How can you tell if a young palm is "dead" without pulling spear?

[IndoorPalms]

So far this year I've had no issues with palms dying of spear pull. However, couple years ago I slowly lost an entire apartment full of palms over a few months (King, foxtail, Christmas, Majesty, Pygmy, and Windmill). I chalked it up to having them in containers too big and not getting enough heat and drying of soil. 

Today I check my groupings of 3 feet tall majesty palms (I put 3 rootballs into 1 big container because a relative who was "supposed" to be watering them couple months ago, didn't. And all but 2 or 3 leaves on the crown died). Out of 6 healthy looking trunks, I noticed one was green and looking to open a spear, but when I touched it, it felt like soggy and soft. I barely touched the spear, and it pulled right out. That was not my intention. 

Upon coming out, I could see that it was still attached...no major discoloration. But there was also some small bugs all in the soil. I did my hydrogen peroxide and 3 in 1 fungal treatment. It also didn't fall over in last nights wind storm either (the amount of rain we've been getting in central Florida is great, but I need like a week of no rain so my pots can dry out some). 

I remember when the other palms started dying, it would happen so slowly almost without me noticing...and then after weeks of care, I'd pull up on the spear and it'd come right out. I've only had success getting a queen Palm spear pull to grow back.

I'm wondering if pulling up the spears is a bad thing? I'm thinking had I just left it to dry and not touched it, maybe it would have somehow pulled thru. 

[Jim in Los Altos]

When you water your palms, do you water thoroughly until water runs freely out of the drain holes? You need a completely wetted rootball every watering and then several days to become drier but never completely dry! Also, do your palms get sufficient daylight indoors. Most palms need very bright indoor light although there are exceptions like Kentia palms that tolerate less light. 

Spear pull is due to rot at or near the growing point and a palm extremely stressed for any number of reasons can have spear pull. You don't want to be putting tap water in the palms' crowns either. Rain water is fine however.