Cheech at Cedar Hill Gardeners growing together and sharing a garden of knowledge




[The Garden Helper][Gardening Basics]["How to" Guides][House plants][Monthly Reminders][Galleries][Graphics]
Charlie  
Page 1 of 1 1
Topic Options
#304056 - 01/28/10 01:58 PM Areca Palm: Tiny brown spots and annoying flies
adamant Offline
Member


Registered: 01/28/10
Posts: 2
Hi. I'm new to the forum and hope you can help. I have an Areca Palm that does beautifully in my work cube (next to the window, late day sun, etc.). She's been in the same spot for 5 years and seems to really love it -- in an 8" pot, the tallest frond is ~4', and has grown up from a tiny baby).

Anyway, for the last 3 years, she's had these *tiny* little brown spots near the base of almost every frond (dozens on each). There are a few spots further up the frond, but they are mainly concentrated near the base. The spots are not raised; they don't seem to be a symptom of anything; they don't seem to affect her happiness or growth; they're not even that unsightly (from a distance it just looks like a browning section) -- but I want to know what it is and if I can fix it! Any ideas?

While I'm at it, just yesterday I noticed tiny little flies congregating around my plant. They are easy to kill and there aren't a lot of them, but still -- I don't want any flies bothering my baby. I recently repotted the plant (from 6" to 8") and used soil from an unopened potting mix bag. I don't know if this could have anything to do with it, but thought I'd mention it. Any ideas?

Thanks.

Top
#304059 - 01/28/10 04:48 PM Re: Areca Palm: Tiny brown spots and annoying flies [Re: adamant]
Tina Offline
Webkinz Queen
Garden Helper


Registered: 11/12/05
Posts: 21842
Loc: So. Cal.
Welcome Adamant. I love your screen name.
Here is some info on whiteflies , although I am not sure that is exactly what you have.
And here is a link to someone else with problems and some good basic areca info.
_________________________
~Tina



Drama Free Zone

Top
#304069 - 01/28/10 06:36 PM Re: Areca Palm: Tiny brown spots and annoying flies [Re: Tina]
adamant Offline
Member


Registered: 01/28/10
Posts: 2
Tina, you're awesome. Thanks for getting back to me so quickly.

Unfortunately, neither point applies to me. I do not have whiteflies. Rather, they are black, very small, and slow. There does not appear to be any sort of infestation -- just some buzzing around. Everytime I think I got them all 3-5 more appear. No larvae, no mites, no dust, no nothing -- just a few buzzing flies.

And regarding the Areca advice, I feel sorry for the other guy, because my baby plant is AWESOME -- she has lived a long life and she's showing no signs of stopping! Sure, she's a little yellow here and there (and she has brown spots and flies), but everyone who sees her is very impressed.

Any advice on the spots or flies would be great. Any if your advice is that I shouldn't care about the spots and flies because my plant is otherwise very healthy, that's OK too. I had just hoped to make those two "blemishes" disappear.

Top
#304074 - 01/28/10 07:05 PM Re: Areca Palm: Tiny brown spots and annoying flies [Re: adamant]
Tina Offline
Webkinz Queen
Garden Helper


Registered: 11/12/05
Posts: 21842
Loc: So. Cal.
Then treat your soil with something that they do not like. I know cinnamon is a good organic treatment for fungi and many critters do not like it. I am just not very good with most house plants and their problems. I kill them too fast to become friendly. I plant a lot outdoors though because in my climate I can.
_________________________
~Tina



Drama Free Zone

Top
Page 1 of 1 1


Hop to:
Google Box
Shout Box

March
Su M Tu W Th F Sa
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30 31
Who's Online
2 registered (Wild Willy, Tina) and 38 anonymous users online.
Newest Members
cornplant101, Lisa10ec, jackE990, stano40, irmajean
14369 Registered Members
G Tower
Top Posters
30514
weezie13
28441
plants 'n pots
26462
Shirley4
24797
angelblossom
21841
Tina
20771
Merme
20429
JunieGirl
19070
tamara
16245
Wrennie
16096
dodge
Forum Stats
14369 Members
57 Forums
10228 Topics
154210 Posts

Max Online: 340 @ 08/08/08 09:54 AM

Generated in 0.035 seconds in which 0.004 seconds were spent on a total of 13 queries. Zlib compression enabled.

The GoNix Initiative,