Coconut Brown spots

[ZPalms]

I was gonna post this in my coconut thread but I decided to seperate it because I can't find anything on how to fix brown spots, I've googled a bit but I just don't know. It doesn't seem to affect the palms growth and the new growth doesn't have it but it's been starting to show up on the new growth

Edited August 29, 2022 by ZPalms

[JohnAndSancho]

Following cuz literally every one of my palms is doing this. 

[ZPalms]

5 minutes ago, JohnAndSancho said:

Following cuz literally every one of my palms is doing this. 

I'm starting to think it's a disease of some sorts, I looked up at least for the coconut that malayan are susceptible to these spots. I did see somebody on youtube under palmplanets video comment about his coconut because he was asking about the spots and somebody said to use mild soap and wash the leaves or something

[JohnAndSancho]

8 minutes ago, ZPalms said:

I'm starting to think it's a disease of some sorts, I looked up at least for the coconut that malayan are susceptible to these spots. I did see somebody on youtube under palmplanets video comment about his coconut because he was asking about the spots and somebody said to use mild soap and wash the leaves or something

I'm blaming all of my brown spots on the brutal heat and drought down here in East Texas this year but if someone proves me wrong I'm here to learn. I'm totally exaggerating but it feels like we went with 120 degree temps for 3 months without rain. 

[idontknowhatnametuse]

That happened to one of the coconut palms I bought from a nursery in 2018. It started yellowing and getting those spots but then it was fixed. It was probably in a greenhouse before I bought it.

[ZPalms]

15 hours ago, idontknowhatnametuse said:

That happened to one of the coconut palms I bought from a nursery in 2018. It started yellowing and getting those spots but then it was fixed. It was probably in a greenhouse before I bought it.

I wanna say I hope it grows out and maybe it's a factor of it's enviroment but I have no idea 😭

[Merlyn]

Sometimes brown spots are a potassium deficiency.  It depends on the species, but I just ran across this old nutrient deficiency research paper.  Many palms show dead leaflet tips as a result of potassium deficiencies, but apparently some like Caryota and Arenga first show up as dead spots that mimic a leaf fungus.  I don't know where coconuts sit in the range of symptoms, but I tried fungiciding my couple of Caryota with no improvement...until I dosed it with high K fertilizer!  Lots of interesting data there!  https://palms.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/v28n1p6-14.pdf

[ZPalms]

On 8/29/2022 at 2:21 PM, Merlyn said:

Sometimes brown spots are a potassium deficiency.  It depends on the species, but I just ran across this old nutrient deficiency research paper.  Many palms show dead leaflet tips as a result of potassium deficiencies, but apparently some like Caryota and Arenga first show up as dead spots that mimic a leaf fungus.  I don't know where coconuts sit in the range of symptoms, but I tried fungiciding my couple of Caryota with no improvement...until I dosed it with high K fertilizer!  Lots of interesting data there!  https://palms.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/v28n1p6-14.pdf

This is the overall appearance of the coconut, lots of small spots including sunburn, Should I try and go ahead and buy some potassium? I did give it palmgain fertilizer last month but do you think the extra potassium would help fight this off?

Now that I'm looking at these pictures, I could of sworn I took better photos of the spots lol

Edited September 1, 2022 by ZPalms

[Merlyn]

I'd think some langeinite wouldn't hurt for some long term potassium boost.  I had three Caryota (a variegated Mitis, a Urens, and  Gigas/Obtusa) with lots of potassium deficiency spotting from the winter and cool spring.  I gave them granular palm fertilizer plus doses of MiracleGro mixed with Banrot twice in the spring and the next fronds still came out spotty.  I added extra doses of granular palm and added a couple of handfuls of Osmocote and they are finally growing out nice and green with no sports.  I'm going to order some langbeinite to add to those Caryota and some Copernicia too.

[ZPalms]

22 minutes ago, Merlyn said:

I'd think some langeinite wouldn't hurt for some long term potassium boost.  I had three Caryota (a variegated Mitis, a Urens, and  Gigas/Obtusa) with lots of potassium deficiency spotting from the winter and cool spring.  I gave them granular palm fertilizer plus doses of MiracleGro mixed with Banrot twice in the spring and the next fronds still came out spotty.  I added extra doses of granular palm and added a couple of handfuls of Osmocote and they are finally growing out nice and green with no sports.  I'm going to order some langbeinite to add to those Caryota and some Copernicia too.

It's this stuff? I'm hoping adding something like this will be the medicine it needs to grow out and stop spotting because I'll buy this right now

Edited September 1, 2022 by ZPalms

[Merlyn]

Yeah that's the stuff!  There was a place selljng a 50lb bag of it fairly cheap, I think about $70 shipped.  But if you only need a small amount then no reason to get a huge amount.  

[ZPalms]

3 minutes ago, Merlyn said:

Yeah that's the stuff!  There was a place selljng a 50lb bag of it fairly cheap, I think about $70 shipped.  But if you only need a small amount then no reason to get a huge amount.  

I'll be buying the little one since that's all I can get but it should be well enough just for the coconut, Thanks!!!! Hopefully this will work!

[Merlyn]

10 hours ago, ZPalms said:

I'll be buying the little one since that's all I can get but it should be well enough just for the coconut, Thanks!!!! Hopefully this will work!

I'd treat langbeinite as a long-term solution, since it is basically a mineral that slowly dissolves.  Give it some Osmocote/Nutricote for the short-term deficiency.