Coconut stalk - Help!

[Arrakis]

Hi all,

I bought a coconut stalk from Lidl a few weeks back and repotted in a larger pot when I got it home. It's in direct sunlight for about 6 hours of the day and I've been watering it when the top 2 inches or so are dry. However, the leaves are still browning and cracking. I've used my unrivaled powers of deduction to rule out senescence so I've no idea what the problem could be. There are new shoots coming up the middle of the stalk and the tips of those have now started to brown.

Does anyone have any experience with coconut palms? What am I doing wrong?

Thanks in advance!

A

 

[cpp gardener]

You have to keep it wetter. With that much light and that small a pot, it will dry out pretty fast.

 

[Anniekay]

Agree with CCP, way bigger pot it's a tree so it has to have root room, rich soil and keep it damp. I would repot it, burry the coconut a bit deeper ( just a bit of the top surface showing) and add 2" mulch to cover the soil. The mulch keeps the soil damper for longer since it keeps the sun off of it.

 

[Arrakis]

Thanks for the replies (and glad there's a consensus!), I'll do just that

 

[cpp gardener]

There's really no need to bury it any deeper. As long as the roots are covered it will be fine. They sprout on beaches with the end practically up in the air. Mulch won't hurt though. It depends on how dry the air is. I had one years ago that managed to survive in a 14" pot for about 6 years. It probably could have lasted longer with more light than I could give it in the office of the owner. He got it as a souvenir of a vacation in Hawaii.