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umbrella palm looking sickly
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Posted by Fori Detroit, MI (My Page) on Wed, Aug 11, 04 at 14:01
| I put an umbrella palm in my indoor pond a few months ago and I think it needs something. It gets natural light and it seems to be adequate, though more would undoubtedly be better--the color is still a nice rich green. The tips of most of the leaves are dried out but it does keep adding shoots. Also, some of the stems rot away and flop over. They aren't necessarily older stems.
I've planted it how the nursery told me but I'm skeptical on if it's correct: leave it in the pot (regular flowerpot filled with dirt) and have the surface of the soil be a few inches below water level.
The water temperature ranges from 74 to 80 degrees F. None of the fauna are allowed to eat it (it's surrounded by skewers to prevent fish and very big snail from getting to it), but it does have a few scales. They're the big fluffy ones and I remove them when I see them, but clearly I'm missing the immatures as the big ones keep showing up. I don't think they're the problem, but they could be.
Any suggestions on how to make my plant happy? Is it too wet? Is it too hot? (I know it's probably not a great houseplant, but it doesn't have a choice in that!)
Thanks for any tips! |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: umbrella palm looking sickly
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- Posted by Jroot 5A Ont. Canada (My Page) on
Fri, Aug 13, 04 at 21:45
| My umbrella plants do this as well, whether inside or outside. They add more plants from the root section and the tips often yellow off. I think that is normal for them. Do you know that if you bend some of those long stems over and leave the top in water that they will root and start a new plant for you to give your friends? Neat plant, eh? |
RE: umbrella palm looking sickly
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- Posted by Fori Detroit, MI (My Page) on
Mon, Aug 16, 04 at 13:15
| Thanks Jroot! I guess the thing is doing alright then, or as good as it can under the circumstances. I didn't know they were so easy to clone, but I think I'll try it now. |
RE: umbrella palm looking sickly
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| Are you fertilizing it? While it gets some nutrients from the fish, I add PondTabs to all my water plants once a month. My umbrella palms grown in ponds reach about 7 feet. |
RE: umbrella palm looking sickly
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- Posted by Fori Detroit, MI (My Page) on
Tue, Aug 17, 04 at 10:37
| I haven't been fertilizing it. It would probably like that. I don't expect it to become fabulous as it IS indoors, but perhaps it can do better. Is it OK in a solid plastic nursery pot with just a few drainage holes on the bottom? Or would it be better put into something with a little more water movement like an aquatic pot? I think it's in regular potting soil. |
RE: umbrella palm looking sickly
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| I'm new to aquatics-what are "pond tabs?" will they hurt fish or frogs? My umbrella palms are suddenly looking yellow-stems and leaves-are they okay? |
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