My schefflera are dying!

[Lindasjackson]

How many hours a day should I have my sansi plant light on? I regret buying a plant light that takes up so much room on top of my cage! I wish I had gotten a long linear plant light like my uvb light. It would all fit up there so much easier! By the time I put my uvb light, basking light, sansi light, dripper cup, and pvc pipe from my fogger all up there there is no room for my muffin fan or anything else. Anyway, my schefflera plants are dying and I’m not sure how many hours a day to have my sansi plant light on. Maybe I haven’t given them enough light? Am I supposed to be moving the sansi light to a different spot every day to get all sides of the plant?

 

[MissSkittles]

How many hours a day should I have my sansi plant light on? I regret buying a plant light that takes up so much room on top of my cage! I wish I had gotten a long linear plant light like my uvb light. It would all fit up there so much easier! By the time I put my uvb light, basking light, sansi light, dripper cup, and pvc pipe from my fogger all up there there is no room for my muffin fan or anything else. Anyway, my schefflera plants are dying and I’m not sure how many hours a day to have my sansi plant light on. Maybe I haven’t given them enough light? Am I supposed to be moving the sansi light to a different spot every day to get all sides of the plant?

I keep my plant lights on 12 hours/day. Your schefflera may be failing due to another reason, such as too wet.

 

[Lindasjackson]

I believe it’s the schefflera that have the flies. I haven’t consistently had my sansi light on so I guess I need to change that. I need to get more timers so I think I’m going to order the govee ones or some like it to control when my lights and fogger go on and off.

 

[Lindasjackson]

Do I need to move my plant light around to get all the sides of the plants or can I leave it in one place so I don’t have to rearrange the top of my cage?

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Leaving it in one place should suffice, but you could try rotating the plant rather than moving the light.
If the schefflera is the source of flies/bugs, I'd explore that possibility; some larva may be eating the roots or affecting pH or something.

Other possibilities may appear in some of the care articles: schefflera care

It just doesn't sound like a lighting issue.

 

[JacksJill]

They don't like having "wet feet" I plant mine with an inch of gravel in the bottom of the pot for drainage. Placing them where they don't get to much misting helps also. If misting isn't the issue only water lightly once per week.

 

[Lindasjackson]

I think both of Mine got over watered. One is basically nothing but a stalk now and the other still has some leaves but not doing well. Why are these recommended for chameleon enclosures if they are sensitive to over watering? I’m going to toss the stalk and try to resuscitate the other.

 

[Lindasjackson]

Thank you Klyde O Scope for the link. I read about the schefflera then I looked up my Fcu’s because it is dropping leaves but the article I read said they do that when you first bring the, home. They don’t like change so it has to get used to where it is for awhile and the leaves will grow back.

 

[Highway61]

...Why are these recommended for chameleon enclosures if they are sensitive to over watering? I’m going to toss the stalk and try to resuscitate the other...

A better question is why are you over watering your enclosure? It's a hearty, safe plant to maintain in a cham enclosure. I probably couldn't kill mine if I tried!

 

[jamest0o0]

There are ways to overwater by not drowning a plant. Just need better drainage. That said, schefflera are picky plants. They're probably being attacked by pests of some sort, look for aphids, scale, etc.

 

[Highway61]

There are ways to overwater by not drowning a plant. Just need better drainage. That said, schefflera are picky plants. They're probably being attacked by pests of some sort, look for aphids, scale, etc.

Indeed, if drainage is the issue that's a bigger problem to solve than just not watering as much and replacing a plant. BTW, I spot scheffleras when ever I make to the effort to look on my dog walks and that's right here in rainy/soggy 'ol Seattle

 

[Lindasjackson]

My mistking goes off every two hours at night for 2 minutes. Maybe it’s too much? But the schefflera were not in the path of the misting.

 

[Lindasjackson]

The schefflera were the plants that had the little flies or fungus ants in them. I took my big schefflera out to give it time to recover. There was nothing but a stalk left of the other so into the trash it went.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Maybe we should trade ficus & scheffleras(?)