Question
Hi Tracy,
I believe I have a pigmy date palm, I have had it for about 2 months and it
looks like it is infected somehow.  About 2 weeks ago I noticed it was drying
out and some leaves were dying, so I cut the dead leaves off.  Then I noticed
how the plant had four trunks going down into the soil, and out of the four
trunks, there were two that all their leaves were the ones dying, the other two
were still green and lively.  The base of one of the trunks that was dying,
turned to mush when I squeezed it.  It was really wet so I just cut it all the
way down at the base and tried to remove as much as possible because that
part of the plant was a dead anyhow.  Also, the soil had and continues to
have parts that look like black soot or mold right on the surface.  Also some
parts of the trunks have mold or a sooty substance.  I thought it must have
been getting too much water, so I haven't watered it for 2 weeks, and I mixed
the soil all up so it was light and airy and could dry out good.  Now, the soil
looks better, still moist but in a good way, although a third trunk and it's
leaves are pretty much dead.  There is now only one trunk with all the leaves
green.  I do notice some spotting on the leaves and the ends are brown.  In
the soil, it looks like there is salt or sugar mixed throughout.  It has been
there, could it be something?  Also there are these balls, that when squeezed
a juice pops out, but I thought it's probably just plant food that was already
in the soil to begin with.  I don't know what's happening, I don't see any
bugs.  I pulled a little ball of fuzz from the soil today, just looked like a piece
of mold.  What can I do?  Sorry, I can't get a picture.   Thanks, Kari

Answer
Hi Kari,
   Your plant has stem rot. Unfortunately there is nothing you can do to save the plant. Since the plant probably has root rot as well, it is only a matter of time before the remaining trunk starts to die. You should throw the plant out immediately.
The problem of the soil mold can be very difficult to get rid of once it spreads to other plants. The mold on the soil of the palm sends out spores that will settle on the soil of other plants and cause mold to grow on the soil. A small amount of mold on the surface of the soil does not usually cause damage to the plant but if the mold gets bad enough it can cause problems for the plant. Once you have a soil mold problem, it is very hard to get rid of. Just removing the mold will cause it to send out even more spores. One thing that is very helpful in dealing with mold problems is a product called Consan 20. You can find Consan 20 at most nurseries. Consan 20 is good to use all through the house to control mold problems, it is not just for plants.

The most likely cause of the stem rot is overwatering. Palms are especially sensitive to stem rot due to overwatering. By the time you stopped overwatering the plant, it was far too late. As a general rule, allow the top 1-2 inches of soil to dry between waterings. Then water just enough for a small amount of water to drain out the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot.

I hope this helps. If you have any questions or need additional information please don't hesitate to ask.