How to CARE for a KENTIA PALM TREE

The kentia palm is a plant that needs to be in environments of high humidity. Therefore, in summer you should moisten its leaves with water through a sprayer. In the same way, do it in the winter months if you have it located in rooms with low humidity due to heating.

Spray the kentia with water daily or at least once a week. It is very important that you do it when the sun does not hit or will hit it in the next few hours.

We recommend that you take into account the following tips on watering the kentia palm tree:

• If it is planted in the ground, limit the waterings and bear in mind that it will be necessary to water it in places without frequent rainfall, if it cannot get waterlogged and rot. Thus, in those areas with constant rains, it will not be necessary to worry about irrigation.
• The kentia palm tree does not tolerate excess water in the roots, so he always chooses to water what is just and necessary. Before watering it, make sure that the substrate is already dry a few cm deep, not just on the surface.
• Whether outdoors (in a place without heavy rainfall) or indoors, water the plant with a maximum frequency of 2 times a week during the summer months.
• Water it abundantly twice a month in winter.
• In those cases where the kentia is planted in a pot and located indoors, including heating, you can increase the frequency of watering to twice a week in winter.
• Keep in mind that a kentia with dry ends on your sheets may indicate that you lack of water, so water it abundantly if you see this symptom, before the entire leaves begin to dry and fall.

The lighting required by the kentia palm tree is not excessive, since it easily withstands the lack of light. If you are looking for plants with this characteristic, here you can see more Indoor plants in low light. Still, if you place it in an indoor area, put it near a source of natural light, as can be a window.

The youngest plants of this type need to avoid the direct impact of sunlight: try to keep it away from direct contact with the sun’s rays until it reaches 5 years of life. In this way, you will prevent their leaves from burning.

Another of the common doubts about the care of this plant is how to prune a kentia palm tree. From time to time you could find dead foliage or in very bad condition, so, to keep it in good condition, you should prune it twice a year, that is, every 6 months. To prune it correctly, use specific pruning shears: they must be sharp and disinfected before starting this task. Thus, you will prevent the plant from getting fungal disease and you will cut safely.

With respect to fertilizer for kentia palm treeIndoors it will need you to fertilize it once in spring and at most again in summer. In winter it is not essential for proper maintenance. We recommend you take a look at this guide on How to make homemade fertilizer.

To finish discussing how to care for a kentia palm, you have to look at the diseases and pests that it can suffer, as well as other mishandling problems that can affect its health. Here we will look at the kentia palm tree diseases and pests, and below we will talk about a common problem in its leaves if some of its basic care is neglected.

• Powdery mildew: a fungus resulting from excess watering. The soil of the plant must be dry to water it and, above all, you need to avoid having an excess of water in the pot. Annual soil application of a natural fungicide will also help combat this fungus. Here we show you the Home Remedies for powdery mildew on plants.
• Red spider and cottony mealybug: they are the most common pests on the kentia palm tree and appear in the hottest months of the year. In these links you can know How to eliminate the red spider mite and How to eliminate the cottony mealybug.

Despite the low watering that the plant needs, sometimes you can find the kentia with dry lower leaves. It will be a clear sign of the lack of water. In addition, the upper or lateral leaves may also start to yellow, so if you see that some of its leaves begin to dry, turn yellow or brown, we recommend you follow these tips with which you will learn the possible causes of this problem and what to do to recover a dry kentia palm tree:

• Increase the frequency of watering: you have the option of watering the plant once or twice a week in summer. Change to twice a week and, in winter, follow this recommendation until the kentia looks good again.
• Maintain adequate humidity levels: When the sun is out, spray the palm leaves with water every day until they return to their original state.
• Prune the bad parts: If the leaves have turned yellowish and turn brown, the best alternative is to prune the plant. Thus, it will be able to regenerate better and you will recover the plant.
• Do not expose it to strong direct sun: If the kentia is very dry, place it in a room without much lighting for a few days to make it look better. This point will be especially important if it is a young plant (less than 5 years old).

If you like this palm tree to have indoors and you want to know other species of plants of medium or large size for indoors, do not miss this other oneHOWTO article in which you will see 5 large indoor plants. Also, if you prefer to have it outside and are also looking for other species, here you can see The best types of palm trees for gardens and terraces.

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