How to plant an areca palm
Plant in a pot with drainage holes and compost made from dirt. If the areca palms get rootbound, only repot them in the spring into a little larger container (you will see roots coming out of the bottom of the pot).
Caring for an areca palm
In warm weather, this may happen rather frequently when the top few centimetres of compost have become dry. As areca palms are sensitive to the contaminants in tap water, it is best to use rainwater, distilled water, or filtered water, especially if you reside in a hard water area. Make sure the compost is evenly moist but not drenched, and allow any extra moisture to drain away. Wintertime irrigation is reduced, keeping the soil slightly damp.
Areca palms require a humid atmosphere, so spritz the leaves with tepid water a few times per week or place them on a pebble tray filled with water. During the growing season, feed your plants with a balanced fertiliser every few months.
Periodically wipe the leaves to remove dust. Your plant can be quickly fixed by being placed under a gentle shower, or even better, by being placed outside in the summer rain.
How to propagate an areca palm
The best method of areca palm propagation is via division. A clump near the edge may come away spontaneously when you repot the plant in the spring. As an alternative, you can remove a clump with a sharp knife. It should ideally have four or five stems with roots. Replant in a new container with potting compost.
Growing areca palm: problem solving
Areca palms frequently have brown leaf tips, which can happen for a number of reasons. The plant might have been submerged, the air is too dry or cold, or all three. Cutting into green growth will just result in the creation of new brown points, so only the brown tips should be removed.
Lower leaves that have aged naturally develop yellowing leaves. If your areca palm has many yellow leaves, it may be because it is receiving too much direct sunlight. It might also be the result of submersion.
Brown fronds at the base are typical; simply remove them. Areca palms do not like to sit in cold, moist compost, which may be the cause of their widespread brown leaves.
Sunburn could be the source of brown patches. Remove your plant from the sun’s direct rays.
Lack of humidity may be the cause of dull, dull leaves that have lost their sheen. suggest that the plant is receiving too much light; relocate to a more shady area.
Areca palms may be harmed by red spider mite. Fine webbing will cover the plant’s leaves and stems, and the upper surface of the leaf will start to mottle. With a magnifying glass and close inspection, you may find mites and eggs on the undersides of the leaves. Improved airflow increases humidity. Use sprays with fatty acids or plant oils as an alternative.
Mealybugs could be an issue.
Watch out for insects on the undersides of leaves that resemble white, fluffy blobs. Use a cotton bud or moist towel dipped in a pesticide containing fatty acids or plant oils to wipe them off. Keep inspecting the leaves since mealybugs can be challenging to get rid of.
Scale insects, which are tiny, 6mm long, brown sap sucking insects, may also be seen. Remove using a cotton bud or piece of cloth dipped in a pesticide with fatty acids.
How can I maintain a healthy areca palm?
Plan to water your areca palm regularly anytime the soil begins to dry out. It’s crucial to keep outdoor palms hydrated during hot, dry weather conditions in order to maintain their health. Unless they are situated close to a very bright window, indoor palms frequently don’t receive enough light.
Is the areca palm a healthy houseplant?
Areca palm houseplants are rather expensive when fully grown, thus they are typically bought as small, tabletop plants. Each year, they grow by 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25 cm), eventually reaching a mature height of 6 to 7 feet (1.8 or 2.1 m.). One of the few palms, the areca palm, can withstand cutting without suffering major consequences, allowing mature plants to be kept indoors for their whole existence of up to 10 years.
The appropriate amount of light is essential for effectively growing areca palm palms inside. They require a window that faces south or west for brilliant, indirect light. In direct sunshine, the leaves turn a yellowish green colour.
How often should an areca palm be watered?
We may infer a little deal about the Areca Palm’s water requirements from the fact that it is native to a warm, tropical region.
In order to thrive best, the areca palm demands damp soil, which is also its natural environment.
This means that during the spring and summer, you should water your areca palm at least twice.
The Areca Palm is in its growing season in the spring and summer and requires a lot of moisture and minerals.
You should alter your watering routine and water the Areca Palm less frequently in the fall and winter.
You should check to see if the soil is dry before watering your plant because it’s easy to overwater your palm throughout the winter.
In the fall and winter, you should water your Areca palm typically once a week to once every ten days.
Can areca palms endure direct sunlight?
The leaves of areca palms can be damaged by direct sunshine, thus they need bright, indirect light.
Although comfortable indoor temperatures range from 60F (16C) to 75F (24C), abrupt temperature fluctuations or chilly gusts may cause brown patches on the leaves. Expect this plant to grow between 6 and 10 feet (2 and 3 metres) tall indoors.
In USDA zones 10 to 11, where the winter lows are kept above freezing, these plants can survive outside all year. They could reach heights of 12 to 30 feet (4 to 9 metres) outside.
Should I remove the areca palm’s brown tips?
Finding the root of the issue and solving it through proper plant care should be the main focus. Your Areca Palm will develop a lot of new leaves if you can create favourable conditions for growth, which will significantly enhance the appearance of your plant.
In most cases, cutting off damaged leaflets or removing brown leaves won’t hurt your areca palm. I use a pair of clean, sharp pruners to cut the leaf off at the base, close to the earth, if the majority of the leaf has turned brown.
- The first choice is to disregard the brown tips. If your Areca Palm is otherwise healthy, the development of a few brown leaf tips is rather typical and shouldn’t negatively affect the appearance of your plant.
- The second option entails artfully removing the brown leaf tips in a point so that up close, it resembles a typical leaflet that is just a little bit shorter. Simply cut the leaflet in half diagonally, coming to a point on each side. It is preferable to remove the majority of the brown, but avoid completely cutting into the healthy, green portion of the leaf because doing so could result in the development of a second brown edge.
How can I speed up the growth of my areca palm?
There are a few things you can do to try and speed up the growth even more if your Areca Palm still isn’t growing as quickly as you’d want despite the fact that you believe you’re doing everything right. Here are some suggestions I have for you:
- Make sure your potting mix has good drainage. To boost the quality of your soil combination, add some perlite or composted tree bark. By including these, the soil’s aeration and drainage are improved. This will assist in avoiding plant death or nutrient deficiencies that may otherwise impede growth.
- Consistently maintain the ecosystem. Areca palms have the potential to go into shock; this typically happens if the plant is relocated abruptly and there is a significant change in the temperature or humidity. Your palm will be able to adjust if the environment is constant throughout the year, ensuring that its growth rate stays constant. Try to increase the humidity in the space where your palm is located to encourage growth.
- An Areca Palm’s growth rate is greatly influenced by sunlight; to make sure it develops as quickly as possible, keep it in a well-lit spot away from the sun. Consider it this way: a plant will grow more quickly the more light it receives. Just be careful not to leave it in a shaded spot because that can slow down its growth.
- Use a slow-releasing fertiliser, like this one from Amazon, to feed your areca palm. This will provide your plant with all the nutrients it requires for the duration of the growing season and will naturally provide your plant with more during the warmer months. Throughout the summer, you can spray the leaves with a micronutrient solution to further promote growth.
Can I keep an areca palm in my bedroom?
The Areca Palm has it all, offering a variety of potential health advantages, a tropical appeal, and ease of maintenance. NASA has classified this plant as one of the best at removing indoor air pollutants, which will enhance the air quality in your bedroom, reduce your risk of getting sick, and promote better sleep.
The Areca Palm is a top-rated plant for raising humidity, which is ideal for people with colds or sinus issues because it lessens their symptoms and makes it possible to have a better night’s sleep. Additionally, higher humidity effectively destroys a significant portion of airborne germs and viruses, protecting you from illness.
Additionally, this plant is one of the few that releases oxygen at night, giving you clean, fresh air to breathe as you sleep. Given its size, the Areca Palm needs a few feet of floor space in order for its fronds to spread out. Apart from its space requirements, the Areca Palm requires very little maintenance and is simple to look after. It prefers to be in an area with direct, bright light, but as long as it has access to it, it is extremely tolerant of other circumstances. During the warmer months, keep the soil moist; but, in the fall and winter, let the soil dry out in between waterings.
Gardenia (Gardenia jamsinoides)
If you have difficulties falling asleep or suffer from restless evenings, the Gardenia plant, also known as the Cape Jasmine, is a great choice for growing in your bedroom. It is definitely worth trying if you battle with these issues because a study done in Germany shown that the effects of this plant are just as beneficial as Valium prescription in lowering anxiety and assisting with sleep disorders.
It is more healthier for you to grow gardenia in your bedroom than to use Valium or other sleeping medicines because it is a totally natural solution to aid with anxiety or sleep issues. It lowers your medical expenses and eliminates the chance of adverse drug reactions!
Simply grow a gardenia in your bedroom, ideally on your bedside table so you may continue to breathe in the plant’s smells as you sleep, and reap the benefits of its sleep-inducing properties.
Gardenia’s main drawback is that it can be difficult to maintain as a houseplant. It has very precise requirements and won’t stand for abuse or unsuitable circumstances. It will require a sunny area, ideally with at least six hours of sunlight daily. The ideal temperature range for this plant is between 55 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
It also requires high humidity, which may be attained indoors in a number of ways. For example, grouping plants will boost humidity because they can share the benefits of transpiration. In very dry seasons, you might additionally sprinkle the plant with water each day or use an electric humidifier. Another choice is to place the Gardenia on a tray of pebbles that has been submerged in water. The pebbles’ water will evaporation will cause the air around the plant to become moist. If you want to go this route to raise humidity, be careful that the water does not rise above the top of the pebbles. If it does, the water may be absorbed via the drainage holes on the bottom of your plant’s pot, which could result in overwatering your Gardenia.
Areca palms—do they need large pots?
What size pot works best for an areca palm? A pot with a bottom drainage hole about 8 to 10 inches tall is a nice place to start. The plant will develop over time, and you could notice that it becomes root-bound. Re-pot it into a larger pot at that point.