My Fan Palm Spears are Coming in DOA - HELP?

[plantaholic]

Hi palm fanatics -

I can't get any help in my usual plant groups, so here I am. 

I bought this Ruffled Fan Palm in October and the existing spears / fronds have been super healthy.  

About 3 weeks ago I noticed the spear I've been watching for months FINALLY start to open and I was really excited. Except it's coming in dead. 

Today I noticed a second spear also just starting to push up, and it looks in as bad a shape. 

The plant lives inside in indirect light, and I water it about once every 2-3 weeks. I rotate it but otherwise haven't moved it around. 

I could really use some help with what I may be doing that is causing this to happen, and what I should do with the dead/dying spears. I'm pretty bummed. 

Thanks in advance!

[Steve Mac]

Hi , welcome to the forum.

Only guessing here, but when you water do you tip it down the crown or just on the soil?  It is better on the soil.

And could it be bugs down in the growing point, look properly down there.

In any case I would pour a bit of 3% hydrogen peroxide into the crown, because it is cheap and it will not hurt the palm and two if there if fungus or bugs they won't like it.

But I have not grown that palm in a pot, I would like to hear from someone who has.

[plantaholic]

2 hours ago, gtsteve said:

Hi , welcome to the forum.

Only guessing here, but when you water do you tip it down the crown or just on the soil?  It is better on the soil.

And could it be bugs down in the growing point, look properly down there.

In any case I would pour a bit of 3% hydrogen peroxide into the crown, because it is cheap and it will not hurt the palm and two if there if fungus or bugs they won't like it.

But I have not grown that palm in a pot, I would like to hear from someone who has.

Thanks for the reply. I don't pour water onto the crown, but I do mist the plant regularly and I know it's gotten wet down in there. I don't see any signs of pests so I've been inclined to think it's a watering problem of sorts. 

Any suggestions on what to do with the dying spears? One of them just shot up in the past week, but it already looks like it's going to be dead too. 

[Stevetoad]

looks like it dried out. Either not enough water or more likely not enough humidity being that it lives indoors. 

[plantaholic]

8 hours ago, Stevetoad said:

looks like it dried out. Either not enough water or more likely not enough humidity being that it lives indoors. 

Thanks for the reply. I live in a tropical monsoon climate so natural humidity levels in my house are high year-round. I also mist it and the rest of the plant is healthy. I think I'll bump up my watering game and see what happens. Cheers.

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

Usually from under watering the tips of the fronds start to dry out first not usually the newest frond. What kind of soil is the palm planted in ? I would try some hydrogen peroxide in the crown to rule out a fungus. 

[plantaholic]

23 hours ago, OC2Texaspalmlvr said:

Usually from under watering the tips of the fronds start to dry out first not usually the newest frond. What kind of soil is the palm planted in ? I would try some hydrogen peroxide in the crown to rule out a fungus. 

The palm was potted by the nursery I bought it from, it looked like a peat soil amended with other stuff. I'm going to try the H2O2 recommendation you and another member mentioned, because the rest of the palm is ridiculously healthy. Thanks!