Coconut palm looking unhealthy

[lukah]

Hello,

I have an indoor coconut palm since this summer. It appeared to be doing well, but last time its leaves started to brown and dry. I have asked in the local plant store and they think it might have been overwatered. Will definitely be more careful in the future, but I have been watering it like this since the summer, no problems. I am aware coconut palms are difficult to grow indoors. The leaves closest to the window remained healthy so I suspect it requires more light.

Any second opinions and inputs would be much appreciated, thanks  

 

[happypalms]

Overwatering yes one of the biggest problems for growers indoors and outdoors in containers. Be careful how your palm ends up it’s saying to you I need help. If you can place it outdoors during the day, dont  water it let it tell you when it needs a drink, let the top inch of the soil dry out. Then a little water, go by the weight of the container and palm if it feels lighter than normal it most likely wants a drink if it’s bottom heavy it most likely won’t need a drink. But please stop overwatering.

[SeanK]

If the soil gets too cool, the metabolism will shut down.

[ZPalms]

On 11/25/2024 at 6:44 PM, SeanK said:

If the soil gets too cool, the metabolism will shut down.

That probably explains the rapid decline of my coconut

[Than]

On 11/24/2024 at 7:21 PM, lukah said:

Hello,

I have an indoor coconut palm since this summer. It appeared to be doing well, but last time its leaves started to brown and dry. I have asked in the local plant store and they think it might have been overwatered. Will definitely be more careful in the future, but I have been watering it like this since the summer, no problems. I am aware coconut palms are difficult to grow indoors. The leaves closest to the window remained healthy so I suspect it requires more light.

Any second opinions and inputs would be much appreciated, thanks  

 

No plant needs the same watering regime in the winter as it did in the summer. Some plants that want watering every day in the summer only need so every two weeks in the winter.

The days are shorter, light is less and temperatures drop. Metabolism also drops. A coconut is a tropical plant that needs plenty of sunshine, warmth (above 25C) and humidity (above 60%). Inside your house, the air can become much drier in the winter if the heating is on. Day length is shorter, the amount of light this palm receives is definitely not enough. Give it as much light as possible, check if the air is humid enough (at least 50% I'd say) and water only when the soil is dry. Then there is a slim chance this plant may make it. 

[meridannight]

There isn't a lot of light in Europe during the winter season. So you shouldn't be watering your plants the way you water them during the summer/early fall. We're in the darkest part of the year. November till the beginning of February there is basically 0 light coming from the outside on the European continent. So either you have to add artificial light, or reduce watering/feeding. Overwatering is the number 1 cause of death for indoor plants, so that's always a possibility when you see decline in plants during the winter.

Also, if you really want your plant to have the best choice to make it, open up those blinds. You're depriving him of what little light there is. 

 

[NC_Palms]

Coconuts are extremely difficult to keep alive indoors. They need humid, warm weather constantly. They’re probably more challenging than majesties imo

I would invest in an indoor greenhouse (nothing too fancy, but somewhere to help keep the humidity high), a simple water bottle humidifier and heat lights if you want to make this work in the long term.  

[PalmatierMeg]

Coconut palms require full sun, high heat (30+C) and high humidity (70%+). They will never get that in a No. Europe house in winter unless you go to great lengths to provide those non-negotiable needs. As well as being one of the most cold-sensitive palms in the world coconuts are also “cool sensitive” and can die at extended periods below 20C.

[Las Palmas Norte]

All the above and natural daylight diminishes considerably this time of year in the northern hemisphere, especially latitudes north of 40°N. Coconuts prefer a minimum of 11 hrs of sunlight per day to perform at their best. These are poor choices but get shipped to areas they'll not survive, outdoor or inside.

[MelvinB]

Imo, All those “high-end” requirements/recommendations mentioned above, are not always neccesary.

My 8 year old Green Tall which died last year after repotting in winter (stupid me!), did grow well without all those requirements. See last photo of it in attachment.

- Location: The Netherlands

- 22C day and night (floor heating in living room)

Above 15C, sunny and less wind: outside

- 50% humidity 

- South orientated windows, no artificial lighting in wintertime

- watering (always warm water!) in summertime once per 2 weeks when top soil is dry. In wintertime much less water!

 

[Harry’s Palms]

On 12/24/2024 at 3:25 AM, MelvinB said:

Imo, All those “high-end” requirements/recommendations mentioned above, are not always neccesary.

My 8 year old Green Tall which died last year after repotting in winter (stupid me!), did grow well without all those requirements. See last photo of it in attachment.

- Location: The Netherlands

- 22C day and night (floor heating in living room)

Above 15C, sunny and less wind: outside

- 50% humidity 

- South orientated windows, no artificial lighting in wintertime

- watering (always warm water!) in summertime once per 2 weeks when top soil is dry. In wintertime much less water!

 

Yours was obviously an exception . Healthy looking for indoor grown Coco but a vast majority don’t get that far. There are exceptions with some varieties of palms and always very nice when that happens. I would also say you did a very nice job of keeping it alive and healthy for so long. That took some doing! Harry