schefflera dropping LOTS of leave and stems, over watering, mites?

[jamjam]

So over the last little while my schefflera has been droppings lots and lots of leaves and I am trying to figure out why before it is too late.

background on the plant i bought it the week of christmas more or less has been in a set up since day one with a grow light. At one point was taken out and was near by a heat vent for 1-2 weeks realized how bad that was and put it back into the enclosure. (i think heat was drying out the top of the soil quick which led to me watering more, may have over watered) once it went back in thats when i realized leaves started to drop dramatically. The lower 1/3 of the plant is almost bare with not only leaves dropping but stems as well. a few days ago while in the process of repotting some other plants and planning to do this one in a few days seen a number of bugs in the soil of my schefflera.

what could the problem be? would the bugs do that much damage? if its the bugs other than repotting what should i do?

Ill see aout getting before and after pictures

 

[Deevo]

Most likely root rot from over-watering. If that's the case your better off just going out and getting a new one.

The Zehrs grocery store near my house was selling schefflera's and other "tropical" indoor plants for 5$ lol

 

[jamjam]

like im not completely positive i was watering and watering this goes back few weeks ago. i was gonna pull it out of the pot thursday and check the roots and see how they are doing if its rot is it done or could i cut some of it back and promote growth again? usually ones of the size i got sell about 30 i paid 16. or they have ones for 10 that look alot more bush like and not as tall.

should also add there is new growth coming in at the top

 

[Deevo]

Maybe try lightly fertilizing with some bat guano, it should speed up the growth. You can get this at a indoor gardening store or maybe home depot.

The plant should get all the water it needs from your dripper and mistings.

 

[teoo OoT]

they really dont need much water or looking after. if it looks like it needs it fill up a glass and pour it in, i learned after i killed my first one lol... i have more problems with my veiled eating the plant the i do keeping it watered lol..

 

[jamjam]

pulled it out of the pot tonight bottom inch was still wet but the roots went no where near that far. I dont really know plants very well but i would say roots looked just fine majority still pretty white i sniped some that looked ugly/dead-ish. found some bugs in the soil though so got rid of alot of the soil was hard around the root ball especially since i did this in my bathtub. repotted it in different pot with new soil and guess we'll see how this goes.

if its a bug problem, any suggestions? see making a mix of soap water and vinegrar when misting.

 

[Ahtee]

The same exact thing happened to my schefflera, I never found out what it was but I'm thinking not enough light/natural sunlight which is why I have my cages in the balcony now with a new plant and it seems to be doing much better. On a side note I found a beetle bug thingy on the plant which attacked the prev plant which caused the leaves to gave circular rings on them before dying and dropping off, I'm no plant/insect expert but I assume the bug played a part in the dying of the plant. Hope this helps!

 

[CarlC]

Sounds like light shock to me. This usually happens at the lower parts of the plant because there just isn't enough light reaching the lower sections. The plant will eventually fill in but only in the upper area's like you are seeing with the new growth.

Carl

 

[jamjam]

Sounds like light shock to me. This usually happens at the lower parts of the plant because there just isn't enough light reaching the lower sections. The plant will eventually fill in but only in the upper area's like you are seeing with the new growth.

Carl

I thought that at one point and was actually going to say that in reply to ahtee's msg. Because I currently have 2 grow lights going and with it being very full and bushy bottom half wasn't getting much light. Thanks for the replies and giving some hope my plant isn't going to die on me

 

[pigglett79]

I had one drop leaves when it was infected with scale insects. I could see them as little spots under the leaves. The the leaves also has a sticky residue on them.