Question
hi nick, i am trying to maintain my 2nd kentia palm. it has brown leaves - due to lack of watering i know, but will rectify that. but i want to know if using used coffee grounds will help and how exacty do i do it? by layering on top? or do i mix with water and spray? the 1st tree died from well, i dont know. the base where the stems are just got mushy. that 1st plant the fronds were not yellow, or brown, in fact it was growing well and one day one by one the stems got mushy and turn brown and soft and it spread right up to the stems and leaves and the whole stem just fell off. that was a beautiful plant. i thought i overwatered it that is why the 2nd palm i have now i dare not water and now it has brown leaves and leaves are drooping. please help.

Answer
Coffee grounds are not really going to anything except acidify the soil somewhat, but the first one sounds like root rot set in, and that is indeed due to poor drainage and the roots sitting in moisture; line the bottom of the container with a drainage medium  (and make sure there are ample drainage holes in the container) and use a well draining, quality potting mixture. The brown tips are usually an indication of lack of humidity, which Palms need. Mist the crown frequently to imitate humidity. Fertilize once a Month with a half dose of Miracle-grow until it becomes established, then switch to a Palm granular fertilizer once every 3 Months.