- How do you water an areca palm properly?
- When and how are areca palms fertilized?
- When is repotting the Areca palm necessary?
- What diseases can occur?
- Which pests are causing problems for the Areca palm?
- How is the Areca palm properly overwintered?
In the wild, the Areca palm (Dypsis lutescens) grows up to ten meters high. Of course, it does not reach this height in the home, even if the care is optimal. Their home is in Madagascar, so you have to simulate dry and rainy seasons when caring for them. How to properly care for an Areca palm.
The areca palm must always be kept slightly moist
How do you water an areca palm properly?
The bale of an areca palm should never dry out completely. However, the plant does not tolerate waterlogging at all.
At temperatures above 18 degrees, water the areca palm more frequently and penetratingly. If the temperatures are lower, the plant only gets a little water.
You should also regularly spray the Areca palm with rainwater to increase the humidity.
When and how are areca palms fertilized?
In order for the Areca palm to grow by up to 25 centimeters a year and for the fronds to remain healthy, you should fertilize them every 14 days with a special palm fertilizer.
Only fertilize during the growth phase from April to September. You should never fertilize palm trees in winter.
When is repotting the Areca palm necessary?
You should repot an areca palm every two to three years. The best time for this is early spring. Choose a slightly larger pot and place them in fresh planting medium.
Be careful not to damage the taproot of the areca palm when transplanting.
What diseases can occur?
- Black sooty mold
- root rot
- Phoenix smut fungus
Most diseases are caused by improper care of the Areca palm. They can usually be recognized by the fact that the leaves turn brown or entire branches die off.
If root rot is suspected, unpot the palm and place it in fresh substrate - provided that healthy roots are still present.
Which pests are causing problems for the Areca palm?
Occasional pests are spider mites and thrips. Both pests should be fought immediately as they can cause real damage to the Areca palm.
Spider mites leave residues on the plant that can lead to sooty mold and should therefore be removed at all costs.
How is the Areca palm properly overwintered?
Like all palms, the Areca palm does not tolerate freezing temperatures. She is grown indoors all year round. You are also welcome to bring them outside in summer if you can find a bright spot that is not too sunny.
The areca palm likes it when you put it a little cooler in the winter. However, the temperatures must not be lower than 16 degrees.
In winter, the Areca palm is poured more sparingly and no longer fertilized.
tips
A mixture of compost and potting soil is suitable as a substrate. If you buy palm soil from a specialist store, make sure that the pH value is 6. So the soil should be slightly acidic.