because it seemed better in the new slot, consider moving it back to where it fared more healthily. Whilst this is a sudeen change, at least it would be to a place that it’s likely better suited to.

If you think there has been drying out, misting will help temporarily, though having some standing water, underneath or close by will raise the humidity levels around the leaves. Don’t let the roots sit in water, raise the pot off away from it with a few clean pebbles etc,

I’ll check back later today to see if you’ve added any feedback, if you didn’t quite get the answer that you needed.

Hope this helps. Good luck! Rob

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