Comments on: How To Combat Schefflera Problems http://www.flowershopnetwork.com/blog/combat-schefflera-problems/ the official Flower Shop Network blog Sat, 28 Nov 2009 10:15:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Jamie Jamison Adams http://www.flowershopnetwork.com/blog/combat-schefflera-problems/comment-page-1/#comment-22291 Jamie Jamison Adams Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:16:59 +0000 http://www.flowershopnetwork.com/blog/?p=6809#comment-22291 You can still use the houseplant spray. It will help. Another thing you should do is remove the gnats food source. If your soil has a semi-hard green substance on top of the soil, remove it. The fungus gnats like it and it becomes a good breeding ground for them. Over-watering is what has caused the infestations of fungus gnats. In the future keep the soil moist but not soggy and you should have this problem again. Good Luck and let me know how it goes. You can still use the houseplant spray. It will help. Another thing you should do is remove the gnats food source. If your soil has a semi-hard green substance on top of the soil, remove it. The fungus gnats like it and it becomes a good breeding ground for them. Over-watering is what has caused the infestations of fungus gnats. In the future keep the soil moist but not soggy and you should have this problem again. Good Luck and let me know how it goes.

]]> By: Scott http://www.flowershopnetwork.com/blog/combat-schefflera-problems/comment-page-1/#comment-22251 Scott Mon, 13 Jul 2009 21:38:57 +0000 http://www.flowershopnetwork.com/blog/?p=6809#comment-22251 Thanks again for all your help. I probably should have done a little more homework myself before rushing to ask another question, because after further observing my plant and poking around the Internet a little, I think it's possible I have a fungus gnat problem. I didn't take any notice of it before, but I have lately seen tiny flies around the house and around my plants. I thought they were fruit flies, but could they be fungus gnats? They just kind of hover around the pot and the soil (I haven't seen TOO many, but enough -- maybe three or four at a time). And the worm-like creatures I'm seeing, could they be the larvae? But I read that fungus gnat larvae should be white, and these little crawlies are more brown-ish in color. Anyway, should I go ahead with the insecticide anyway? If these are fungus gnats, would that kill them too? I read that there are a number of easy ways to monitor for fungus gnat larvae, like putting raw potato in the soil for a few days. But I'm not sure how much damage these guys have caused already, so I'm reluctant to wait while they potentially do more. What do you think is best? Thanks again for all your help. I probably should have done a little more homework myself before rushing to ask another question, because after further observing my plant and poking around the Internet a little, I think it's possible I have a fungus gnat problem. I didn't take any notice of it before, but I have lately seen tiny flies around the house and around my plants. I thought they were fruit flies, but could they be fungus gnats? They just kind of hover around the pot and the soil (I haven't seen TOO many, but enough — maybe three or four at a time). And the worm-like creatures I'm seeing, could they be the larvae? But I read that fungus gnat larvae should be white, and these little crawlies are more brown-ish in color.

Anyway, should I go ahead with the insecticide anyway? If these are fungus gnats, would that kill them too? I read that there are a number of easy ways to monitor for fungus gnat larvae, like putting raw potato in the soil for a few days. But I'm not sure how much damage these guys have caused already, so I'm reluctant to wait while they potentially do more. What do you think is best?

]]> By: Jamie Jamison Adams http://www.flowershopnetwork.com/blog/combat-schefflera-problems/comment-page-1/#comment-22250 Jamie Jamison Adams Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:39:45 +0000 http://www.flowershopnetwork.com/blog/?p=6809#comment-22250 No bother, I am available anytime you have a question. You will need to spray the top of the soil with an insecticide. I use Fertilome's whitefly and mealybug killer for these kinds of bugs on houseplants. Spray the top of the soil lightly. Then you will need to monitor the insects. You should start to see the insects die. If your local garden center doesn't carry The Fertilome brand use whatever houseplant spray they carry that contains a Resmethrin. Let me know if you need anything else. It looks like things are moving in the right direction. No bother, I am available anytime you have a question. You will need to spray the top of the soil with an insecticide. I use Fertilome's whitefly and mealybug killer for these kinds of bugs on houseplants. Spray the top of the soil lightly. Then you will need to monitor the insects. You should start to see the insects die. If your local garden center doesn't carry The Fertilome brand use whatever houseplant spray they carry that contains a Resmethrin. Let me know if you need anything else. It looks like things are moving in the right direction.

]]> By: Scott http://www.flowershopnetwork.com/blog/combat-schefflera-problems/comment-page-1/#comment-22230 Scott Mon, 13 Jul 2009 18:41:18 +0000 http://www.flowershopnetwork.com/blog/?p=6809#comment-22230 Sorry to bother you again. My plant has improved in the last few days (the new buds are growing now, as opposed to turning black). But now I have a completely new problem. In the last couple days, I'd noticed some small, caterpillar/millipede-like bugs around the house (no more than an inch long). Then, when I looked at my plant, I noticed that some of those bugs were lying dead at the bottom of my plant bowl (under the pot, where the water drains out). And when I looked closely, I saw that a few were crawling around in the soil! I actually have two large Schefflera plants (one is relatively healthy and normal and the other is the problem plant I've been asking about here). But both have these bugs in the soil. I have no idea where they came from, or even if they are plant bugs. They only seem to stay in the soil and not on the plant itself. What should I do? Sorry to bother you again. My plant has improved in the last few days (the new buds are growing now, as opposed to turning black). But now I have a completely new problem. In the last couple days, I'd noticed some small, caterpillar/millipede-like bugs around the house (no more than an inch long). Then, when I looked at my plant, I noticed that some of those bugs were lying dead at the bottom of my plant bowl (under the pot, where the water drains out). And when I looked closely, I saw that a few were crawling around in the soil! I actually have two large Schefflera plants (one is relatively healthy and normal and the other is the problem plant I've been asking about here). But both have these bugs in the soil. I have no idea where they came from, or even if they are plant bugs. They only seem to stay in the soil and not on the plant itself. What should I do?

]]> By: Jamie Jamison Adams http://www.flowershopnetwork.com/blog/combat-schefflera-problems/comment-page-1/#comment-21969 Jamie Jamison Adams Tue, 07 Jul 2009 22:06:12 +0000 http://www.flowershopnetwork.com/blog/?p=6809#comment-21969 I agree with the person at the store. If you sprayed the insecticidal on the plant in the heat of the day, it could cause the problems you are seeing. Give the plant a few days before you spray any fungicide on your schefflera. As a whole fungicides and schefflera don't play well together. Over watering will cause the same issues as under watering. You are wise to be cautious. Make sure your pot is draining well. I usually recommend the finger method so that the plant owner understand the variation in soil moisture at different levels. However, you have a very good grasp of your soil moisture. Good luck and let me know how it goes. I agree with the person at the store. If you sprayed the insecticidal on the plant in the heat of the day, it could cause the problems you are seeing. Give the plant a few days before you spray any fungicide on your schefflera. As a whole fungicides and schefflera don't play well together.

Over watering will cause the same issues as under watering. You are wise to be cautious. Make sure your pot is draining well. I usually recommend the finger method so that the plant owner understand the variation in soil moisture at different levels. However, you have a very good grasp of your soil moisture. Good luck and let me know how it goes.

]]> By: Scott http://www.flowershopnetwork.com/blog/combat-schefflera-problems/comment-page-1/#comment-21968 Scott Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:39:53 +0000 http://www.flowershopnetwork.com/blog/?p=6809#comment-21968 Thank you for your response! I don't think I have a spider mite or fungul problem, but, just in case, I went to get some fungicide. The person at the store suggested that spraying the plant with insecticide/soap mixures, and then having the plant exposed to the sunlight may have caused the new, delicate buds to dry out (hence the blackening). They told me that if I need to use such sprays, only do so at night. As for the watering issue, I'll keep an eye on it. I have quite a large soil pot (about 14 inches in diameter and 12 inches deep). I usually put the soil meter almost all the way in, and it's actually more moist as it gets deeper, and dryer near the top. I was also told that plants in distress might absorb water more slowly, which could explain why it remains moist for such a long period of time (it's been over two weeks since I last watered it, and I've never given it THAT much water at a time). I was warned that overwatering will cause the roots to rot, so I'm weary about giving it more water while the meter still indicates "wet" in most areas. In any case, the problem seems to have been stabalized, and I've spotted some new growth. I'll keep a close eye on it for the next little while, and if it deteriorates, I'll come back and ask you again. Thanks again for your help! Scott Thank you for your response! I don't think I have a spider mite or fungul problem, but, just in case, I went to get some fungicide. The person at the store suggested that spraying the plant with insecticide/soap mixures, and then having the plant exposed to the sunlight may have caused the new, delicate buds to dry out (hence the blackening). They told me that if I need to use such sprays, only do so at night.

As for the watering issue, I'll keep an eye on it. I have quite a large soil pot (about 14 inches in diameter and 12 inches deep). I usually put the soil meter almost all the way in, and it's actually more moist as it gets deeper, and dryer near the top. I was also told that plants in distress might absorb water more slowly, which could explain why it remains moist for such a long period of time (it's been over two weeks since I last watered it, and I've never given it THAT much water at a time). I was warned that overwatering will cause the roots to rot, so I'm weary about giving it more water while the meter still indicates "wet" in most areas. In any case, the problem seems to have been stabalized, and I've spotted some new growth. I'll keep a close eye on it for the next little while, and if it deteriorates, I'll come back and ask you again. Thanks again for your help!

Scott

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