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Weird/woody smell

RobustaEnvirons

By RobustaEnvirons
in DISCUSSING PALM TREES WORLDWIDE

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RobustaEnvirons

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Posted (edited)

Hello everyone. Lately I've noticed my W. Robusta (and other potted plants as well), have this smell coming from them. Its not a bad smell necessarily. Its somewhat of a woody kind of smell. I've smelled each of my three plants growing in my bay window and they seem to all this slight smell. My Robusta seedling not so much as there's not as much potting mix in it. I'm pretty sure its the potting mix I mixed up for them all. Long ago I made up a mix of MG Potting mix (Cactus/Palm/Citrus), Sand, and MG Perlite. 

Its not a terribly strong smell; it only reaches maybe 1 foot away from the specimen. Its also not a bad smell. But, I just wonder if there's any specific reason for this smell, or if I can mitigate it. I'm having guests over for the Holidays and I don't want any remarks about it (since our table is close by and they'll possibly be eating near it). 

The MG Potting mix (Cactus/Palm/Citrus) portion of my overall mix I think is heavy in Peat. That could be whats giving it that smell. I haven't watered my large Robusta in a while, I've only watered my seedling 2 oz recently, and I use an Aquaglobe on my Dracaena Marginata. The soil on all 3 specimens are dry. I don't think it could be from watering. There aren't any bugs or things like that about either. 

I'm just curious as to if this is normal, and or if I can mitigate it? Can I spray an air freshener spray into the air to make it smell better for tomorrows party? Would this affect my 3 specimens (W.Robusta Seedling, Large W.Robusta, and Dracaena Marginata)? 

Thanks.

Edited by RobustaEnvirons

Richard Berry 

Toledo, Ohio. Zone 6b, along the Western Shores of Lake Erie. I'm a big Potted Palm enthusiast. I love the Washingtonia Robusta: its Resilient, Adaptable, and grows so rapidly. You can't keep it down; The Skyscraper Palm!  

Moose Grand Master

Moose

Posted
Posted

The palm sniff test. Sure its not an odor eminating from the Christmas tree ?

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Coral Gables, FL 8 miles North of Fairchild USDA Zone 10B

RobustaEnvirons Rising Star

RobustaEnvirons

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1 minute ago, Moose said:

The palm sniff test. Sure its not an odor eminating from the Christmas tree ?

No, no chance since our tree is artificial. Lol. It's certainly coming from the soil. 

Richard Berry 

Toledo, Ohio. Zone 6b, along the Western Shores of Lake Erie. I'm a big Potted Palm enthusiast. I love the Washingtonia Robusta: its Resilient, Adaptable, and grows so rapidly. You can't keep it down; The Skyscraper Palm!  

Moose Grand Master

Moose

Posted
Posted

Typically an earthy smell is nothing to fret about. Sour, stinky or pungent smells are an indication of bacteria brought on by excessively wet or poorly aeriated soil. That is not a good thing.

  • Upvote 1

Coral Gables, FL 8 miles North of Fairchild USDA Zone 10B

RobustaEnvirons Rising Star

RobustaEnvirons

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5 minutes ago, Moose said:

Typically an earthy smell is nothing to fret about. Sour, stinky or pungent smells are an indication of bacteria brought on by excessively wet or poorly aeriated soil. That is not a good thing.

Well, I don't think it's excessive wetness or poorly aeriated soil since I don't water either of my W.Robusta all that often. I know they are a dessert palm, so I don't water them too much. I think it's been over a month since I last watered my large Robusta (11-13-15).

My Robusta seedling I last dropped 2oz in it on 12-08-15. My marginata is watered by an Aqua Globe. 

Richard Berry 

Toledo, Ohio. Zone 6b, along the Western Shores of Lake Erie. I'm a big Potted Palm enthusiast. I love the Washingtonia Robusta: its Resilient, Adaptable, and grows so rapidly. You can't keep it down; The Skyscraper Palm!  

DoomsDave Grand Master

DoomsDave

Posted
Posted

Don't worry about overwatering a washie. If your soil is well-drained, it will love any water you give it.

 

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RobustaEnvirons Rising Star

RobustaEnvirons

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11 hours ago, DoomsDave said:

Don't worry about overwatering a washie. If your soil is well-drained, it will love any water you give it.

 

Well, the primary reason for not watering too much is that I was trying to get rid of some gnats we had a little while back. I was watering a lot and there were gnats in the house (living room near the bay window where the plants are). 

 

Richard Berry 

Toledo, Ohio. Zone 6b, along the Western Shores of Lake Erie. I'm a big Potted Palm enthusiast. I love the Washingtonia Robusta: its Resilient, Adaptable, and grows so rapidly. You can't keep it down; The Skyscraper Palm!  

RobustaEnvirons Rising Star

RobustaEnvirons

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Under closer observation it seems like the smell is only coming from the soil in my large Robusta. My little seedling and Dracaena Marginata don't seem to smell (or I can't smell it from them). But, when I crouch down to smell the soil from my large Robusta, it does have that smell. So I think I narrowed it down to that one. Should I change out the soil with fresh soil? 

One thing I had thought of was that maybe that is how the soil smells when its in a "dry" state? The plants are on my bay windows which is somewhat above my furnace vent. They've seemed to dry out a little more with the furnace going everyday. Since I haven't watered my large Robusta in quite a while, I don't think its fungus. When I made the mix, I put a lot of Perlite and sand in the MG Potting mix to help it dry out faster, also there are holes in the bottom of the pot. After this long I'd imagine that the soil is very dry and not wet at all.  

Edited by RobustaEnvirons

Richard Berry 

Toledo, Ohio. Zone 6b, along the Western Shores of Lake Erie. I'm a big Potted Palm enthusiast. I love the Washingtonia Robusta: its Resilient, Adaptable, and grows so rapidly. You can't keep it down; The Skyscraper Palm!  

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