If you were wondering why the leaf tips were turning brown, I can't really help you... In terms of cutting off browning leaves, I think it is best to leave them on until they brown completely. If there is still some green, there is still energy. Cutting off green fronds is basically robbing the plant of some of it's energy. I'm not sure if pruning the brown tips hurts the plant directly, but it does provide an opening for disease and bacteria to enter. I would avoid it if I could.

Another thing about pruning: Pruning is really something you need to be careful about. Palms are not like normal trees; they do not produce yearly rings to increase trunk thickness. The trunks on a palm never increase in thickness. If you prune too vigorously too often, the trunk will grow spindly and skinny, and since it is a palm, it will never recover. Just a thought.

~palmsandsnow

Like I said, this is my 1st Palm, and it's in its 2nd year. Since I pruned it, there are several new shoots popping up now, and the fronds that I trimmed the brown tips off of look like they're doing much better now. I think I've figured out the cause of the browning... My balcony only gets full sun in the early mornings because of its positioning, but the fronds that come out over top of, & through the railing get full sun for most of the day. I honestly think they're sunburned as it's just those fronds that were affected. My palm seems to be doing great, and looks healthy again

I love the genus Phoenix, and roebellini is a good species (there is a good reason why "common" houseplants are common). The palm will burn if unacclimated to full sun, but do LOVE full sun so leave it be..., new leaves will be fine. Mine get full sun outside, all day long. Are you feeding? Palms are relatively heavy feeders if happy.

P.S., Watch the watering, your container is a bit large for the size of the plant..., palms prefer slightly snug pots, excellent drainage and consistent watering. (Pygmy Dates especially are a more tropical species of Date..., not a desert variety..., which btw., also love water, but still need to dry out slightly between waterings.) Good luck!

I water about once a week, when the soil on top dry about 2" deep. The only reason I potted up to this current container is that the roots were literally climbing out of the soil in the previous one. The rootball is huge, and plant it wasn't growing too well.... but has taken off since I transplanted. It seems to have a new shoot or two every couple days, so I'm guessing it's pretty happy. I might add too that I'm on the AL gulf coast, so it stays pretty humid, and tropical plants thrive here, both in-ground & potted.

You mentioned feeding... I haven't done anything special, just the premixed MiracleGro potting soil & water. Does it need more, or is this setup fine? And if I need to feed it, what do you recommend?