Coconut Palm

I should pay closer attention to what my brother says!
If the plant turns yellow all at once it means … something.
and if the individual leaves start turning yellow then it means .. something else.
For one of them you have to add more… something or other
and for the other one you can stick some matches into the soil to bring the soil back into balance.

there.. wasn’t that helpful???? !!! lol

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Hi Michal,

(got the t-shirt, thanks)

It looks like your coconut palm is not happy. Well we do coconut palms, look at the pictures below. First, does the palm get light? Do you let the soil almost dry out before you water again, or is it standing in water? How do the roots look? Are they soft and mushy or white and hard?

Show me a picture of the pot, maybe it is one of our plants. Where did you buy it?

-- http://www.twinoaksgrowers.com (zone 9-10)

Hey PaBull, you are welcome, I hope the T_shirt fits you well.

The palm gets light, but not direct sunlight. I usually check the soil from the bottom(there are 4 holes on the bottom of the pot) and when it’s dry, I water it. I will check the roots tomorrow(11pm here and girlfriend is sleeping) and I’ll post the picture of the pot, but I don’t think that it’s one of your plants, I bought it in TESCO store, Brezno, Slovakia, Europe (far away from CA) :)

Debbie – you’re right, you should pay attention what is your brother saying :). I can try those matches and we’ll see …thanks

-- Michal, http://gardentenders.com

Ah, you are Martin’s neighbor…

Yes, if you can tap the pot carefully off the root ball.

-- http://www.twinoaksgrowers.com (zone 9-10)

Hey PaBull, I checked the roots, they are white and hard.

-- Michal, http://gardentenders.com

Hum, now you got me …..
How long have you had the palm?
Can you give it more light? Maybe put it in front of a window?
Did you maybe over fertilise? Although these palms are pretty salt tolerant. Water it well to the point of having a lot of water coming out of the bottom of the pot. This will wash the salts out.
Are the roots crowded? Maybe give it a bigger pot with some new soil. Use well draining soil.
What is the coldest temperature in your house?

After all this watch the new leaves as they come out.

With house plants, think of where the plants naturally grow and mimic this. So the Coconut grows on the islands in the pacific and along the cost of Florida, etc.

-- http://www.twinoaksgrowers.com (zone 9-10)

I’ve put the palm in front of window. I didn’t fertilise it yet. I think I can give it a bigger pot, because it is pretty small. The temperature in our appartment is 21°C(69.8°F) to 25°C(77°F), but it is liitle bit colder these days (19-20 usually at night when window is open).

-- Michal, http://gardentenders.com

Alright, sounds good, now we wait and see how the new leaves are coming in.

-- http://www.twinoaksgrowers.com (zone 9-10)

ok.. here’s the info from my brother

if the whole plants turns yellow all at once, it needs… Sulphur (and I guess that would be the matches)
if just the leaves start turning yellow bit, by bit, then it needs…. Nitrogen

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Debbie, I thought for greener leaves you give it Nitrogen, for fruit, flower and roots (or coconuts) you give it Phosphorus and for large and colorful flowers you give it potassium.

-- http://www.twinoaksgrowers.com (zone 9-10)

my brother says that if the leaves start turning yellow then the soil needs a shot of nitrogen. So that makes sense: if you want greener leaves then nitrogen is your choice.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

But, Debbie, you can over do it too…lol

-- http://www.twinoaksgrowers.com (zone 9-10)

I didn’t ask about quantities.. so you’ll have to experiment with that on your own :)

Disclaimer: I take no responsibility for over-zealous application of the gardening advice posted here lol :)

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Don’t worrie Debbie, Michal can’t reach you to hit you, he is all the way on the other side of the globe.

-- http://www.twinoaksgrowers.com (zone 9-10)

((where’s my hard hat))

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

On a more serious note….
Michal and Debbie if all fails, check my website: http://www.twinoaksgrowers.com/care.htm

This should help…

-- http://www.twinoaksgrowers.com (zone 9-10)

I hope this will help, I don’t want loose my palm. Thanks for all advice …

-- Michal, http://gardentenders.com

Don’t have any advice to give ya Michal … but sure hope you don’t loose your palm!!! Sounds like you are getting some good advice. Keep us posted … :-)

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b

Neat discussion. I would have thought that it was getting too much water without adequate drainage. Also, it needs more light.

-- jroot