Kentia palm leaf’s spotting and yellowing

[PatPalm]

Hello palmtalk

 

I have a kentia palm that started to exhibit yellow spotting

I water once a week with Florida tap water. Soil Moisture detector reads on the dryer side.

House is 70-85 F, 55-70 RH. Gets plenty of light from south facing window

It did have spider mites once but I cleaned them all off

i have two other kentia palms that aren’t showing these signs

Any idea what this could be? I’ve read it could be bacterial.

[PatPalm]

BBump

[Rivera]

Pat,

This may be chloroplast damage from the mites.

-Chris

[PalmatierMeg]

agree: spider mites

Spider mites cannot be killed with insecticides They are arthropods (8 legs), not insects (6 legs). Targeted miticides are expensive and toxic, so must be applied outdoors during calm winds using gloves and mask.

I suggest you place the pot in a bathtub and shower/spray the palm thoroughly including stems and leaf undersides with tepid water. Let it air dry in the tub. Second, shave bits of Ivory Soap (never detergent) into a bowl of tepid water and mix it in. Then, either fill a spray bottle with soap solution or dip a soft cotton cloth into the bowl. Spray the soap solution or gently apply it to the palm with the cloth.

[PalmsandLiszt]

Pictures 1 and 3 certainly look like spider mite damage. Picture 2 could possibly be something bacterial or fungal. Have you looked for mites with a lens to check they are gone? Mite damage will remain after said mites are no more.

11 hours ago, PalmatierMeg said:

They are arthropods (8 legs), not insects (6 legs). Targeted miticides are expensive and toxic, so must be applied outdoors during calm winds using gloves and mask.

Mites are arachnids. Insects are hexapods (some non-insects such as springtails are also hexapods). Both arachnids and hexapods are arthropods.

I now use abamectin ('Killermite') to get rid of spider mites, after a member of this forum (from Romania, I think?) who has an immaculate collection of indoor, potted palms recommended it to me. It wasn't expensive for me, as it is extremely concentrated (0.5ml per L of water). It is quite nasty stuff, though. I'd never apply it outside as it is extremely toxic to bees, and one bee can bring back enough of it to kill the whole colony. Certainly keep it away from flowers outside. I use it indoors, with windows open for good ventilation, and give it an hour or so. It works very well. It's essentially sarin for invertebrates.

Not worth it for just one palm, though. You can easily wash them off in the bath as PalmatierMeg says, or put the plant out in a (warm) rainstorm. Predatory mites also work very well for a small number of plants. They become expensive after a certain point, which is why I (reluctantly) resorted to chemical control.