Question
I have a large palm tree that I bought five months ago.  It looked just fine when I bought it although it needed to be repotted (roots coming out the drainage holes of the old pot.)  I bought a larger pot and some Miracle Grow potting soil and repotted it.  It did fine for about three months but now the leaves are turning brown, not just on the tips but all the way to the stem.  At first it was just one frond, but now it is several and I'm afraid of it getting worse and losing the palm.  I water it about once every two weeks and it sits in the corner of the room close to a non-opening patio door so it does get indirect light.  Any thoughts would be appreciated.  Thanks.

Answer
Hi Brown Thumb,

Let me help you green up your thumb!

The fact that roots wander out of the drainage holes is NOT a good indicator that a plant needs to be repotted. Did you know that unnecessary repotting is the most common cause of plant problems? Probably not because few people know that.

A plant that is moved into a pot that is too large is very likely to suffer from gradual root rot because the excess soil retains moisture around the roots for too long. I suspect that is what has happened with your palm.

However, I cannot be sure because I do no know what plant species of plant you have. There are dozens of different types of palms and they have very different care requirements. There are also many plants that people call palms but are not really palms.

For me to help you further I would need to know just what plant species you have. If you can email a photo to my address below, I will ID your palm for you. In the interim, ease back on the watering.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.
   
Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

You can E-mail me directly at: [email protected]

Visit my web site at www.HorticulturalHelp.com

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