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I bought a coconut stalk from Lidl a few weeks back and repotted in a larger pot when I got it home. It's in direct sunlight for about 6 hours of the day and I've been watering it when the top 2 inches or so are dry. However, the leaves are still browning and cracking and I've no idea what the problem could be. There are new shoots coming up the middle of the stalk and the tips of those have now started to brown.
Does anyone have any experience with coconut palms? What am I doing wrong?
Thanks in advance!
A
Hi all,
I bought a coconut stalk from Lidl a few weeks back and repotted in a larger pot when I got it home. It's in direct sunlight for about 6 hours of the day and I've been watering it when the top 2 inches or so are dry. However, the leaves are still browning and cracking and I've no idea what the problem could be. There are new shoots coming up the middle of the stalk and the tips of those have now started to brown.
Does anyone have any experience with coconut palms? What am I doing wrong?
Good question on how to look after Coconut plants!
The quick answer is it's being kept too dry. The leaves of the coconut need a lot of water to sustain themselves, especially when they are young and growing quickly. The pot it's in is tiny, so it will quickly lose water. Whilst the advice is usually to wait until the first 2cm is dry with large palms and plants like Coconuts, this isn't helpful. Keep them moist until they have fully pushed out their leaves. My palms at home get watered 3x a week, yes, that much! Whereas everything else is either once a week or biweekly.
Good question on how to look after Coconut plants!
The quick answer is it's being kept too dry. The leaves of the coconut need a lot of water to sustain themselves, especially when they are young and growing quickly. The pot it's in is tiny, so it will quickly lose water. Whilst the advice is usually to wait until the first 2cm is dry with large palms and plants like Coconuts, this isn't helpful. Keep them moist until they have fully pushed out their leaves. My palms at home get watered 3x a week, yes, that much! Whereas everything else is either once a week or biweekly.
Excellent, glad it's a simple fix. I've bought larger pot and will move up to watering 3x a week. I'm always overly cautious because the symptoms of overwatering can be so similar to the symptoms of underwatering.
Thanks a million for the advice 🙂
Excellent, glad it's a simple fix. I've bought larger pot and will move up to watering 3x a week. I'm always overly cautious because the symptoms of overwatering can be so similar to the symptoms of underwatering.
The key issue is that the plant is likely too dry. Coconut palms, especially when young, require a lot of water to keep their leaves healthy and vibrant. The small pot it’s in causes water to evaporate quickly, so it’s important to keep the soil consistently moist. Unlike larger palms, which can handle drying out a bit between waterings, coconut plants need more frequent watering. My palms are watered three times a week, which is more than for other plants in my garden. So, increase the moisture level and keep the plant well-watered until it’s fully established.
The key issue is that the plant is likely too dry. Coconut palms, especially when young, require a lot of water to keep their leaves healthy and vibrant. The small pot it’s in causes water to evaporate quickly, so it’s important to keep the soil consistently moist. Unlike larger palms, which can handle drying out a bit between waterings, coconut plants need more frequent watering. My palms are watered three times a week, which is more than for other plants in my garden. So, increase the moisture level and keep the plant well-watered until it’s fully established.
Lee Burkhill: Award Winning Designer & BBC 1's Garden Rescue Presenters Official Blog
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