Dealing with Centipedes in a Bottle Palm (Beaucarnea) Pot

Martin in Canada found whitish, curling centipedes in the soil of his recently repotted bottle palm (Beaucarnea). He used cactus soil and watered sparingly.

Expert Advice

Don't panic. A few soil pests are harmless to the plant and its roots. However, most people prefer to eliminate them.

• Best method: Submerge the pot up to its rim in plain water for 30 minutes. This drives centipedes out of the soil.
• Avoid: Rinsing soil off the roots. This damages microscopic root hairs and can kill the plant.
• Soil mix: Cactus soil blended with standard potting soil works well for Beaucarnea.

The plant itself sounds healthy. Keep it in bright light, water when the top half of the soil is dry, and avoid overpotting.