Please help with indoor palm tree?

Question

Bought a spindle palm tree from a local garden center and need some help and information on this palm. I have it next to a window in my bed room but it doesnt get to much sun, some sun but not much. So I went and bought a plant bulb from home depot and leave it on it all day. I also mist the plant several times a day to keep dust and bugs away. I water maybe one a week with the closest to palm food I could find.

How much lighting should this palm get as far as artificial bulbs since this is in my bed room???

And when a individual leaf looks dead or dying can I cut it off?

Also someone said once a month i should put the plant in the shower for a few to clean it off is this true? Or can I just wipe the leaves with baby wipes?

Thanks

Answer 1

Wow cool plant.  I would give it as much light as possible.  You can bounce light off the ceiling if you can't get the grow light over the top of the plant and don't put the light bulb too close to the leaves or it can burn the leaves.  You could give it at least five hundred foot candles of light or more.  You could get a light meter and see how much light is in your bedroom. Just remember they need full sun so as much as you can give it is good.   I do put my palms in the shower once a week to dust them off. If you can't do that once a month would be good.  If it is really a big plant you can wipe the leaves off with a moist wash cloth but showering works better.  They can get mites growing inside if you don't keep them clean.  Mites are washed off in water very easily because they are so small.  You can cut off the dead leaves.  Oh and once a week watering is good but just make sure not to over water.  If you are growing it in too little light then it will stay wet longer.  Feel the soil and see if it is wet before you water it.  Good luck.

Answer 2

I wouldn't use baby wipes as they contain chemicals and alcohols which would not be good for a plant. Better to wipe with a cloth dampened with plain water. A short spritz in a cool shower is much easier if the palm isn't too heavy or awkward to lift.

You should probably not be feeding it every week. Once a month is usually enough for most plants. Water it when the soil is feeling almost dry.

Yes you can cut off dead leaves.

Not sure how much light this palm needs.