Question
I have what I believe is a bamboo palm.  I have had it since november 2004.  It was repotted in late december early january.  It has indirect sunlight and is located in my office.  We cleaned all of our plants with baby oil and now this one is dying.  The leaves are dry and crisp with brown patches on them.  The stalks are also turning brown.  We've tried spritzing the plant with water but nothing seems to help.  I have been unsuccessfull in finding information on my plant.  Can you help?

Answer
Hi Breanna,

Baby oil is not good for plants. It is too oily. However, I don't think that is the cause of the problem. The repotting is the likely culprit.

These plants have small and fragile roots that do not like to be disturbed. The chances are that you used a larger pot and a soil mix that was too heavy (not porous enough) for a bamboo palm. The heavy, extra soil acts like a sponge and retains water around the roots for too long. That has caused the fragile roots to rot. That is why the leaves and stems are turning brown.

Misting the leaves will not help. In fact, it may be too late. You could consider putting it back in its original pot. That might help, but it might be too late. Be sure to let the soil dry out as far down as you can stick your finger. If you increased the light so that it gets a few hours of direct sun each day that also might help.

I am sorry to be pessimistic. If you can e-mail me a photo, there might be something I see that you have not mentioned that would give me reason to be more positive.

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]

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