Question
I have an indoor palm that I purchased about 2 months ago. The label says it's a cycad and should be kept in indirect light with soil on the dry side. I have been keeping it on a counter in the middle of a room where it can get a little bit of light from a front and a back window.

A few weeks ago, my plant started looking brittle so I thought maybe it wasn't getting enough water. I usually water it about once a week. I gave it a good watering and it started turning yellow. I am afraid I have overwaterd my plant.

Now the plant looks dry, and the outsides of the leaves are still a little green, but the inside (toward the stem) are yellowing and the bottom leaf is completely yellow. I am usually not very good with houseplants, but I really like this one and I don't know what to do.


I am sending you a picture at your e-mail address.

Thank you so much in advance for any help you can give.  

Answer
Leah,

It needs more light and less water. Indirect light means bright light close to a window but not where the sun will shine on it. However, in this case I beleive that the tag was wrong about indirect light for this plant. In my experience cycads benefit from some sun daily from an east or west window. You should only be watering it when it is very dry and light weight, not on any schedule. This time of year that might be once a week and in the winter it is probably once every two weeks.

It may be too late, in which case you shoulld go out and buy another one and try again, but try moving it next to an east or west window after you set it in a sink overnight without it's drain tray to dry out as much as possible.

For future reference, no plant will live where there is not enough light for your hand to make a good shadow. When you get new plants I would be happy to advise you before you have problems. Good luck.

Darlene