Hi guys, I have a Kentia Palm which is dying slowly and I don't know why. I water it regularly, but not too often and not too much. Recently I've noticed that the soil is full of small, gray bubbles with some liquid inside :/ (see attached picture). I've no idea what they are.. Could this be the cause? Please help! ( photo / image / picture from tuxx's Garden ) This is how the leafs look like. I already cut 2 because they died ( photo / image / picture from tuxx's Garden )
How long have you had the plant? How long has it been in that soil? Could it possibly be some of the moisture beads that come "standard" in some potting soil mix? At first glance, I'd say I think your plant is ready for a bigger home and some fresh soil. But some more info would go a long way in help diagnose your plant's problem.
These palms are really susceptible to spider mites. Look for any fine webs or little white bumps (another insect problem: mealy bugs or scale). Some house plants just seem to need a systemic type of insecticide used regularly and are sometimes hard to keep. If any of these seem likely do not keep the palm in the same room with any other plants. Good luck and I hope this isn't the problem.
Those little "beads" are probably the osmocote or similar product that is a typical addition to any potted plant. As they absorb water they release the fertilizer eventually they are just a shell and there is no fertilizer left in the beads. You will need to add more or fertilize on a regular basis, too. As for it not looking/doing well, I also suggest a close examination for spider mites. They are TINY. It looks like a fine dust and feels gritty, too. What kind of water do you use to water this? city tap water is hard on the plant. Try distilled water or rainwater to water it, too. The bottom leaf does look like perhaps salt burn. Cut it off to clean up the appearance of the plan. They will not regrow or heal.
Is that a AC/Heat unit that is sitting near? It might be getting too heat from it now? And when you water... do you just give it a pre-determined amount in certain intervals? It may just not be getting enough water retention in your soil.
Thanks for your replies. I've taken a closer look for bugs and spider mites, but there are none. Regarding the beads, I think you are right, they are probably the fertilizer that came with the plant and are harmless. I have it for just one month and I water it with normal tap water (but filtered), one small glass per week. I haven't changed the soil yet, but should I? As for why it's getting that brown color and slowly dying, my guess is that the air is too dry. But I just bought a mister today and intend to spray the fronds every day. What do you think? Thanks again!
I am glad you found no mites. I would suggest a spray of soapy water just to make sure. Insecticidal soap or even a mild dish soap with a teaspoon of cooking oil in it will be a good wash. One T of soap/ one teaspoon of oil/ one Gallon of water. Or reduce the amounts to what you want...or just dump out the extra. I small glass of water a week may be the problem. is the soil dry all the time? I am thinking this is harder on the plant than you realize. Give it one good drink, such as filling the pot to the top and letting it leach down through the soil. Don't let it sit in a saucer of water, either. once it is drained dump the water off and let it go. Let it sit until you do the knuckle test. insert your index finger up to the first knuckle. If it is still damp let it go. When it is dry then give it a good drink. The mister is a good idea, but do you have a humidifier that will run continually? even better, if you do.
The little globules are slow release fertilizer used by the grower. They are not harmless, either. Whenever you get a new plant, you should remove these, because it is too much fertilizer for plants in home conditions. Use a water soluble fertilizer, 2 or 4 times a year depending on whether the light is low or high. However, new plants don't need to be fertilized for 6 months after purchase - they've already been fertilized heavily by the growers to force growth. The appearance of the leaves on your kentia suggest 2 things: too dry, and spider mites. When you water, you should water enough that you get a runoff of 1/4 - 1/2" in a plastic liner. This ensures that the total root mass is moistened. You don't have to empty the liner, the plant will use that amount of water in a couple of days. You can get these liners at any plant store - you might want to put liner and plant into a pretty container. The secret to watering plants is to always test the soil for the moisture level near the bottom of the pot, not just in the top couple of inches. When you pull up some soil and feel it, it should be soft and cool and barely stick together if squeezed; in other words it should still have a trace of moisture in it. I have some instructional videos at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBBh0RPPqu0 explaining more about soil moisture and watering plants, if you want to learn more. The other problem is probably spider mites. Kentia palms + dryness + recently left the grower = spider mites. Use your spray bottle up and down the leaves, the water will stick to the mites' webbing, and you will be able to see it. Treat by spraying thoroughly with a soap/water solution, (1/2 tsp mild detergent in spray bottle), then wipe each leaflet by gripping it firmly with a paper towel and running the towel from base to tip. This removes spider mites, and makes the plant clean besides. I wouldn't worry about pesticide, but I prefer not to use poisons; soap and water take care of most bug problems. In regards to humidity and misting, misting is useless at adding humidity to the air, unless you do it every few minutes. While it's true that kentias are tropical plants, they are used by the thousands in commercial settings, and are perfectly happy with whatever ambient humidity they find themselves in. Make some changes in watering, and clear up the mites, and you should be able to save this plant.
