Hi I bought this alocasia 3 days ago in a local store unfortunately it had like 3-4 small white bugs under the leaf I carefully removed them and changed the soil afterwards.
The original soil was pretty wet and the alocasia started dripping at the edge of its leafs as soon as I placed it in my room
It’s placed in a warm environment without too much sun light.
The condition of it doesn’t seem to improve at the moment it only gets worse
What can I do?
I watered it not to much after changing the soil and the roots seemed ok to me
by pixeldude13
3 Comments
I have half a dozen alocasias and some of the leaves look like heck. Some of the leaves always look like heck. But NEVER buy a plant and transplant it ASAP!!!! First the plant has a nice home in the nursery where it is grown. Then it is torn away from its home to some store which has lousy ambience. Then you buy it and put it in some new horror it has to deal with. To add injury to insult, you tear it out of its soil and throw it into some other soil and the trauma is beyond belief. People have no concept that plants are alive and subject to strain as are all living things. You buy a plant and let it get situated for 2 weeks minimum too its new environment. Some plants may lose ALL their leaves, I’ve had plants do that all the time, big deal, they come back if I don’t try to drown them. I’ve had that happen with amaryllis, bouganvillea and desert roses as well as alocasia and colacasia and others. Why do they die, they are old, I’m heating the house and the humidity is zilch, all kinds of reasons. Sorry about the rant, but I keep reading these things here and I want to scream, plants are not plastic, stuff happens.
I wouldn’t even water it now until it’s somewhat dry again since you just repotted from an overwatering from the store.
Alocasias do need lots of light though, so maybe try moving it where there’s more light. Or put it under a grow light
The small white bugs were probably mites. I woild spray with insecticidal soap twice each week, as eggs will hatch, and you don’t want hatchlings to lay new eggs.
Alocasia roots need air as well as water, so aim for loose well drained soil that is damp, never wet. Wait until the top inch of soil is dry before watering, and if you’re not sure, wait. Don’t let old water hang out in or under the pot.
If your room isn’t bright, I would get a grow light. Just a bulb to put in any lamp that I can set aboit 2 ft from the plant. If it doesn’t get enough light, leaves will go pale, stems will be long and weak, and you will get very little new growth.
After being taken home from the store and repotted, it will need time to settle in. It may droop for a few days, esp if the fine mesh of feeder roots were damaged. If you let it dry out a little and give it some light, it will perk up.