How to Care for an Indoor Bamboo Palm & Cut Its Dying Leaves

Plant bamboo palm in a container 1 to 2 inches larger than the nursery pot and gradually increase the pot’s size every 1 to 2 years. Use quality potting soil rather than garden soil.

Remove the bamboo palm from the nursery container carefully so as not to damage or break the stalks. Place the bamboo palm in the container with the canes’ bases about 1 inch below the pot’s rim.

Fill in under and around the root ball, but keep the soil at the same level as the base of the plant rather than level with the top of the pot. This leaves room for watering and fertilizing.

Place the pot in an area with filtered light or in a dim room. The bamboo palm tolerates low light but prefers bright, filtered light for best growth.

Water the bamboo palm when the top of the soil around the plant starts feeling dry during the growing season. When you water, soak the soil, so that it is damp all the way through. Water less in winter and allow the soil to dry out between waterings.

Wash the leaves once or twice a week with a spray bottle of water. Keeping the dust off the palm leaves not only improves appearances, it helps keep mite infestations at bay as well.

Fertilize bamboo palm trees once a month during the growing season but discontinue fertilizing during the winter. A 20-20-20 or a 5-10-5 fertilizer works well.

Give the dead fronds a gentle tug. They should come away from the stalk naturally when fully dead. To remove dying fronds that are still attached, cut close to the stalk with a pair of sharp pruning shears.