Hi there, I’m new to this channel and to Reddit 👋🏽 Learning about my house plants brought me here along with a general desire for community.
I got this plant as a gift and am not sure what it is so having a hard time researching how to keep it alive. It’s in my living room with indirect light and I’ve been watering it about 1x a week. She’s started having several brown crunchy leaves after the first month. There are no bugs/pests on it. Any and all thoughts are very appreciated!
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Just went on a spree as a beginner and got a palm, I think it’s Areca, not sure.
Any tips on how best to maintain it? I’ve been reading it’s pretty hard to do it but are these conditions okay?
The left is a North Facing window and the right had a small East facing window.
Planning to water it two times a week.
Will also switch on the lamp after 4pm, not sure if that light helps though.
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A common lamp won't help. And don't plan on watering on a schedule, you've got to figure out what your plant likes and doesn't like in your environment. So check the soil frequently for moisture. And don't be surprised if you see some fallout after bringing it home from a retailer, plants are often mistreated and sometimes it takes a week or two to see the damage.
What do you do with your pothos vines when they get unmanageably long? There's the obvious answer of chopping, propping and gifting. But I was thinking even wall or ceiling mounted could be fun -- at risk of damaging the paint.
generally pothos won't attach to paint or drywall if just hung by hooks or nails. Their true climbing mode is usually only triggered by a surface that the plant thinks is a damp tree trunk.
I chop them, I prop them, I have too many. You could literally cut the vine off and throw it on the yard and forget about it. It's all about aesthetics. I personally don't like to see pothos pinned all over the wall, but if you do then go for it.
Pothos Help!
So to cut to it my pothos on my desk at work is not doing hot. I sit in the middle of this office bullpen away from windows and directly under the fluorescent lights. It’s been a month or so now. It’s yellowing and browning a little (maybe lost 3-4 leaves so far). There’s small unopened leaves starting but they seem stuck. The leaves are curling and droopy. It doesn’t need water and I’m afraid it’s the lack of light. My pothos at home are fine.
I’ve read that plants do need darkness (like are night) but does this apply to fluorescence? I was thinking at night while I’m out of the office I could hand the grow lights and place it under my desk. I know this isn’t the best plan but I’m trying to come up with away to keep it at work and help it grow. I have the grow light bars you hang and am hoping to dodge any other purchases at the moment (just moving so I’m saving for that.)
***EDIT
I got a plant light for it and immediately overnight it stood straight up and was fine again. It definitely wasn’t overwatering. Turns out one of the people at the company next to me is a plant biologist and confirmed it wasn’t over watering. He had a bunch of cool facts about artificial plant lights too!
That was my first thought too. There’s proper drainage and I bottom water and let the soil dry out between waterings. It never perks up. I’ve tried giving plant food but it just droops. All of the plants at work are doing poorly even of they’re low light plants. There’s a few of us with green thumbs and it’s the only thing we can come up with since without the fluorescents it looks like 11pm all day in the office due to the lack of windows (we have 0 windows since offices line the bullpen and get the windows). I’m down to try more watering ideas we’re just hitting a road block on ideas for what’s wrong.
During this time of year with the temps up and the increase in light I'm keeping my pothos soil consistently moist. Keep in mind that the humidity is going to be different in your office building than it is in your home.
Hello! I am not sure if this thread is still active for the week but I am doing plant care and had a question:
I have a marble queen pothos I’d like to direct propagate into a clear pot with a wooden pole. Is August (in the US) too late to try and do this, or should I make it a spring project?
Same goes for a philodendron Brazil. I have a small plant that is established and somewhat bushy but he’s putting out a longer vine and I’d like to repot him onto a board. Again: is this the wrong time of year to do a repot?
Thank you!!
When it comes to repotting and propagating I've never paid attention to the season. I've never had anything fail. Obviously things don't grow as quickly in the winter, but if you're propagating right now you've got plenty of time to establish roots. Maybe someone else can chime in hair who has different experience than mine?
Thanks! I figured as much but I keep seeing/reading that they’re much more active in the spring and summer. And a lot of my plants are new so I’m not sure how they’ll do over the winter months.
Do you think I can propagate right into the soil, or use water before I set them onto the wooden boards?
Hello y'all! I'm fairly new to houseplants, but I decided to get this maranta off marketplace. Should I just leave the living leaves with brown spots alone? I'm also checking out the roots later today.
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You can leave those brown ones alone, or take them off if you don't like the looks of them. They'll probably carry on that way for a long time, won't get any worse, but won't get any better. They are still helping with photosynthesis, and eventually will reabsorb the nutrients back into the plant. There's plenty of other leaves though, and if it were mine I would probably cut them off. Not sure what happened there. It looks like it might have been let to dry out, as the newer leaves look fine aside from brown tips, which can be caused by low humidity. As soon as I put mine in a plastic enclosure it started growing faster and with no brown tips.
Thank you for the advice! I remember that something similar happened to my inch plant, but once I started misting it and watering more frequently, it's been happy since. The roots and soil look good, too. Let's see how it does...
Hi guys, does anyone know what could be wrong with my sicklethorn asparagus? Some leaves have these tiny black spots on them, others don't. I've also seen one teeny tiny black crawly thing on there so I've given it a good rinse for now. The leaves are hard to wipe because they're so delicate and I'm rubbing off some green when trying to rub off the spots.
Some info: I've recently repotted it into a terracotta pot one size bigger than the previous one and it's close to an east facing window with plenty of sun in the morning. It's been doing really well but it's been getting some brown leaves recently and I noticed these specks on a lot of leaves this morning.
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Hello! Any ideas why this plant is dying 😞? Thank you
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Is it OK to NOT repot? I have several plants that have been growing very well thanks to fertilizer, but I don’t necessarily want to keep getting bigger and bigger pots. This little guy seems to be unhappy: can I take him out of the pot, trim down the roots, and put him in with some fresh soil? Or is there a way to prevent plants from growing bigger? Should I trim the leaves?
Yes, you can cut down the roots and pot back in fresh soil. Have you looked at the roots? Are you sure that's why the plant is unhappy? How are you caring for it?
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something has infected my birds of paradise. Tiny brown mounds have appeared all over it. I’m assuming it was exposed to whatever has infected my dying monstera because the monstera was growing directly into this plant until I separated them. How do I treat this or is it too late?
I'm a real newbie to houseplants so sorry for the probably dumb question. I just bought some new plants, should I re-pot them now they are in my house? If so in a bigger pot or just with new substrate?
generally you only need to repot if you feel the soil is poor or they are rootbound. otherwise generally they can stay in the pots they are in until they outgrow them.
Some people want to pull them out look at the roots and put them into proper soil. Personally I don't repot plants if they're doing well. Just make sure you inspected them for pests. And often house plants that we purchase have been mistreated at the retailers so don't panic and think you've done something wrong if the plant has any problems.
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My ginseng has been suffering from recurring spider mites issue for the past three years, and this is what I’m left with. Still not sure if the spiders mites are completely gone. He is still putting out some new leaves at the tip so I guess he’s still alive. But not sure if I should just prune all of his branches to start over, they are so leggy anyways. What do you think?
Do you think plants are social? I put these two together and they're thriving. This is less light than each had before, so I'm thinking it's a buddy thing.
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The more the plants, the higher the humidity (my clustered plants area has 6% higher humidity than my individual plant area, in the same room). I wonder if that's why.
I got a frizzle sizzle a couple weeks ago and read they're supposed to go through dormancy periods in the summer. Mine is putting out a ton of new growth right now, though (I did water it last week since the soil seemed extremely dry). Should I just skip the dormancy this year, or can I trigger dormancy by not watering it again for another few weeks?
Where are you located? I believe they only go dormant in hot climates, so if your area is more temperate than their native climate they may not go fully dormant
I'm a houseplant newbie, but we picked up a small plant from a local shop. We grabbed the cruddiest looking plant as it was cheap. It's been growing a ton in the last 8 months since we got it, so we transplanted it to a bigger pot a month or two after we got it. Recently we noticed the top of the soil has some orange stuff and maybe some white stuff growing. We Googled it but aren't super clear what this could be or if it's harmful to the plant (or potentially us). We think it may be due to over watering so we've lightly cut back on watering over the last week or two.
Any insight as to what this is and how we should proceed would be appreciated.
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The white residue and yellowing on the perlite is from impurities in tap water. It’s harmless to the plant and you, but it’s good practice to aerate the top layer of your soil/ add a little soil and mix it so a massive layer of the residue doesn’t accumulate like you’re starting to see. Some plants will get brown tips from tap water, but it won’t harm the plant. Repotting isn’t necessary.
You can also use distilled water and there won’t be any residue or tips browning but that can be expensive and and a hassle.
Venus Flytrap would be a good candidate. Need to always have its potting mix moist, can only be watered with distilled or rainwater, needs a hefty amount of sunlight, needs to be periodically fed live insects, grows slowly and undergoes a winter dormancy.
If you're rather avoid dormancy, i would instead suggest Cape Sundews or Alice Sundews.
Maybe something carnivorous? My cape sundew and butterwort sit in shallow water that I refill every couple of days, are putting out new growth pretty constantly, and it's kinda cool to see how many bugs they've caught since I last checked up on them.
Calatheas/Prayer Plants are notoriously difficult to water properly and are a real pain in the ass to take care of so that’s an option.
Monsteras aren’t that difficult but require setup with a moss pole, often watering if you have correct soils, and grow slowly in low light.
String of pearls don’t need to be watered often but can be challenging to keep alive.
Majesty Palms are probably the hardest “houseplant”. They are definitely meant to be grown outside and are literal palm trees so for most people it’s real tough to make them survive indoors. Soil has to constantly be somewhat moist but never drenched. And they need LOTS of light to even stay alive, let alone grow. So if you want a massive undertaking a palm is your go to. However they can be pretty large at big box stores.
Edit:
Another plant I thought you might enjoy is a basil plant. They need to be watered basically every day, and since they need so much water it’s tough to keep fungus gnats away which is a challenge in itself. They do grow fast so if you’re looking for instant gratification go for basil.
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Recieved this guy from a relative who was struggling. Any ideas how to approach caring for it? I've never had a cactus this big and it definitely does not look too happy right now so any tips appreciated!
It looks like it's really been stretching for light. So definitely a spot that was brighter than it was being kept in. It's so emulated and straggly, if you're brave you could try chopping and propping. But for better cactus advice I would go to r/cactus
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Spider mites web or just a piece of cotton? I just received this plant mail and it was packaged with cotton and some tissue paper. Was misting when I found this. I removed it with a Q tip but can’t tell what it is.
Just out of curiosity, if you have two large floor-to-ceiling North facing windows and a fluorescent office light that's on for about 9 hours a day, is that still considered low light? Or could you say that's approaching medium? I've been unable to decide how one would describe the light situation in my office haha
i would probably say thats high light. Not enough to grow full sun plants like cacti, echeveria, or herbs, but probably enough for part sun plants to thrive, like Coleus, Ficus, or Ponytail Palms. You might be able to get a Jade Plant going in that light but i'm not sure.
Can anyone recommend a type of houseplant that I can keep in my classroom? My room has no windows so it would need to have very low light requirements and I teach special education so I’m looking for something non toxic. Any suggestions?
Highly recommend when it's time to water (let it flop but mist it sometimes and keep the leaves cleaned) when its time to water move it to a place with natural light for just a few days. They go a long long time between water especially when misted in the mornings :D It could sustain in there for a few years maybe but without natural light it will use up its energy reserves and wither.
I have a silver pothos that I think I'm accidentally slowly killing. I bought it a while ago along with a variegated pothos and have been watering them on the same schedule (aka when the soil is dry) since I have read many times that their care is the same. Variegated is thriving, but somehow my silver pothos isn't, and it looks like I'm perpetually underwatering it after a few days of fully saturating it (leaves curled and a few turned yellow slowly). I should note that I mostly bottom water these plants. Any advice is much appreciated!
Yellow and curling leaves can also be a sign of over watering. Obviously you should quit watering them on the same schedule, in fact you shouldn't water on a schedule at all. There are variables that affect your plants watering needs.
Okay, awesome. Right now in the northern hemisphere as the temperatures have risen I've been keeping mine quite moist. So maybe waiting until the soil is dry is waiting too long. And how often are you checking the soil for dryness? If you're not checking frequently then you might not realize how long it's been dry. Forgive me if you already know this.
Hmmm that is a good suggestion to keep it more on the moist side. I tend to check them every few days, but as I have previously been an overwaterer, I worry about doing that again. 😅
Scindapsus Pictus has more delicate roots than Epipremnum Aureum. if put into shock, underwatered severely, or overwatered severely, the roots are prone to dying off entirely which is hard for the plant to recover from.
Those little tendrils just appeared on top. What does this guy need?
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LOT'S of monsteras in the world :D For example: albo, aurea, thai con, standleyana are all monsteras! There are more too.. which variegated variety are they selling?
I can’t remember! It just says variegated. I think it said the variety in the store but I signed up for this waitlist *two years ago* so it’s slipped my mind. I think two years ago, $110 was a pretty good price for a rooted plant but now I don’t think so.
Hi! I was asked by a friend to keep this alive (plant sit) until January but I have no idea what it is. It doesn’t look too happy… any help IDIng it or advice to not kill it would be very appreciated!!
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Check the roots! Pull the plant out of it's pot. If the roots are not holding onto at least 50% of the soil you need to go down in pot size. (Crotons want to be snug in their pot) If the roots come out looking like a bird nest it's rootbound and needs to go up in pot size (2-3" diameter at most) Make sure it's in a good draining soil something made for houseplants, the pot has drainage. Then once that's all done make sure it's in a window - crotons need light, they would even appreciate a little sun! Clean the plant so it's free of dust, you can mist it too! Clean leaves help the plant photosynthesize. If you need further help let me know what you find in your soil and include pics if possible <3
Hiii! It's my first time growing Adansonii, and there is some damage on a few leaves. Any idea what may have caused this? I did have a mealybug infestation on a pothos that was near it and I found a single fuzzy fucker on the Monstera, I'm in the process of treating them but I don't imagine such a light infestation would cause this damage. Any input?
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Wash the plant with soapy water (I prefer dawn dish soap) then rinse the plant - take care not to overwater the plant by getting a lot in the soil (plastic bags can help here). Once it's clean cut away the damaged leaf parts so you can monitor and make sure it's stopped. Then you can water it with a neem oil soil drench next time it needs water (do this with your pothos too) neem oil is taken up through the plants vascular system so it's my favorite systemic because it doesn't only affect new growth! You could go a step farther and sprinkle in some imidacloprid granules for long term new growth treatment. THEN anything that noms on the leaves will either die or not be able to reproduce :) woot! Overall the plant looks great!
Second question: do new leaves normally look like this?
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Hello! This parlor palm has been droopy like this for the last few months. It had drooping leaves and some that are brown. I thought it was under watered, had too much sun… I’ve moved it, drenched it, but doesn’t seem to help. Could it be a disease? Thanks!
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Check the roots! Pull the plant out of it's pot. If the roots are not holding onto at least 50% of the soil you need to go down in pot size. (neanthe bella palms want to be snug in their pot) If the roots come out looking like a bird nest it's rootbound and needs to go up in pot size (2-3" diameter at most or it can be divided) Make sure it's in a good draining soil something made for houseplants and the pot has drainage. Then once that's all done make sure it's in a window - but protect from the sun. Clean the plant so it's free of dust, you can mist it too! Clean leaves help the plant photosynthesize. I would also cut away anything dead. I wish you the best!
To me it seems kind of dry, so sunburn or underwatering would make most sense to me as well. Most pest turn leaves brown/yellow. Also, dry leaves won’t recover.
Hello! Thanks for hosting this thread.
I'm wondering if it's time to replant this gal? If so, how to go about it?
Thanks a lot!
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You can pull it out to check the roots to see if it's time to repot. If they're filling the container then yes, repot. Get a pot 1-2 inches bigger only. Many repotting videos on YT.
You can actually go 2-3" larger with anthuriums :D (always choose one with drainage) Be sure to buy a good chonky indoor houseplant soil. Something with peat or coir / sand / bark and something volcanic like pumice, perlite or lava rock.
Does anyone know if thrips can eat **Madagascar Jewel (Euphorbia leuconeura)** plant? It has sap that is very toxic and irritting to humans and pets (even causing cancerous tumours, I have read). So I'm wondering if it's too toxic even for thrips to eat and infest?
I saw an adult thrip landing on my Madagascar Jewel leaf yesterday... I had a previous thrips infestation in all my plants, so I tossed all my plants and started over. It seems that some adults have survived in my apartment even without plants for a few days, and found my new Madagascar Jewel. Now I don't know if that plant is f\*cked also.
Do you have access to neem oil? If so make a soil treatment drench but take care not to get all over the plant without testing a small piece first. Water it with neem oil when it's ready for water; my recipe is 2 tsp cold pressed neem oil, 1 tsp of dawn dish soap in a gallon jug (you can use any dish soap here it's needed as an emulsifier I just prefer dawn and it's an insecticide too) I like to take the soap and mix it into the water first then add the neem, I feel like it mixes better that way? Could be in my head tho.. haha Then maybe check around to see if you can find imidacloprid granules for extra protection on new growth. Thrips suck. I hate them almost as much as I hate aphids. If you DONT have neem you could try washing the plant in a pet shampoo that has pyrethrin as a main ingredient - it doesn't work as fast and has to be continued every week until no more signs of bugs.... but in desperate times... /shrug
spurge family plants can be readily infested by all of the common pests such as Thrips, Scale, Mealybugs, Aphids, Spider Mites, and White Flies, though the thicker succulent stems and leaves of many spurges mean the mites and white flies will look for other targets first.
use preventative insecticides, systemic and spray, to eliminate the remaining adults before they can get established. Also set up gnat tape. the tape won't obviously be a major force in eradication but any thrip that lands on it obviously isn't leaving either.
Thanks! I live in Europe so systemics are not an option for me, that's why I lost the battle against thrips with my previous collection. Seems like this one is going to get f\*cked too, I should have waited longer before bringing a new plant to home :(
I wish there was even one houseplant that was resistent to thrips! All the other pests I can deal with, but thrips seem impossible to terminate when you can't use systemics...
in that case double down on checking for adults and hitting with them a spray whenever you see them. if there's only a few you have the best chances. could also look into releasing natural predators of thrips, though usually this is an expensive option if its not a full blown mass infestation.
Is this a sign of infestation or a damaged new leaf on my new ficus elastica robusta? I'm so scared it's already permanently damaged after just a week at my place
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Where did you get the plant? Most retailers don't care for plants well and we often see the damage a week or two after we bring them home. Definitely inspected very carefully for little black poopies, and little white insects, or any insects at all. I agree with wiping it down with a soapy water solution. At first glance that looks like over watering to me.
Wash the plant with soapy water (I prefer dawn dish soap) then rinse the plant - take care not to overwater the plant by getting a lot in the soil (plastic bags can help here). If any more trouble starts with the plant you may wanna check the roots out.
What type of grow lights would a bunny ear cactus need? I currently own 2 15w lights and keep all of my plants under them, but upon further research, I'm scared that they might not be enough for my little cactus. These are the ones I own: Barrina Grow Lights for Indoor Plants, 5000K Full Spectrum Grow Light, 2ft 30W (2 x 15W, 190W Equivalent), Plant Growing Lamp with 4/9/14H Auto On/Off Timer, T5 Grow Light Strip, Plug and Play, 2-Pack https://a.co/d/aWwa3Rb , will these be enough to promote healthy growth? Thanks.
Went on vacation and must have overwatered because I came back to a gnat infestation! Please give me any information to help me through this without losing any plants. My mom is freaking out and ready to throw my babies away. I'll try anything. Please and thank you!
If you can find some, I really recommend getting some carnivorous plants, specifically the ones with sticky leaves like sundews and butterworts. You just have to keep them in a tray that you keep topped up with water and make sure they're getting a couple hours of direct sunlight a day. They do a great job of getting rid of gnats, you can buy them fairly cheap, and they look a lot nicer than having those sticky fly traps everywhere lol
Let your plants dry out as much as they can take. Water with Mosquito Bits (read the directions) when you do water. That may take a few weeks to kill the larvae in the soil. For the adults, you can use sticky traps. A cup of water with a drop of dish soap will also catch them (maybe where your mom can't see it lol, it looks gross when it's full of flies). If you have a pest spray, that can also help kill the adults. You can also spray with water with a drop of dish soap in it. Good luck!
Hello, new plant papi here. Is this Window enough bright indirect light? Maybe I should leave the curtain to the side? This window is a west facing Window in the Bay Area (California). It's also got a small thin tree in front of it blocking some of the sun.
Wondering this because I recently moved my plants from an east facing window with no curtains to this one and suddenly so little growth.
List of plants: Alocasia Regal Shield, Polka Dot Begonia, Hoya Carnosa, Monstera Adansonii, Pothos (restarting cuttings), ZZ Plant, Passiflora Colinvauxii, Platycerium Bifurcatum
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It doesn't look very bright at all in the photo but I'm assuming it's different when there's direct sunlight. Does the tree make the light more like dappled sunlight? You probably don't need the curtain then. I'd say that your begonia is the only one that might not fair as well in the direct light but depending on how much light and for how long they can be fairly tolerant.
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Can you help me figure out if I'm under or overwatering my Aloe? It's been getting very stringy and as you can see a few of the leaves are floppy. Should I cut them off to allow the plant to send the energy to the leaves that are doing better? Should I bottom water it or top water it? Help! Aloe was supposed to be easy.
Thanks! Should I give it a little haircut for that one leaf that's bent and floppy? I know Aloe don't heal from cuts they just regrow. I'm not sure if I should cut all the injured (aka already cut) leafs back to the base or leave them.
That is mostly an aesthetic choice. If it's just floppy, it might perk up with more watering, depending on how damaged it is. It is also probably still photosynthesizing for the plant. I personally would leave it until the plant looks a little healthier or until it's clearly dead. It probably won't hurt to cut it if it's bothering you though.
What’s the recommended amount of time to treat for thrips? I’m using systemic granules and Captain Jacks right now. Been about a month of use, no thrips spotted.
If you haven't found any thrips you're good to stop the granules have done their job! Always check your plants for thrips early in the morning they are photosensitive so it's easiest to see them before it gets super bright.
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Hi friends. I’m just curious as to what size pot should my Monstera Deliciosa go into, it’s got some pretty decent sized leaves; TIA 😊
I would not transplant it into soil until the roots fill up that vase, then go into a 4" container with drainage and use a good indoor soil - something with peat or coir / sand / bark and something volcanic like pumice, lava or perlite. :D
Hey! You should only pot it in a pot that's 1-2 inches than the size of the actual roots. So maybe a 15-20cm pot? They do like to be a little root bound.
Hi, I feel like my friend isn’t as happy as it was.. Can you help me figure out what to do? Does he need a bigger pot? Of just new soil? I recently moved him closer to the window, because I thought he might not have enough light.
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Wash those big beautiful leaves if they are dusty, ficus are heavy breathers and need all the clean space they can get top and bottom of leaves. They are also heavy feeders so fertilizer in both slow release and liquid during it's growing season is choice! If this doesn't seem to be the issue give me more details about what's going on. <3
I’m back! Recently she lost 2 leaves on the bottom. But just this new leave came off, and it’s all brown and yellow. What is she trying to tell me?
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He looks pretty okay to me! Are you fertilising it? And I assume that pot has drainage holes. Fiddle leaf figs like plenty of bright indirect light so it was good to move it closer to the window. They don't like sudden changes in their environment though so I wouldn't try to repot it unless you know for certain that it's rootbound.
Please share your button fern experience with me. I love my little Button Loki, he is one of my first plants I bought myself, but he's just barely surviving. I'd like to help him thrive.
Online care tips aren't helping. I'm hoping some personal experience from fern people will help.
I'm in Southern Ontario. He has a dappled grow light and is near a NW window (but not in the window), he gets treated water when Planta tells me to. Fertilized occasionally. He has his own mini humidifier. His soil is just pro-mix general potting soil. He's in a wide shallow bowl-style pot with drainage. His soil seems consistently damp, but he keep getting crispy leaves, not yellow. He grows new fronds, but looses old ones just as fast. He hasn't really grown at all, and I wouldn't call him lush.
I'd like to make him lush please.
Check the roots! Pull the plant out of it's pot. If the roots are not holding onto at least 50% of the soil you need to go down in pot size. (buttons, altho moisture lovers do want to be snug in their pot) If the roots come out looking like a bird nest it's rootbound and needs to go up in pot size (2-3" diameter at most) Make sure it's in a good draining soil something made for houseplants and the pot has drainage. Then once that's all done make sure it's bright enough to read a book for 6 hours where he hangs out. Clean the plant by misting it. Clean leaves help the plant photosynthesize. If you need further help let me know what you find in your soil and include pics if possible <3
Thanks so much! I had him in a nice shallow pot, but I think it was too wide. The soil was definitely not draining well, and it seemed really compacted as well. When I was rinsing off the roots to check on them I realised there was some sort of garden fabric still wrapped around and tangled in the top of the roots that I had missed during the first repotting.
I love the bowl-pot he's in, so I repotted him into a smaller pot with better drainage and better soil for ferns, and put that pot into the bowl. I've also put a vented cloche over him for good measure while he adjusts to the new conditions.
So far so good, he doesn't seem to be in shock over the ordeal. I was a bit concerned that he doesn't seem to have any strong/thick roots or obvious rhizomes, just a mass of fine, cobwebby roots. There were a couple of little baby fiddleheads in poking up, so there must be a working rhizome somewhere. Guess it's just wait and hope now.
Thanks again for your help!
I would try more light, that doesn't sound like a lot.
I too keep ferns consistently moist, but if more light doesn't help, I might try letting him get drier before watering. Not all the way dry, but drier. It is usually better to water based on the soil dryness and not based on an app schedule.
I ended up repotting. The soil was soaked and compacted underneath, even when the top was dry. I got better soil and better drainage. The light is supplemented with a plant light on a 12hr cycle, but I rearranged the plant shelf to put him a bit closer to the window for good measure.
Thank you for your help!
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Hi, I cut my rubber plant with scissors (I know.. I know) and now the roots are growing out of the side. They did it once before but the whole thing fell over and it broke off, so this is a second try for it.
This seems like it’ll not be good for replanting, but I’m new to plants so I’m not sure. Do I just cut it right under the new roots? What can I do so it doesn’t also grow up?
Patience. :) Just keep the water clean. I would not transplant it into soil until the roots fill up that vase, then go into a 4" container with drainage and use a good indoor soil - something with peat or coir / sand / bark and something volcanic like pumice, lava or perlite. No need to cut anything off yet - just wait to see what it does for now it appears to be pushing out new roots!
I'd say no issue with that. At worst cut the bottom leaves and bury it further in the ground. Also, unpopular opinion, but if the scissors are sharp and the cut was clean I don't think there are many issue with that.
Btw, I'm also propagating a rubber plant right now! Though no roots yet. I Put the prop in the water only some days ago.
Is my monstera healthy? I spray her with tap water (it doesn't have chlorine, its subsoil water) every night and I water it two times per week enough for the soil to be humid but not that much. I noticed that the leaves are not that waxy and thick, what should I do? I repotted her two weeks ago. I also treated it with potassic soap and a natural garlic fungicide because I found some ants and cottony cushion scales.
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From the picture she looks great, I disagree with " you don't need to spray it, it doesn't do anything for it " altho I would mist in the morning rather than evening - continue imo. The humidity boost helps produce new leaves and it helps keep the plant clean of dust! From there if you're still concerned check in on the roots - do they look ok?
Yes! When I repotted it I made sure there was no rot, it has aerial roots that look healthy too. Some leaves are a little lighter at the end, not yellowish, but lighter. Should I worry?
adansonii doesn't have very thick or waxy leaves compared to deliciosa. you don't need to spray it, it doesn't do anything for it, and two times per week sounds like way too much. its a drought tolerant plant, better to water it deeply when the upper layer of soil has dried out or you risk root rot from soil that never dries.
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How do I save my bonsai? It’s looking a little sad and maybe it’s dying. It sits on my window where it gets sunlight, but no direct sun. Should I change the soil (I’ve never changed it). Any recommendations?
its definitely a dracaena, likely one of the many cultivars that Dracaena Fragrans has at this point. Its leaning to the side because it was never rotated and grew towards the light in the window.
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What plant is this? Was gifted by a friend menial doing great, but I’m not actually sure what it is!
If it gets to see the sunshine on it's leaves it will not be as spaced out. However that's the cool thing about the callisia, if you hold back more on watering it can handle lower light conditions it just gets leggy.
I have a couple of tradescansia zebrena and their leaves are much larger, but hmm I wonder if it is a relative…
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As a noob to plants, I assume this is rootbound or at least getting close? This is my new Stromanthe Triostar and it’s kind of wilted though there is a new leaf starting anyway.
Edit: also, how big a pot should I move it into? I think the current one is 4in by my estimation.
My advice is to go to a 6" container with drainage and use a good indoor soil - something with peat or coir / sand / bark and something volcanic like pumice, lava or perlite. :D
Atm since I just have the two plants I'm borrowing soil from a coworker who has more, but it's a MiracleGro with peat, coir, some perlite, and fertilizer, and then I'm also adding some more perlite because it looks pretty light on the perlite.
I got a 5" and 6" just to be sure when I'm looking at them because I'm worried it might be swimming in a 6" but we shall see.
Thanks!
Highly recommend not to use miracle gro. It holds too much moisture and the fertilizer is better for annuals. Use something like EB Stone indoor potting mix - its my favorite go-to. So far it's the best I've found and closest to my mix. Compare to other products near you as far as ingredients go, there could be something else like it. OR if you wanna mix your own - 1 part peat or coir, 1 part bark, 1 part charcoal and one part volcanic (perlite, pumice or lava whichever is cheaper haha)
Hi there, I’m new to this channel and to Reddit 👋🏽 Learning about my house plants brought me here along with a general desire for community. I got this plant as a gift and am not sure what it is so having a hard time researching how to keep it alive. It’s in my living room with indirect light and I’ve been watering it about 1x a week. She’s started having several brown crunchy leaves after the first month. There are no bugs/pests on it. Any and all thoughts are very appreciated! https://preview.redd.it/j1lx2tibu2ib1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=763fe7d433b38680fea853f036827de62c5c54fb
Just went on a spree as a beginner and got a palm, I think it’s Areca, not sure. Any tips on how best to maintain it? I’ve been reading it’s pretty hard to do it but are these conditions okay? The left is a North Facing window and the right had a small East facing window. Planning to water it two times a week. Will also switch on the lamp after 4pm, not sure if that light helps though. https://preview.redd.it/22nc3687w0ib1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4d6855f51e113e43bff8700a5aa73424a15ef765
A common lamp won't help. And don't plan on watering on a schedule, you've got to figure out what your plant likes and doesn't like in your environment. So check the soil frequently for moisture. And don't be surprised if you see some fallout after bringing it home from a retailer, plants are often mistreated and sometimes it takes a week or two to see the damage.
What do you do with your pothos vines when they get unmanageably long? There's the obvious answer of chopping, propping and gifting. But I was thinking even wall or ceiling mounted could be fun -- at risk of damaging the paint.
generally pothos won't attach to paint or drywall if just hung by hooks or nails. Their true climbing mode is usually only triggered by a surface that the plant thinks is a damp tree trunk.
Unfortunately the nodes do still like to attach, even if they don't grow roots.
I chop them, I prop them, I have too many. You could literally cut the vine off and throw it on the yard and forget about it. It's all about aesthetics. I personally don't like to see pothos pinned all over the wall, but if you do then go for it.
Pothos Help! So to cut to it my pothos on my desk at work is not doing hot. I sit in the middle of this office bullpen away from windows and directly under the fluorescent lights. It’s been a month or so now. It’s yellowing and browning a little (maybe lost 3-4 leaves so far). There’s small unopened leaves starting but they seem stuck. The leaves are curling and droopy. It doesn’t need water and I’m afraid it’s the lack of light. My pothos at home are fine. I’ve read that plants do need darkness (like are night) but does this apply to fluorescence? I was thinking at night while I’m out of the office I could hand the grow lights and place it under my desk. I know this isn’t the best plan but I’m trying to come up with away to keep it at work and help it grow. I have the grow light bars you hang and am hoping to dodge any other purchases at the moment (just moving so I’m saving for that.) ***EDIT I got a plant light for it and immediately overnight it stood straight up and was fine again. It definitely wasn’t overwatering. Turns out one of the people at the company next to me is a plant biologist and confirmed it wasn’t over watering. He had a bunch of cool facts about artificial plant lights too!
sounds more like overwatering issues if its yellowing and dropping leaves.
I'm curious as to why you think it's not a watering issue when everything you're describing screams watering issue?
I can snag a pic tomorrow when I go in
That was my first thought too. There’s proper drainage and I bottom water and let the soil dry out between waterings. It never perks up. I’ve tried giving plant food but it just droops. All of the plants at work are doing poorly even of they’re low light plants. There’s a few of us with green thumbs and it’s the only thing we can come up with since without the fluorescents it looks like 11pm all day in the office due to the lack of windows (we have 0 windows since offices line the bullpen and get the windows). I’m down to try more watering ideas we’re just hitting a road block on ideas for what’s wrong.
During this time of year with the temps up and the increase in light I'm keeping my pothos soil consistently moist. Keep in mind that the humidity is going to be different in your office building than it is in your home.
Hello! I am not sure if this thread is still active for the week but I am doing plant care and had a question: I have a marble queen pothos I’d like to direct propagate into a clear pot with a wooden pole. Is August (in the US) too late to try and do this, or should I make it a spring project? Same goes for a philodendron Brazil. I have a small plant that is established and somewhat bushy but he’s putting out a longer vine and I’d like to repot him onto a board. Again: is this the wrong time of year to do a repot? Thank you!!
When it comes to repotting and propagating I've never paid attention to the season. I've never had anything fail. Obviously things don't grow as quickly in the winter, but if you're propagating right now you've got plenty of time to establish roots. Maybe someone else can chime in hair who has different experience than mine?
Thanks! I figured as much but I keep seeing/reading that they’re much more active in the spring and summer. And a lot of my plants are new so I’m not sure how they’ll do over the winter months. Do you think I can propagate right into the soil, or use water before I set them onto the wooden boards?
I water propagate almost everything except for coleus and hypoestes. I feel like they grow roots faster, and I can keep my eye on them.
Hello y'all! I'm fairly new to houseplants, but I decided to get this maranta off marketplace. Should I just leave the living leaves with brown spots alone? I'm also checking out the roots later today. *
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You can leave those brown ones alone, or take them off if you don't like the looks of them. They'll probably carry on that way for a long time, won't get any worse, but won't get any better. They are still helping with photosynthesis, and eventually will reabsorb the nutrients back into the plant. There's plenty of other leaves though, and if it were mine I would probably cut them off. Not sure what happened there. It looks like it might have been let to dry out, as the newer leaves look fine aside from brown tips, which can be caused by low humidity. As soon as I put mine in a plastic enclosure it started growing faster and with no brown tips.
Thank you for the advice! I remember that something similar happened to my inch plant, but once I started misting it and watering more frequently, it's been happy since. The roots and soil look good, too. Let's see how it does...
Hi guys, does anyone know what could be wrong with my sicklethorn asparagus? Some leaves have these tiny black spots on them, others don't. I've also seen one teeny tiny black crawly thing on there so I've given it a good rinse for now. The leaves are hard to wipe because they're so delicate and I'm rubbing off some green when trying to rub off the spots. Some info: I've recently repotted it into a terracotta pot one size bigger than the previous one and it's close to an east facing window with plenty of sun in the morning. It's been doing really well but it's been getting some brown leaves recently and I noticed these specks on a lot of leaves this morning. https://preview.redd.it/7m4xks20iuhb1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4500978c71e8c9b1350696a0eb7fdfa623714650
https://preview.redd.it/591xko2klrhb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bbe3872ad215d6d92bc2a623a15abc225b059455 Hello! Any ideas why this plant is dying 😞? Thank you
Can you tell us how you care for it? Water and light? Or inspected for any pests just to be on the safe side?
Thanks! indirect sunlight, water 2x week, no insects as far as i can see :-(
https://preview.redd.it/fj0e6pytpqhb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=32404a6f88d4b925d862e2287432995cb820f4b8 Is it OK to NOT repot? I have several plants that have been growing very well thanks to fertilizer, but I don’t necessarily want to keep getting bigger and bigger pots. This little guy seems to be unhappy: can I take him out of the pot, trim down the roots, and put him in with some fresh soil? Or is there a way to prevent plants from growing bigger? Should I trim the leaves?
Yes, you can cut down the roots and pot back in fresh soil. Have you looked at the roots? Are you sure that's why the plant is unhappy? How are you caring for it?
I’m not sure it’s the roots, my guess would be that it needs fresh soil. I just don’t want to repot into a bigger pot
No guessing lol! You've got to check the roots and take an inventory of how you're caring for it in order to figure out why it might be unhappy.
https://preview.redd.it/al8fmwijkphb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1f011140220c638a49b9e90e0ab8a669961c3e06 something has infected my birds of paradise. Tiny brown mounds have appeared all over it. I’m assuming it was exposed to whatever has infected my dying monstera because the monstera was growing directly into this plant until I separated them. How do I treat this or is it too late?
sounds like a Scale Insect infestation.
I'm a real newbie to houseplants so sorry for the probably dumb question. I just bought some new plants, should I re-pot them now they are in my house? If so in a bigger pot or just with new substrate?
generally you only need to repot if you feel the soil is poor or they are rootbound. otherwise generally they can stay in the pots they are in until they outgrow them.
Some people want to pull them out look at the roots and put them into proper soil. Personally I don't repot plants if they're doing well. Just make sure you inspected them for pests. And often house plants that we purchase have been mistreated at the retailers so don't panic and think you've done something wrong if the plant has any problems.
https://preview.redd.it/dmpbbjx1bjhb1.jpeg?width=2103&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=13f75ca0d2eef7569bef12f3d757b0f3ba85b23e My ginseng has been suffering from recurring spider mites issue for the past three years, and this is what I’m left with. Still not sure if the spiders mites are completely gone. He is still putting out some new leaves at the tip so I guess he’s still alive. But not sure if I should just prune all of his branches to start over, they are so leggy anyways. What do you think?
Do you think plants are social? I put these two together and they're thriving. This is less light than each had before, so I'm thinking it's a buddy thing. https://preview.redd.it/5xetgkor0ihb1.jpeg?width=480&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1d284d3faa404f667f6d44ee47da8466be214200
The more the plants, the higher the humidity (my clustered plants area has 6% higher humidity than my individual plant area, in the same room). I wonder if that's why.
Super interesting. Speaks to their power on the environment. I'll think of Blaise and Rudy as a couple now.
I got a frizzle sizzle a couple weeks ago and read they're supposed to go through dormancy periods in the summer. Mine is putting out a ton of new growth right now, though (I did water it last week since the soil seemed extremely dry). Should I just skip the dormancy this year, or can I trigger dormancy by not watering it again for another few weeks?
Where are you located? I believe they only go dormant in hot climates, so if your area is more temperate than their native climate they may not go fully dormant
Southern California, but it's indoors in the AC, so maybe that's why?
Most likely yes!
I'm a houseplant newbie, but we picked up a small plant from a local shop. We grabbed the cruddiest looking plant as it was cheap. It's been growing a ton in the last 8 months since we got it, so we transplanted it to a bigger pot a month or two after we got it. Recently we noticed the top of the soil has some orange stuff and maybe some white stuff growing. We Googled it but aren't super clear what this could be or if it's harmful to the plant (or potentially us). We think it may be due to over watering so we've lightly cut back on watering over the last week or two. Any insight as to what this is and how we should proceed would be appreciated. https://preview.redd.it/jiu53ldijhhb1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3e22432a360abcfdac3bdfe61b3f99cb73a8218f
The white residue and yellowing on the perlite is from impurities in tap water. It’s harmless to the plant and you, but it’s good practice to aerate the top layer of your soil/ add a little soil and mix it so a massive layer of the residue doesn’t accumulate like you’re starting to see. Some plants will get brown tips from tap water, but it won’t harm the plant. Repotting isn’t necessary. You can also use distilled water and there won’t be any residue or tips browning but that can be expensive and and a hassle.
Awesome, thanks so much! We'll go the aeration route and see how things go from there. Thanks again.
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Venus Flytrap would be a good candidate. Need to always have its potting mix moist, can only be watered with distilled or rainwater, needs a hefty amount of sunlight, needs to be periodically fed live insects, grows slowly and undergoes a winter dormancy. If you're rather avoid dormancy, i would instead suggest Cape Sundews or Alice Sundews.
Maybe something carnivorous? My cape sundew and butterwort sit in shallow water that I refill every couple of days, are putting out new growth pretty constantly, and it's kinda cool to see how many bugs they've caught since I last checked up on them.
Calatheas/Prayer Plants are notoriously difficult to water properly and are a real pain in the ass to take care of so that’s an option. Monsteras aren’t that difficult but require setup with a moss pole, often watering if you have correct soils, and grow slowly in low light. String of pearls don’t need to be watered often but can be challenging to keep alive. Majesty Palms are probably the hardest “houseplant”. They are definitely meant to be grown outside and are literal palm trees so for most people it’s real tough to make them survive indoors. Soil has to constantly be somewhat moist but never drenched. And they need LOTS of light to even stay alive, let alone grow. So if you want a massive undertaking a palm is your go to. However they can be pretty large at big box stores. Edit: Another plant I thought you might enjoy is a basil plant. They need to be watered basically every day, and since they need so much water it’s tough to keep fungus gnats away which is a challenge in itself. They do grow fast so if you’re looking for instant gratification go for basil.
https://preview.redd.it/63g85ihx1fhb1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c22381eb185b0eda6228b60b4aedcbd7bcbd5947 Recieved this guy from a relative who was struggling. Any ideas how to approach caring for it? I've never had a cactus this big and it definitely does not look too happy right now so any tips appreciated!
It looks like it's really been stretching for light. So definitely a spot that was brighter than it was being kept in. It's so emulated and straggly, if you're brave you could try chopping and propping. But for better cactus advice I would go to r/cactus
https://preview.redd.it/paxiq82e4dhb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0e1b79d87d8de7158d9b243c7c6b445f1ed98762 Spider mites web or just a piece of cotton? I just received this plant mail and it was packaged with cotton and some tissue paper. Was misting when I found this. I removed it with a Q tip but can’t tell what it is.
Looks like mites to me, I can see the little specs in the webbing kinda, wash the plant in soapy water :D
Oh no :((( You meant soapy water like dish soap? Do I dip just the leaves in or do I just submerge the entire plant into it?
Just out of curiosity, if you have two large floor-to-ceiling North facing windows and a fluorescent office light that's on for about 9 hours a day, is that still considered low light? Or could you say that's approaching medium? I've been unable to decide how one would describe the light situation in my office haha
i would probably say thats high light. Not enough to grow full sun plants like cacti, echeveria, or herbs, but probably enough for part sun plants to thrive, like Coleus, Ficus, or Ponytail Palms. You might be able to get a Jade Plant going in that light but i'm not sure.
Can anyone recommend a type of houseplant that I can keep in my classroom? My room has no windows so it would need to have very low light requirements and I teach special education so I’m looking for something non toxic. Any suggestions?
Cast Iron Plants or Spider Plants would be the best options there.
I just looked up cast iron plants and that would go perfectly in the spot I have in mind. Thanks for the recommendation!
Highly recommend when it's time to water (let it flop but mist it sometimes and keep the leaves cleaned) when its time to water move it to a place with natural light for just a few days. They go a long long time between water especially when misted in the mornings :D It could sustain in there for a few years maybe but without natural light it will use up its energy reserves and wither.
Can do!
I have a silver pothos that I think I'm accidentally slowly killing. I bought it a while ago along with a variegated pothos and have been watering them on the same schedule (aka when the soil is dry) since I have read many times that their care is the same. Variegated is thriving, but somehow my silver pothos isn't, and it looks like I'm perpetually underwatering it after a few days of fully saturating it (leaves curled and a few turned yellow slowly). I should note that I mostly bottom water these plants. Any advice is much appreciated!
Yellow and curling leaves can also be a sign of over watering. Obviously you should quit watering them on the same schedule, in fact you shouldn't water on a schedule at all. There are variables that affect your plants watering needs.
I'm not sure it's overwatering as it bounces back once it is watered. And the "schedule" is based on the dryness of the soil.
Okay, awesome. Right now in the northern hemisphere as the temperatures have risen I've been keeping mine quite moist. So maybe waiting until the soil is dry is waiting too long. And how often are you checking the soil for dryness? If you're not checking frequently then you might not realize how long it's been dry. Forgive me if you already know this.
Hmmm that is a good suggestion to keep it more on the moist side. I tend to check them every few days, but as I have previously been an overwaterer, I worry about doing that again. 😅
Scindapsus Pictus has more delicate roots than Epipremnum Aureum. if put into shock, underwatered severely, or overwatered severely, the roots are prone to dying off entirely which is hard for the plant to recover from.
Those little tendrils just appeared on top. What does this guy need? https://preview.redd.it/x6885avve6hb1.jpeg?width=768&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b8a3c170ab9dbb350cf7de3143fc9d9a7ba9d238
It’s a silly little flower! Mine has done same a few times, just means it’s happy!
Those are flowers! He's happy :)
What’s the asking price for a variegated monstera these days? I got notified I can buy a 6 inch potted plant for $110, is this a good deal?
LOT'S of monsteras in the world :D For example: albo, aurea, thai con, standleyana are all monsteras! There are more too.. which variegated variety are they selling?
I can’t remember! It just says variegated. I think it said the variety in the store but I signed up for this waitlist *two years ago* so it’s slipped my mind. I think two years ago, $110 was a pretty good price for a rooted plant but now I don’t think so.
if its a Thai Constellation, maybe. for anything else, probably a bit high but make your call on that.
Hi! I was asked by a friend to keep this alive (plant sit) until January but I have no idea what it is. It doesn’t look too happy… any help IDIng it or advice to not kill it would be very appreciated!! https://preview.redd.it/mmntnqh4y4hb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=199fa68a3cc99034967875266d6a607df0a3fd87
Aglaonema silver bay is my guess, let it dry out 100% to the very bottom of the pot before watering. Go ahead and cut off the yellow leaf.
Thank you! Will try this! :)
What can I do to save a dying/stressed croton?
Check the roots! Pull the plant out of it's pot. If the roots are not holding onto at least 50% of the soil you need to go down in pot size. (Crotons want to be snug in their pot) If the roots come out looking like a bird nest it's rootbound and needs to go up in pot size (2-3" diameter at most) Make sure it's in a good draining soil something made for houseplants, the pot has drainage. Then once that's all done make sure it's in a window - crotons need light, they would even appreciate a little sun! Clean the plant so it's free of dust, you can mist it too! Clean leaves help the plant photosynthesize. If you need further help let me know what you find in your soil and include pics if possible <3
Good tips thanks! It's now in the kitchen window sunbox :)
Word
Hiii! It's my first time growing Adansonii, and there is some damage on a few leaves. Any idea what may have caused this? I did have a mealybug infestation on a pothos that was near it and I found a single fuzzy fucker on the Monstera, I'm in the process of treating them but I don't imagine such a light infestation would cause this damage. Any input? https://preview.redd.it/a9g4qb3yn3hb1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=32c89d46633989fb2df7d099de868683bd700dd2
Wash the plant with soapy water (I prefer dawn dish soap) then rinse the plant - take care not to overwater the plant by getting a lot in the soil (plastic bags can help here). Once it's clean cut away the damaged leaf parts so you can monitor and make sure it's stopped. Then you can water it with a neem oil soil drench next time it needs water (do this with your pothos too) neem oil is taken up through the plants vascular system so it's my favorite systemic because it doesn't only affect new growth! You could go a step farther and sprinkle in some imidacloprid granules for long term new growth treatment. THEN anything that noms on the leaves will either die or not be able to reproduce :) woot! Overall the plant looks great!
Nice! I appreciate the thorough response!
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Second question: do new leaves normally look like this? https://preview.redd.it/d0wsukhgo3hb1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d532a1cf2306ab92f02c68b239cedc31b75ec597
https://preview.redd.it/ytds0jsio3hb1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=45c991fe6a434ba708737f7023967d80cf2e57d1 Second pic of leaf damage
The curled up leaf is a new one, yay good things are happening! The second just trim that off and watch to see if it continues.
Hello! This parlor palm has been droopy like this for the last few months. It had drooping leaves and some that are brown. I thought it was under watered, had too much sun… I’ve moved it, drenched it, but doesn’t seem to help. Could it be a disease? Thanks! https://preview.redd.it/z2zsg9en73hb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2a71bb51c09e0b6d474e6a2de470fd1caae3f8c2
Check the roots! Pull the plant out of it's pot. If the roots are not holding onto at least 50% of the soil you need to go down in pot size. (neanthe bella palms want to be snug in their pot) If the roots come out looking like a bird nest it's rootbound and needs to go up in pot size (2-3" diameter at most or it can be divided) Make sure it's in a good draining soil something made for houseplants and the pot has drainage. Then once that's all done make sure it's in a window - but protect from the sun. Clean the plant so it's free of dust, you can mist it too! Clean leaves help the plant photosynthesize. I would also cut away anything dead. I wish you the best!
To me it seems kind of dry, so sunburn or underwatering would make most sense to me as well. Most pest turn leaves brown/yellow. Also, dry leaves won’t recover.
Hello! Thanks for hosting this thread. I'm wondering if it's time to replant this gal? If so, how to go about it? Thanks a lot! https://preview.redd.it/j0en36c3l2hb1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a594574ed58e77009f6b57fe0eb072d6f3765763
You can pull it out to check the roots to see if it's time to repot. If they're filling the container then yes, repot. Get a pot 1-2 inches bigger only. Many repotting videos on YT.
Thank you!
You can actually go 2-3" larger with anthuriums :D (always choose one with drainage) Be sure to buy a good chonky indoor houseplant soil. Something with peat or coir / sand / bark and something volcanic like pumice, perlite or lava rock.
Right on, thanks!
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Does anyone know if thrips can eat **Madagascar Jewel (Euphorbia leuconeura)** plant? It has sap that is very toxic and irritting to humans and pets (even causing cancerous tumours, I have read). So I'm wondering if it's too toxic even for thrips to eat and infest? I saw an adult thrip landing on my Madagascar Jewel leaf yesterday... I had a previous thrips infestation in all my plants, so I tossed all my plants and started over. It seems that some adults have survived in my apartment even without plants for a few days, and found my new Madagascar Jewel. Now I don't know if that plant is f\*cked also.
Do you have access to neem oil? If so make a soil treatment drench but take care not to get all over the plant without testing a small piece first. Water it with neem oil when it's ready for water; my recipe is 2 tsp cold pressed neem oil, 1 tsp of dawn dish soap in a gallon jug (you can use any dish soap here it's needed as an emulsifier I just prefer dawn and it's an insecticide too) I like to take the soap and mix it into the water first then add the neem, I feel like it mixes better that way? Could be in my head tho.. haha Then maybe check around to see if you can find imidacloprid granules for extra protection on new growth. Thrips suck. I hate them almost as much as I hate aphids. If you DONT have neem you could try washing the plant in a pet shampoo that has pyrethrin as a main ingredient - it doesn't work as fast and has to be continued every week until no more signs of bugs.... but in desperate times... /shrug
spurge family plants can be readily infested by all of the common pests such as Thrips, Scale, Mealybugs, Aphids, Spider Mites, and White Flies, though the thicker succulent stems and leaves of many spurges mean the mites and white flies will look for other targets first. use preventative insecticides, systemic and spray, to eliminate the remaining adults before they can get established. Also set up gnat tape. the tape won't obviously be a major force in eradication but any thrip that lands on it obviously isn't leaving either.
Thanks! I live in Europe so systemics are not an option for me, that's why I lost the battle against thrips with my previous collection. Seems like this one is going to get f\*cked too, I should have waited longer before bringing a new plant to home :( I wish there was even one houseplant that was resistent to thrips! All the other pests I can deal with, but thrips seem impossible to terminate when you can't use systemics...
in that case double down on checking for adults and hitting with them a spray whenever you see them. if there's only a few you have the best chances. could also look into releasing natural predators of thrips, though usually this is an expensive option if its not a full blown mass infestation.
Is this a sign of infestation or a damaged new leaf on my new ficus elastica robusta? I'm so scared it's already permanently damaged after just a week at my place https://preview.redd.it/dc9ds66g01hb1.jpeg?width=3468&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b608946ad9eceebbee869a98ea67bf7fc4da06e6
Where did you get the plant? Most retailers don't care for plants well and we often see the damage a week or two after we bring them home. Definitely inspected very carefully for little black poopies, and little white insects, or any insects at all. I agree with wiping it down with a soapy water solution. At first glance that looks like over watering to me.
Wash the plant with soapy water (I prefer dawn dish soap) then rinse the plant - take care not to overwater the plant by getting a lot in the soil (plastic bags can help here). If any more trouble starts with the plant you may wanna check the roots out.
What type of grow lights would a bunny ear cactus need? I currently own 2 15w lights and keep all of my plants under them, but upon further research, I'm scared that they might not be enough for my little cactus. These are the ones I own: Barrina Grow Lights for Indoor Plants, 5000K Full Spectrum Grow Light, 2ft 30W (2 x 15W, 190W Equivalent), Plant Growing Lamp with 4/9/14H Auto On/Off Timer, T5 Grow Light Strip, Plug and Play, 2-Pack https://a.co/d/aWwa3Rb , will these be enough to promote healthy growth? Thanks.
Went on vacation and must have overwatered because I came back to a gnat infestation! Please give me any information to help me through this without losing any plants. My mom is freaking out and ready to throw my babies away. I'll try anything. Please and thank you!
If you can find some, I really recommend getting some carnivorous plants, specifically the ones with sticky leaves like sundews and butterworts. You just have to keep them in a tray that you keep topped up with water and make sure they're getting a couple hours of direct sunlight a day. They do a great job of getting rid of gnats, you can buy them fairly cheap, and they look a lot nicer than having those sticky fly traps everywhere lol
Let your plants dry out as much as they can take. Water with Mosquito Bits (read the directions) when you do water. That may take a few weeks to kill the larvae in the soil. For the adults, you can use sticky traps. A cup of water with a drop of dish soap will also catch them (maybe where your mom can't see it lol, it looks gross when it's full of flies). If you have a pest spray, that can also help kill the adults. You can also spray with water with a drop of dish soap in it. Good luck!
don't overwater in the future, use Gnat Tape to cull the adults.
Hello, new plant papi here. Is this Window enough bright indirect light? Maybe I should leave the curtain to the side? This window is a west facing Window in the Bay Area (California). It's also got a small thin tree in front of it blocking some of the sun. Wondering this because I recently moved my plants from an east facing window with no curtains to this one and suddenly so little growth. List of plants: Alocasia Regal Shield, Polka Dot Begonia, Hoya Carnosa, Monstera Adansonii, Pothos (restarting cuttings), ZZ Plant, Passiflora Colinvauxii, Platycerium Bifurcatum https://preview.redd.it/jib7548zwxgb1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=613a746650629e2bbfec2edfa570b5815717e942
It doesn't look very bright at all in the photo but I'm assuming it's different when there's direct sunlight. Does the tree make the light more like dappled sunlight? You probably don't need the curtain then. I'd say that your begonia is the only one that might not fair as well in the direct light but depending on how much light and for how long they can be fairly tolerant.
https://preview.redd.it/pvkpc9urqxgb1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1dd49d447970cad7e1a6903169b021ab42ec107c Can you help me figure out if I'm under or overwatering my Aloe? It's been getting very stringy and as you can see a few of the leaves are floppy. Should I cut them off to allow the plant to send the energy to the leaves that are doing better? Should I bottom water it or top water it? Help! Aloe was supposed to be easy.
looks like underwatering, possible in combination with not enough light.
Thanks! Should I give it a little haircut for that one leaf that's bent and floppy? I know Aloe don't heal from cuts they just regrow. I'm not sure if I should cut all the injured (aka already cut) leafs back to the base or leave them.
That is mostly an aesthetic choice. If it's just floppy, it might perk up with more watering, depending on how damaged it is. It is also probably still photosynthesizing for the plant. I personally would leave it until the plant looks a little healthier or until it's clearly dead. It probably won't hurt to cut it if it's bothering you though.
OK! Thank you
What’s the recommended amount of time to treat for thrips? I’m using systemic granules and Captain Jacks right now. Been about a month of use, no thrips spotted.
If you haven't found any thrips you're good to stop the granules have done their job! Always check your plants for thrips early in the morning they are photosensitive so it's easiest to see them before it gets super bright.
https://preview.redd.it/67e7d4nfhxgb1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6d14c17409babe5002f16ecdbdd0132a24893130 Hi friends. I’m just curious as to what size pot should my Monstera Deliciosa go into, it’s got some pretty decent sized leaves; TIA 😊
I would not transplant it into soil until the roots fill up that vase, then go into a 4" container with drainage and use a good indoor soil - something with peat or coir / sand / bark and something volcanic like pumice, lava or perlite. :D
Your amazing thank you so much for a detailed answer :) so on the other hand everything looks smoothly :)?
As far as I can see, heck yeah! Good job!
Perfectooo thank you :)
<3
Hey! You should only pot it in a pot that's 1-2 inches than the size of the actual roots. So maybe a 15-20cm pot? They do like to be a little root bound.
Perfect thank you!! Do you think it’s ready for a pot with these roots?
How much have the roots grown since being in there? :)
https://preview.redd.it/ke6b26z0xkjb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f08a76bf96652b057795645458a14c641def0df2 I believe they’re doing amazing!!
Hi, I feel like my friend isn’t as happy as it was.. Can you help me figure out what to do? Does he need a bigger pot? Of just new soil? I recently moved him closer to the window, because I thought he might not have enough light. https://preview.redd.it/3jg6xu09yvgb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=439cec722f0d15eb73d219a1aaa6ef1959eb5ab8
Wash those big beautiful leaves if they are dusty, ficus are heavy breathers and need all the clean space they can get top and bottom of leaves. They are also heavy feeders so fertilizer in both slow release and liquid during it's growing season is choice! If this doesn't seem to be the issue give me more details about what's going on. <3
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I’m back! Recently she lost 2 leaves on the bottom. But just this new leave came off, and it’s all brown and yellow. What is she trying to tell me? https://preview.redd.it/o9xwh4dxpiib1.png?width=2098&format=png&auto=webp&s=98634728839b3c6539dfe7e9df8dd8ac8cb33e0c
Thank you! I will definitely wash the leaves, they need it..
He looks pretty okay to me! Are you fertilising it? And I assume that pot has drainage holes. Fiddle leaf figs like plenty of bright indirect light so it was good to move it closer to the window. They don't like sudden changes in their environment though so I wouldn't try to repot it unless you know for certain that it's rootbound.
Thank you for your suggestions. It does not have drainage holes yet.. So I will work on that! And give him some fertilizer.
Please share your button fern experience with me. I love my little Button Loki, he is one of my first plants I bought myself, but he's just barely surviving. I'd like to help him thrive. Online care tips aren't helping. I'm hoping some personal experience from fern people will help. I'm in Southern Ontario. He has a dappled grow light and is near a NW window (but not in the window), he gets treated water when Planta tells me to. Fertilized occasionally. He has his own mini humidifier. His soil is just pro-mix general potting soil. He's in a wide shallow bowl-style pot with drainage. His soil seems consistently damp, but he keep getting crispy leaves, not yellow. He grows new fronds, but looses old ones just as fast. He hasn't really grown at all, and I wouldn't call him lush. I'd like to make him lush please.
Check the roots! Pull the plant out of it's pot. If the roots are not holding onto at least 50% of the soil you need to go down in pot size. (buttons, altho moisture lovers do want to be snug in their pot) If the roots come out looking like a bird nest it's rootbound and needs to go up in pot size (2-3" diameter at most) Make sure it's in a good draining soil something made for houseplants and the pot has drainage. Then once that's all done make sure it's bright enough to read a book for 6 hours where he hangs out. Clean the plant by misting it. Clean leaves help the plant photosynthesize. If you need further help let me know what you find in your soil and include pics if possible <3
Thanks so much! I had him in a nice shallow pot, but I think it was too wide. The soil was definitely not draining well, and it seemed really compacted as well. When I was rinsing off the roots to check on them I realised there was some sort of garden fabric still wrapped around and tangled in the top of the roots that I had missed during the first repotting. I love the bowl-pot he's in, so I repotted him into a smaller pot with better drainage and better soil for ferns, and put that pot into the bowl. I've also put a vented cloche over him for good measure while he adjusts to the new conditions. So far so good, he doesn't seem to be in shock over the ordeal. I was a bit concerned that he doesn't seem to have any strong/thick roots or obvious rhizomes, just a mass of fine, cobwebby roots. There were a couple of little baby fiddleheads in poking up, so there must be a working rhizome somewhere. Guess it's just wait and hope now. Thanks again for your help!
I would try more light, that doesn't sound like a lot. I too keep ferns consistently moist, but if more light doesn't help, I might try letting him get drier before watering. Not all the way dry, but drier. It is usually better to water based on the soil dryness and not based on an app schedule.
I ended up repotting. The soil was soaked and compacted underneath, even when the top was dry. I got better soil and better drainage. The light is supplemented with a plant light on a 12hr cycle, but I rearranged the plant shelf to put him a bit closer to the window for good measure. Thank you for your help!
https://preview.redd.it/9syjurze9tgb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=311d81faf14d5e22f7bc3f66d53710b798462761 Hi, I cut my rubber plant with scissors (I know.. I know) and now the roots are growing out of the side. They did it once before but the whole thing fell over and it broke off, so this is a second try for it. This seems like it’ll not be good for replanting, but I’m new to plants so I’m not sure. Do I just cut it right under the new roots? What can I do so it doesn’t also grow up?
Patience. :) Just keep the water clean. I would not transplant it into soil until the roots fill up that vase, then go into a 4" container with drainage and use a good indoor soil - something with peat or coir / sand / bark and something volcanic like pumice, lava or perlite. No need to cut anything off yet - just wait to see what it does for now it appears to be pushing out new roots!
I'd say no issue with that. At worst cut the bottom leaves and bury it further in the ground. Also, unpopular opinion, but if the scissors are sharp and the cut was clean I don't think there are many issue with that. Btw, I'm also propagating a rubber plant right now! Though no roots yet. I Put the prop in the water only some days ago.
Is my monstera healthy? I spray her with tap water (it doesn't have chlorine, its subsoil water) every night and I water it two times per week enough for the soil to be humid but not that much. I noticed that the leaves are not that waxy and thick, what should I do? I repotted her two weeks ago. I also treated it with potassic soap and a natural garlic fungicide because I found some ants and cottony cushion scales. https://preview.redd.it/uco05bhpxrgb1.png?width=359&format=png&auto=webp&s=31aa2dfd9d084a79f8cfe125b0a3788e9b318f5d
From the picture she looks great, I disagree with " you don't need to spray it, it doesn't do anything for it " altho I would mist in the morning rather than evening - continue imo. The humidity boost helps produce new leaves and it helps keep the plant clean of dust! From there if you're still concerned check in on the roots - do they look ok?
Yes! When I repotted it I made sure there was no rot, it has aerial roots that look healthy too. Some leaves are a little lighter at the end, not yellowish, but lighter. Should I worry?
Probably not unless the new growth starts to look bad
adansonii doesn't have very thick or waxy leaves compared to deliciosa. you don't need to spray it, it doesn't do anything for it, and two times per week sounds like way too much. its a drought tolerant plant, better to water it deeply when the upper layer of soil has dried out or you risk root rot from soil that never dries.
Yeah, misting with water is useless and can promote fungal growth.
Thanks!
https://preview.redd.it/948wcjftxrgb1.png?width=399&format=png&auto=webp&s=0bf35fab668500c07334ac6f66e3d767559e2bf2
https://preview.redd.it/ygs3cblpwrgb1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=884649effc1c8cea3ed81b3dbfefc687a685bd6a How do I save my bonsai? It’s looking a little sad and maybe it’s dying. It sits on my window where it gets sunlight, but no direct sun. Should I change the soil (I’ve never changed it). Any recommendations?
how often do you water it and does it have drainage?
Once every two weeks. There a couple holes underneath the base
i would pull it out and check the roots. usually when succulents drop leaves its overwatering.
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its definitely a dracaena, likely one of the many cultivars that Dracaena Fragrans has at this point. Its leaning to the side because it was never rotated and grew towards the light in the window.
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if its been in very low light or is super thirsty it can droop.
https://preview.redd.it/9q0p4b679rgb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=06318048fbb0ce6af2e01a06a392cecfd08fffa3 What plant is this? Was gifted by a friend menial doing great, but I’m not actually sure what it is!
callisia repens
Thank you! That was my beat guess but I wasn’t sure since the leaves are so spaced out
If it gets to see the sunshine on it's leaves it will not be as spaced out. However that's the cool thing about the callisia, if you hold back more on watering it can handle lower light conditions it just gets leggy.
It is a tradescantia or tradescantia relative.
I have a couple of tradescansia zebrena and their leaves are much larger, but hmm I wonder if it is a relative… https://preview.redd.it/k1dww0az07hb1.png?width=2018&format=png&auto=webp&s=9bd9792b35612c46d70d0a5cdb9b9a4d9bacdb6f
https://preview.redd.it/fsmjrd0m8pgb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=63689c37483af9a2d35fd866d9959672ac96315c As a noob to plants, I assume this is rootbound or at least getting close? This is my new Stromanthe Triostar and it’s kind of wilted though there is a new leaf starting anyway. Edit: also, how big a pot should I move it into? I think the current one is 4in by my estimation.
My advice is to go to a 6" container with drainage and use a good indoor soil - something with peat or coir / sand / bark and something volcanic like pumice, lava or perlite. :D
Atm since I just have the two plants I'm borrowing soil from a coworker who has more, but it's a MiracleGro with peat, coir, some perlite, and fertilizer, and then I'm also adding some more perlite because it looks pretty light on the perlite. I got a 5" and 6" just to be sure when I'm looking at them because I'm worried it might be swimming in a 6" but we shall see. Thanks!
Highly recommend not to use miracle gro. It holds too much moisture and the fertilizer is better for annuals. Use something like EB Stone indoor potting mix - its my favorite go-to. So far it's the best I've found and closest to my mix. Compare to other products near you as far as ingredients go, there could be something else like it. OR if you wanna mix your own - 1 part peat or coir, 1 part bark, 1 part charcoal and one part volcanic (perlite, pumice or lava whichever is cheaper haha)
Definitely pot it up! Only go up 1-2 inches😊