Question

Sick Palm   I have a some questions:
I've been buying palms for several years and seem to have the same problem. They
never do great. They get this sticky, shiny disease on them, they seem to loose
all color in the leaves.
They continue to shoot up new fawns but the plants seem to be fighting a loosing
battle. This can go on for years. 4 questions.
1. What is this disease?
2. Could it be the potting soil?
3. Do I need special fertilizer?
4. They make these little seed sprouts (how do I propagate?)

Answer
Ginni,

If you can figure out which kind of palm it is I can tell you how to save it. It must be in a pot with a drain hole. To get rid of the insects mix water and rubbing alcohol 50/50 and add a teaspoon of dish soap to a quart of the mix. Put that in a spray bottle and spray the whole plant every 3 days for a month. Make sure you get the tops and bottoms of all leaves and the surface of the soil. you must spray every 3 days cosistantly to get eggs as they hatch. If you can tell me what kind of palm it is I can tell you how to care for it so the bugs won't come back. As for the seeds they probably have not been fertilized because you don't have 2 or 3 of the same type of palm or the right insects to polinate them. Once the flowers turn yellow you can pick the seed pods off and try planting them in a fresh pot of soil immediately. If they somehow were pollinated they should sprout within a month. If you know the type of palm email me back.

Darlene

Ginni,

the sticky shiny stuff is the excrement from insects that have attacked your palms which were probably already weakened by being kept too wet or in too bright or too shady location. You did not say what kind of palms they were. There are many different kinds and they require different conditions.  Some need lots of sun, some need no sun and most need high humidity. Some like to be kept on the dry side and some on the wet side. When they are not getting their needs met they become stressed and aphids, scale or mealy bugs attack them and you end up with the sticky shiny stuff on them and frequently you see ants that like the sticky excrement so they farm the insects moving them around until they cover the entire plant.

When you get your next palm make sure the tag says exactly what kind of palm it is. Then research it on Google or email me again and I will tell you what it's needs are so you can take care of it properly. If you know what type of palm this one is let me know and I will try to help you resolve it's issues. Good luck!!

Darlene