Question
Hi Jennifer,
I have a majesty palm house plant and the leaves turn brown and die shortly after growth. I thought maybe too much water but I barely give it any (1/2 a 16 oz. bottle of water once a week).  Today I realized the leaf base and stalk had a brown crusty coating and in places it was sticky, as well.  I washed each leave with warm soapy water and I think I got it off but - what is it?  Where did it come from and how to control it?  The plant is in front a a large window, no direct sunlight.
thank you for any help you can give me.
Sincerely,
Sheila

Answer
It sounds like you may have two different problems with your majesty palm.

The sticky coating may be evidence of insects on the plants.  You will want to closely look at both the upper and under leaf surfaces for insects.  It may be helpful to use a magnifying glass if you have one.  There are several types of insects that feed on plant sap and exude a sticky substance called honey dew.  If you do observe insects, you can treat you plants with a product such as horticultural oil or insecticidal soap.  There are homemade versions of these products (recipes can be found on the internet), but you should test them on a few inconspicuous leaves just in case they cause phytotoxicity (burning of the leaves).  Washing the upper and lower leaf surfaces with a strong stream of water is also advised.

The other problem with the browning is most likely related to water, sunlight and nutrition.  These plants prefer lots of light, so it may not be getting enough where you have it.  You may need to move it to another location.  Sometimes, it is helpful to set up a lamp with a grow-light bulb that lights the palm.  These bulbs have the proper wavelengths that plants need.  You may need to buy the bulb at a specialty store, but they will generally fit a regular lamp.

As far as watering, this type of plant has a high water requirement.  You may not be giving it enough water or the water may not be reaching the deeper roots.  I'm not sure of the size of your plant, but I would recommend watering it a different way.  If it is small, you can do this in the sink.  If it is large, you can take it to your shower.  Approximately once I week, I suggest that you put it in the sink or shower and let the water spray on the plant and deeply water the pot.  In the sink, if you don't have a sprayer, you can drench the soil with a large cup of water several times.  In the shower, I will run a cold shower for a couple of minutes and then turn the plant.  The shower will run for a few more minutes before I stop it.  This ensures that water penetrates the entire soil area and root system.  If you only use a small amount of water at the surface, this does not water the deeper roots.  

After the plant is watered, allow it to sit in the sink or shower for 30 minutes or so to completely drain.  You do not want to let the plant sit in standing water.  Then it can be returned to the drip pan and moved back to the window.

If you have not been fertilizing your palm,you should begin.  There are many products available.  Some people will use a soluble product like Peters or Miracle Gro.  You may also prefer a time release product where you add granules ie. Osmocote.  The choice of fertilizer is not that important as long as you follow the instructions for mixing.  If you start to notice buildup of nutrients (a white crusty layer) on the bottom of the pot or drip pan, you are probably fertilizing too much.  Clean the crust off and reduce the amount of fertilizer.  The crust means that the plant is not using all of it.  Fertilizer applications should be stopped or reduced in the fall through the winter.  Although this plant does not drop leaves like an oak tree in the winter, with the reduced winter light it will enter a semi-dormant state.

Good luck!