Pygmy Date Palm

Scales:

There are many species of scales that are commonly found in indoor house or greenhouse plants. Some species of the insect can have an armored shell like covering that will protect its entire form while others will have none at all. Those with the waxy shell can have its protection removed by simply scraping it away. It is easiest to tell the difference as the soft scales (no armored protection) produce honeydew while the armored scales will not. Scales feed on your plant by sucking on the plant’s sap. This will promote poor growth which will eventually stunt the growth of your plant. It can also lead to your plant being infested to sooty mold.

The most practical thing to do for your first attempt at cleaning up your plant from its infestation is to use soap and water to wash off the leaves and stems. If your plant is heavily infested, you can try an insecticide spray schedule on your plant that involves 2 to 3 sprays a week every two weeks. It is usually best to discard the plant however before the infestation can spread.

Spider Mites:

Spider Mites look like tiny dots on the underside of your plant leaf. They usually live in large groups, so you will definitely see more than one of these tiny dots in a group on the plant. Spider Mites are known as such from the silk webbing that they leave behind on infested leaves. This presence of webbing is the best indication that your plant may be infested. Another good indication that your plant might be infested with this pest or another is by studying your plants leaf. If you begin to notice the leaves are covered a lot of yellow pin pricks that may be a good indication.

Spider mites usually become a problem on outdoor plants after certain insecticides have been sprayed that may have killed the natural enemies of the mite. The best thing to do when dealing with Spider Mites is to find an insecticidal soap that you can use to wipe down the leaves. It is advised that you test out the insecticidal soap on a small portion of the plant before applying it to the whole plant. For indoor plants the best course of action is to remove or isolate the plant from the home to minimize possible spreading to other nearby plants. If only a small portion of the plant is infested, clip that section and dispose of the clippings. If the entire plant is infested and the plant holds no sentimental value best thing to do is dispose of the plant. If you want to try and save the plant do not waste your time with pesticides as they usually won’t have any effect on this pest. Treat the plant with an insecticidal soap every couple of weeks to help kill or keep the mites in control.

Potassium Deficiency:

Symptoms that your plant has a lack Potassium may always vary among different types of plants, but it will consistently appear on the oldest leaves on the plant. Yellow spots will appear on the leaves that are almost completely translucent. In some cases this is followed by the leaves rolling and giving a burnt or dead looks from the tips inward. As the problem persists it will makes its way from the older leaves into the younger leaves until the plant is dead. The best way to take care of this problem is to find a fertilizer that contains Potassium Sulfate. This should bring the color and life back to the new leaves on the plant.

Nitrogen Deficiency:

When you start seeing some discoloration and yellowing of the leaves on your plant it is usually caused from a Nitrogen Deficiency. The yellowing usually start at the tips of the leaf and works its way inwards with no particular pattern. It will consume the old leaves from oldest right up the plant until only the newest growth stays green. Here are a few recommended tips to handle a Nitrogen Deficiency. For those who own fish aquariums is to empty some of the aquarium water they have replaced into the soil of their plants. Another solution would be to spray the leaves of the plants with a foliar fertilizer [fertilizers made especially for applying nutrients to the leaves] with a mix of about 5-10-5 (percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium).

Magnesium Deficiency:

Magnesium deficiency can first be detected by observing the leaves of the plant as with most other deficiencies. If you notice orange/brown veins on the leaves that would be one of the first indications. This is further identified with withering or curling of the leaves which will eventually lead to the burnt look around the tips of the leaf. The best/organic way to treat this deficiency is to take Epsom salt and mix it in with about 2 gallons of water. After doing so take a spray bottle and gently mist the plant a couple of times a week.

Manganese Deficiency:

If you notice that the new growth on your plant is a pale green with transverse veins, then it is most likely a manganese issue. The best way to treat this deficiency is to take manganese chelate and spray it on the leaves. After doing so take a spray bottle and gently mist the plant a couple of times a week.