Helpful tips on caring
for a Chamaedorea indoors

Leaching
Before installing any plant from a Florida grower it is a good idea to check and remove any surface fertilizer which you may see and thoroughly leach the soil with clean water. After leaching this is a great time to apply parasitic nematodes for preventative fungus gnat control. Nematodes will hunt out and destroy those larvae before they become problematic breeding adults.

Proper watering
It is widely known that Chamaedoreas do not like to be over watered. In our well aerated soil you can leave plants standing in an inch or two of water as long as you are not watering daily. Within a week as long as the roots are healthy, the plant will drink the water and not be powder dry in ten days or so when the tech shows up to service the account.

Damage from drying out
What is not known about Chamaedoreas is that their roots can not be allowed to dry completely out. Once this occurs, the root hairs dry out and die. Root hairs are the primary means a root uses to absorb water. If the root gets too dry it will die back and disease can start after the plant is rewatered.

End result is that after the roots are dead or injured the plant can no longer absorb the water you supply it with. It will continue to dry out in moist soil. It is important to understand that a plant needs water to keep all its foliage alive. The top of the plant we see is a reflection of what is going on down below. When a plant dries out it starts shedding the oldest leaves. Once the fronds drop they will not come back. Bottom line is to keep the soil from drying out between waterings. Sub-irrigate if necessary.

Fertilizing
It is hard to say what fertilizer requirements are on an interior. Remember that a plant needs light to metabolize fertilizer. You have little light indoors so do not burn up the roots by continually fertilizing. Some plants are in bright light some not. It is best if you watch the color of the plant to tell you if it is getting deficient. That is not saying wait until the plant is yellow. If color starts to become less dark water with a soluble fertilizer at half the normal rate. That should be adequate for six months in most cases.

Pest control
As with any pest early detection and control is key. Mites are the most common problem and are easily controlled if caught in early stages of infestation. For some help on interior pest problems visit:GreenMethods.com and Plantadvice.com

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