Kentia Palm Spear Leaning: Boron Deficiency Diagnosis

Original: Multiple kentias in coastal San Diego (12 years in ground). Most healthy. Two have new spears leaning sideways—partial lean noticed fall, now parallel to ground. Spears very green. Only change: drip line added

Majesty Palm Soil Worms: Source & Elimination

White worms destroying plants—any answers? Shouldnt have been sold this plant but want to save it. Not much of a gardener but love the look. Expert Advice Worms usually originate from nursery soil. Always change soil w

Avocado Seed Without Roots: Nutrient Source & Viability

Original: 5-month avocado seed split, growing twig from top, no roots! Lumpy things at base. Suspended in water with toothpicks 5 months. Other seed rooted, planted, 12 tall with thick leaves. Why struggling? Follow-up

Bromeliad & Yucca Repotting: Correct Soil & Watering Methods

Original: Bought 3 bromeliads, 1 yucca. Repotted in plastic pots with rocks for drainage. Used potting soil, yard dirt (Titusville, FL), mulch. Watered well—soil dry. Bromeliad soil still damp, half leaves browning. Yucc

Transplanted Pygmy Palm Dying: Root Loss & Container Size

distressed pygmy palm Recently transplanted pygmy palm from ground to pot. Was healthy in ground, now dying. How to save? Expert Advice By palm size, you didnt get entire root system—its severely stressed, surviving on

Ponytail Palm Freeze Recovery: Managing Multiple Shoots

Original: Ponytail palms froze in Tucsons 15°F. One trunk rotted—now 26 new shoots. Other froze, trunk split into 6 plants, 17 new shoots. What to do? Let go? Follow-up 1: Are these new plants? Will second develop 6 tru

Frost-Damaged Twin Foxtail Palms: One Lost, One Salvageable

palm trees Looking down into crown: brown brush. One trunk green halfway up, other has green in fronds. Twin palms. Questions: (1) How much upper trunk destruction to allow new fronds? (2) Can one be saved while losing o

Brugmansia Leaf Spots: Oil & Copper Fungicide Protocol

Sick Brug Original: Brug growing nicely (no flowers yet), bottom leaves develop light brown stuff. Tampa, warming weather—all plants have issues. Horticultural oil on plumeria worked—thanks! Follow-up 1: Hard to tell if

Foxtail Palm Seed Pod Removal: Aesthetic Choice, Not Health Necessity

Original: Several large foxtail palms. Should seed pods be removed? Neighbor says they sap tree strength. Follow-up: What fertilizer do you recommend? Expert Advice Remove at inflorescence (flower) stage to avoid seed

Identifying a Leggy Bird of Paradise Needing Repotting

what is this? Grandads plant (died last week). Grew from seed over years. Dont know ID or care. Like banana but leaves different. Taller than ceiling. Leaves ~4 ft long, 1 ft wide. No bulb at bottom. Grows up from base i

Adonidia Palm Yellowing Base: Repotting or Division Needed

adonidia palm Indoor adonidia in 20 self-watering planter. Constantly sends new shoots, but one trunk yellowing at base and one older frond yellowing. Thinking of transplanting but cant find larger planter. Can this mult

Sago Palm Cold Damage Recovery: Patience for New Growth

Central Texas, 6-year-old sagos. Very cold winter—no blooms. Two have center leaves emerging slowly. Two more have leaves from bottom, not top. One two-headed sago blooming around plant, not on top. Dont want to pull unl

Brugmansia Fungal/Scale Treatment Follow-Up

Used horticultural oil, then copper fungicide a week later. Looked better, now bottom leaves have silvery spots with tiny brown dots. Pulled worst leaves. Just starting on this leaf. Expert Advice Photo didnt come thro

Tibouchina Compacta Sudden Leaf Drop: Root Zone Investigation

Planted 3 Tibouchina compacta 4+ weeks ago in partial sun. Not familiar with this species (grown T. granulosa, T. urvilleana). Planted before summer rains during severe drought, hand-watered + irrigation, flowered well,

Passion Vine Slow Establishment: Patience & Light Feeding

Planted two passion vines (edulis flavicarpa & hybrid) last month in full sun with potting soil, ironite, 20-20-20 Osmocote. Good size (~1.5 ft). Not growing despite watering every other day, not dying. Smaller one losin

Identifying a Volunteer Papaya Seedling in Avocado Pot

Original: month old, taller than avocado, extremely fast-growing. Someone said papaya. Trying to germinate papaya seeds. What is it? (Facebook photos linked.) Follow-up 1: It is a papaya! Needs larger container, eventua

Pruning Overgrown Plumeria: Artistic Shaping & Propagation

Live in Jamul, CA with 100+ plumerias, some huge with stakes. Should I cut them? Expert Advice Yes, but aesthetically—where you cut, new growth emerges from side shoots. Visualize first, then become an artist! Cuttings

Dwarf Cavendish Banana: No Roots on Arrival, Saving It

Dwarf Cavendish Banana Received early July. One leaf curling yellow. Soil moist, sunny window, half-strength Miracle-Gro weekly. From eBay—supposed to be rooted, but discovered no roots when repotting, just a stem. How t

Dog Ate Mandevilla Roots: Toxicity Check, Likely Safe But Verify

Dog ate mushy Mandevilla roots dumped in garden. Boxer, 1.5 yr. Toxic? Likely Low Risk Mandevilla common in FL landscapes. Dogs/cats rarely eat it. No widespread toxicity reports. But call your vet or pet poison helplin

Potted Olive Tree Watering: Moist Not Wet, Morning Sun, Drainage Holes Rule

30-cm olive in pot, balcony, hot/dry. Soil dry in 1 day, olives wrinkle. Afraid to water daily. Correct Method Repot: larger pot, 1″ gravel, quality mix. Morning sun, afternoon shade (slows drying). Water when drainage